|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
||
|
|
| DALLAS - Longview's four new starters on the offensive line had a rude awakening Saturday night.
Coppell's defense spent most of the first half in the No. 9 Lobos' backfield, forcing three turnovers as the Cowboys raced to a big lead early en route to a 41-8 win at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. "They're good, physical, had a great scheme and do it with great players," Longview coach John King said. "We had some busts and missed opportunities, turnovers, bad calls on my part. You name it and it all added it up to what you saw tonight. "Just a poor performance by the Lobos." Longview quarterback Bivins Caraway was knocked out of the game with a left leg injury in the second quarter after taking a big hit while releasing a pass. He struggled to handle the Coppell pressure before leaving the game, completing 3 of 10 passes for 29 yards, an interception and losing two fumbles as the Cowboys took a 21-0 lead into halftime. "Their line gave us fits," King said. "We had some busted assignments. It's a work in progress. Coppell is good. They got us with a few slants and some blitzes on passing situations. We busted a call and blew a protection. "We even got a sack on a three-step (drop). That's the easiest protection in the world. You name it, it happened." King wasn't sure about the severity of Caraway's injury. "We'll get him checked out (Sunday)," King said. Longview trailed 21-0 at halftime, but pinned Coppell deep in its own territory to start the third quarter. Facing third-and-6 from the 10, Cowboys quarterback Colby Mahon completed a short hitch to receiver Cameron Smith, who broke two tackles and raced 90 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 28-0. "That kind of deflates you," King said. "You get the ball back at midfield and get a score, who knows what can happen. The kids are going to start playing harder. The ball may bounce your way � It's 28-0 and the kids are like, 'Oh, man, that's too much to overcome.'" Smith also came up with a 36-yard touchdown catch off a tip in the first quarter. Lobos safety Stephan Maxey tipped Mahon's pass near the goal line, but Smith came up with a diving touchdown for the first score of the game. He finished with four catches, 145 yards and the two touchdowns, while Mahon was 8 of 10 for 251 yards and four scores. Coppell got the score after senior linebacker Tanner Masters came up with the first of his two forced fumbles against Caraway. Masters leveled Caraway again on the Lobos' ensuing possession after the touchdown, jarring the ball loose and setting Coppell up on the Longview 37. The Lobos defense came up big on the next play, forcing a fumble that linebacker DeMarkus Lathan recovered. Caraway turned it back over two plays later, though, throwing an interception that Troy Parker returned to the Longview 1. Charles West's touchdown run on the next play pushed the lead to 14-0 with 1:52 left in the first quarter. Coppell racked up 371 yards of offense against a Lobos defense returning seven starters. The Cowboys pushed their lead to 34-0 before Corey Bartley blocked a PAT and Nakia Brown returned it for two points to put Longview on the board. The Lobos scored their lone touchdown of the night on the final play of the game when Sophomore running back JaMycal Hasty took a short pass from backup quarterback Stephon Dunn 46 yards for a score. Hasty's score and senior running back Tory White's 108 yards on 19 carries were bright spots for a Longview offense that struggled to move the ball without Caraway. "That play kept us from getting shut out," King said. "Glad to see him do it. He had a couple good kickoff returns. Tory ran good. Did some good things. He's definitely going to be our guy." Longview will host North Little Rock (Ark.) on Friday. |