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| LONGVIEW - Failing to capitalize on the several breaks that came their way, the Longview Lobos lost a thrilling football game, played on a soggy field before a 5,000 crowd to Marshall's speedy, deceptive Mavericks by a score of 14 to 0 Friday afternoon.
Quarterback Bobby Furrh was the lad who did most of the damage. At the start of the third period, the Lobos, with Abie Aycock returning the kickoff from the seven to the 21 and then making two gains of two and seven years each, followed by Joe Young's three for a first down, reached their 49-yard stripe with a nine-yard first down run by Art Rowland. Many fans questioned the Lobo judgement on the next play. They need one yard for a first down, but elected to pass. Abie dropped back to pass over to his left, but Furrh, who batted down two other Aycock passed and just missed grabbing another, had his man well covered and while on the head run reached up, brought the pass down on his 45, headed for the sideline and with nobody in his path, streaked over the goal line without anyone having a chance to stop him. Dingle place-kicked the extra point to put the Mavericks out in front 7 to 0. This was a bad break for the Lobos and rather than question the lad that called the play, we question local Lobo critics. It must be remembered that on the first play from scrimmage at the start of the game, Young made nine yards over left tackle. On the next play, with but one yard needed for a first down, Aycock passed successfully to Warren Poe for a total gain of 15 yards. In the Tyler game last week with the ball on the Lion 21 yard and four yards needed for a first down, Abie threw a third down pass to Ben Brown who caught it on the five and Rowland finally dove over for the winning score. The pass play might have been questioned also if it had failed, but it clicked and the Lobos were called great. In our book they're still great. Friday they were up against speed and deception that isn't found in but very few football teams. This coupled with the fact that the field was soggy and more advantageous to a team with those assets, the Lobos shouldn't be criticized for their failure to win. At the start of the season Coach Pete Shotwell had but one regular from last year as a nucleus on which to build a team. No one dared predict, after the Port Arthur loss, that the Lobos would be undefeated until Friday's game. They have improved consistently under Shotwell's guidance and were certainly far from being humiliated in losing to a great Maverick team. The Maverick pass defense was superb. They intercepted four and batted down three others out of the 11 which were thrown, two being completed and the other two being a little long for the receivers. Marshall threw only four passes, all in the first half. So, on their own power, were only able to score once which they did on their 69-yard march in the fourth quarter. The loss of guard Marion Gooding before this drive started had much to do with the success of the rive. He was one of the key men who aided in stopping attempted Mav drives through the middle and did a swell job with McGaw and Attaway, until he was removed because of a hip injury. On the Mav side of the ledger, Coach Mitchell had two substitute guards and a center with considerable playing experience and they were used alternately with the regulars in wearing down the Lobos' strong part of the line. Furry engineered the second touchdown drive without the aid of a pass. Here, the Maverick deception and speed became apparent as it was the first time in the game that they were able to chalk up two first downs in a row on running plays alone, making three, which proved the final payoff. The Lobos failed to make good on their deepest entry into Maverick territory when Ben Brown charged in fast to block Dinkle's attempted punt on fourth down. Billy Powers broke up the Lobos' try for a score when he intercepted Aycock's pass on the four. On another occasion Bobby Furrh just barley tipped another Aycock pass out of the waiting arms of Art Rowland, who had sneaked behind him and was in the clear on the Mav 29. Two Lobo fumbles deep in Maverick territory also favored the visitors. The breaks were many, as Marshall fumbled six times and the Lobos three with the latter recovering six times, but their own unfortunate fumbles and pass interceptions stalled whatever chance the locals had of winning. On running plays, Powers in four tries averaged 8.5, Furrh averaged 6.1 on six carries and Byron Gillory, who proved very had to stop throughout, average 5.5 in 10 attempts. The Mavs made 10 first downs to the Lobos 7, but until the final touchdown march late in the final quarter, the latter actually had a six yard lead in yards gained from scrimmage and were even in downs, 7 all. The score could have changed either way because of the breaks, but for the Lobos, the score just wouldn't turn up. One thing about these Lobos is that they're a spirited, fighting team. They lost to a faster team but not to a harder fighting one. They gave their all for 48 minutes, but couldn't cope with the Mavs' six speedy backs and they needn't be ashamed at having lost to the Mavericks' great team. The Lobos proved that they were still to be reckoned with early in the first quarter when after Powers' 18-yard run, the Mavs completed their two only passes to reach the Lobo 8. Gillory made six tot he 2 and on three attempts at center of the Lobo line gave up exactly 1 yard and a half, and the Lobos got out of that hole when Young punted out on second down. Pillory fumbled on the 37 where Brown recovered for the Lobos. Longview will terminate its season at Lobo Stadium on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23rd at 2:30 p.m. |