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| LONGVIEW - The Longview Lobos opened what they hope is a deep playoff run with a thoroughly convincing 59-7 win Friday over New Caney Porter in a Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game at Lobo Stadium.
The No. 2-ranked Lobos (10-1) dominated from start to finish, including a 49-0 halftime lead. In the first half, Longview held Porter (7-4) to five total yards from scrimmage - negative-12 rushing yards and 17 passing yards - with only one first down. That lone first down came with 8:20 left in the second quarter on a 12-yard pass, which was the Spartans' only play in the first half that picked up more than six yards. Of Porter's 28 plays from scrimmage in the first half, Longview's defense dropped the Spartans for a loss of yardage or no yards on 19 plays. Longview's stellar defense even opened the scoring when Willie Nelson recorded the 17th interception of his career and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. After the Lobos punted on their first offensive possession of the night, star running back Taylor Tatum got the Longview offense going with a 30-yard run to set up Kelvin Washington for a five-yard touchdown run on a two-play scoring drive. Tatum entered the game 80 rushing yards shy of the 4,000-yard mark in his career. And with five carries for 82 yards in the first half, Tatum eclipsed that milestone and became only the second Lobo to do so in program history, joining Fred Talley. Following a Porter turnover on downs, the Lobos needed only one play to score as Tatum outran the Spartan defense for a 20-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead with 5:21 left in the opening quarter. With Longview's defense shutting down Porter's offense, the Lobo offense had back-to-back three-play scoring drives with Andrew Tutt throwing touchdown passes of 37 yards to Dakaylen Reese and 25 yards to Ethan Harrison. At the end of the first quarter, Longview had 111 yards from scrimmage compared to negative-7 for the Spartans. With Longview's offensive and defensive units already registering touchdowns, it was time for the Lobos' special teams to get in the scoring act, and Nelson obliged with a 57-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 42-0 lead with 9:16 left in the first half. Longview's defense forced its second turnover of the game on a Daedrion Garrett interception. Three plays later, Tutt and Reese hooked up again for another 37-yard touchdown pass and a 49-0 lead with 4:25 remaining in the second quarter. Tutt finished the first half 6 of 8 passing for 144 yards and three touchdowns while Reese had four receptions for 84 yards and two scores. After Porter got on the scoreboard on a four-yard touchdown pass, the Lobos closed out the scoring on a 26-yard field goal by Alexandre Mitchell and a three-yard touchdown run from Julius McGee. Longview's defense held Porter to negative-6 rushing yards on 35 attempts for the game and 93 yards of offense. Up next, Longview will face Frisco Reedy (10-1) in the Class 5A Division I area playoffs. Reedy beat Newman Smith, 52-14, in the bi-district round on Friday. |