Pioneer quarterback Garrett Diel got to the outside with 26 seconds left in the game for a 43-yard tightrope touchdown last night, ending Alex's season with a shocking 44-40 home win in round one of the Class B playoffs.

After getting drubbed and shut out in their last three meetings, the senior-heavy Longhorns came in ready to end the Mustangs' hold on them in their last meeting.

Alex did everything they needed to do to win.

They overcame a fumble on their first possession of the game that gave the Mustangs a quick 8-0 lead and bounced back twice to open up a 34-22 halftime lead.

Cody Mendenhall got the home team on the board a minute in after Emilio Shriver covered a muffed Alex snap on the Horn thirteen but John Hutchins got the equalizer with a 42-yard end-around on Alex's ensuing possession.

Shriver got the Horns again with a five-yard push to cap off an eleven-play drive to give Pioneer a 14-8 lead.

After forcing a punt into the stiff wind, Gus Overstreet rambled for a seventeen-yarder and Pioneer extended to 22-8

After forcing another punt, Diel went deep to his brother Grant to set up a first and goal on the Alex nine with a minute left in the first quarter. About the time everyone was thinking “here we go again,” Alex forced a fumble and Justin Tillman covered it to get the ball back and save a score.

The teams switched ends, and now with the wind, quarterback Kelby Ketchum hit Hutchins for a 65-yard catch-and-run then Damon Avery went around end for a quick six.

A pair of big hits by Kevin Mills forced Pioneer into a punting situation from their fifteen. The kick went straight up into the wind and took an Alex bounce, setting them up on the nine. Bryson Braziel punched it in for another six and got the Longhorns within two points.

The Horn defense held and Pioneer tried a pitch on a fourth and five. Dereck Halford read it perfectly and knocked the ball down to give Alex great field position at the Stang fifteen.

Avery went back to the right side on first down for the score and Ketchum's deuce gave Alex their 34-22 halftime lead.

Pioneer had deferred to start the game and took the wind to start the second half, hoping to capitalize and climb back in it. With seven minutes left in the third the strategy paid off. After almost losing the ball on a bad snap, Diel rolled out and hit Overstreet from the six to get within four at 34-30.

Alex drove back down the field and Avery got outside from the 41 on a sweep, but his touchdown was called back on a block to the back to spring him. Make a note of this play.

The Longhorns then had to punt but their defense held again as they switched ends to start the fourth quarter. Once they got the ball back they got into trouble with a sack and a holding call. Facing third-and-25 from their own 35, Ketchum was flushed out of the pocket by a furious Mustang pass rush. The converted tailback tucked and ran, getting by the first wave then reversing fields in the secondary and running away from everyone for 65 yards and a ten-point lead.