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| LONGVIEW - An underdog Longview high school football team riddled with injuries and illness pulled a beautiful upset at Lobo Stadium Friday night when they took the measure from a game Kilgore eleven by a 25-6 score before approximately 6,000 wildly cheering spectators.
If one man could be singled out for individual honors Friday night, it would be quarterback Bobby Dill, the Lobo field general who figured in all of the Longview scores, and passed, punted and ran the opposition right into the ground. Dill tossed three touchdown pitches to Johnny Callahan, Howard White and Ben Moore respectively, then added the finale when he carried the leather across on a quarterback sneak to wind up the Longview scoring for the night. For the Bulldogs, also playing with the services of a star or two, it was Johnny Nicholls, and the Stuckey brothers who carried the attack all the way in this traditional classic which found both teams threatening constantly. A better turn of the breaks should have found the Bulldogs scoring at least two more touchdowns but they didn't so that doesn't change the score. The Green and White lost little time in pushing across their first touchdown after Kilgore kickoff Callahan ran the ball back 12 yards to his own 42. A quick weep around left end by Dill picked up a first down on the Bulldog 28, then Dill made it two first downs in a row by bulling his way to the 17. Johnny Rogerson plunged off tackle for another first on the Kilgore 6 and Dill tossed to Callahan for the score on the next play. Bob Broussard's kick was low, and the score remained 6-0. A see-saw battle ensued during the remainder of that quarter then the Bulldogs opened up with their vaunted passing attack which carried them down to the Lobo 14 yard line at one point. It was here that the Oil-towners should have scored as Rex Stuckey shot a beautiful aerial to Nicholls, only to have the latter juggle it on his finger tips in the end zone, then finally drop it amidst the groans and cheers of a highly partisan crowd. The visitors rally was finally stopped by Joe Tom Sturdivant who intercepted a Kilgore pass in the end zone, and the Lobos took over on the 20 yard stripe. Neither team threatened seriously again before the half time whistle. Kilgore kicked off to start the second half, and Longview returned 15 yards to their own 45. Kilgore finally braced on the 33 and took over at that point. Then after a series of line play failed to pick up a first down, Stuckey punted to Dill who ran the ball back to the Kilgore 2 yard line - a gain of 55 yards, but the gain was nullified when the officials ruled a clipping penalty against the Green and White, so they took over on their own 44 instead of the Bulldog 2. Dill then shot two straight first down passes to White and ran for another on the Bulldog 28. After a Sturdivant line plunge picked up five, Dill faded to the 35 and shot a long aerial to White who was waiting for it on the 10 yard. White wrestled it away from a pair of would-be interceptors and raced the remaining distance to the goal. Once again the try for the point was no good and the Lobos went out in front 12-0. The Bulldogs fought back furiously and should have chalked up a tally, but once again, their own anxious pass receivers juggled the pigskin and dropped it in the end zone. The score remained 12-0 at the end of the third period. The fourth and final stanza was one of the most hotly contested quarters in the history of the Longview-Kilgore rivalry. The Lobos knew that they stood a fine chance of being overhauled by the determined Bulldog aggregation which was determined to score. When the visitors took over on the Lobo 20 yard line to start the final quarter, it was evident that they would keep going to the goal line. It took them just three plays to carry across with Johnny Nicholls getting credit for the touchdown. The try for the point was wide and the score stood at Longview 12, Kilgore 6. But any of the fans who sold the Lobos short on the result of that let down were in for a few surprises, as they came back to score just a few seconds after the kickoff when Joe Tom Sturdivant carried the ball downfield almost single-handedly to set up the scoring play which found Dill tossing to Ben Moore for the six pointer. Moore caught the ball just before he stepped out of the end zone. Broussard failed to convent and it was 18-6 with five minutes to go. The Bulldogs opened up with their passing attack, but Buddy Attaway intercepted on the Kilgore 42 and returned it 22 yards to the Bulldog 20. Moore picked up a first down on the 9 yard marker then Sturdivant went through a big hole which was provided by Hibben and Callahan. After Sullivan plunge down to the two yard line, Dill took it across on a quarterback sneak. This time the kick was good and that finished the scoring for the night. The Longview line played a fine ball game and the substitutes came through in grand style. Especially outstanding were Hibben, Johnston, Attaway, Callahan, Broussard and Graves. Howard White did an excellent job in his first try at playing end, while Wesley Sullivan showed promise of future greatness as he filled in for Joe Young. |