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| LONGVIEW - Piling up practically all their yardage with a speedy ground attack when their passing game failed to click, the Longview Lobos defeated Coach Jack Graves' Palestine Wildcats of District 13-AA by a score of 14-7 here Friday night in the opening contest of the season for both elevens.
Phantom - footed Johnny Rogerson, holder of the district and regional 440- yard dash records, stole the spotlight as the green and inexperienced Lobos out hustled the heavier and craftier Palestine eleven in what many fans considered a rousing upset, although the game was rated as a toss up by close observers. The spirited Lobos, making up in determination what they might have lacked in ability, kept the upper hand throughout most of the contest and in addition to their two touchdowns seriously threatened on two other occasions to roundly outplay the visitors. Robert Harris, nimble little 138-pound wingback, teamed up with Rogerson to lead the offensive attack of the Lobos and played an outstanding all-around game. Rogerson scored both Longview touchdowns, the first on a spectacular 64-yard jaunt around right end in the opening quarter and the second on a 15-yard cutback through the middle of the line in the third quarter. Fox Cashell, substitute Longview back, drilled both extra points straight between the uprights from placement. Rogerson's long run in the first canton and Cashell's subsequent extra point gave the Lobos a 7-0 lead, but the Wildcats tied the score before the quarter was over when they staged a 59-yard march which was climaxed when James Wilkie plunged over center for a touchdown from the two-yard marker and wingback Billy Monk placekicked the extra point. Just a few seconds before the close of the third quarter, the Lobos struck pay dirt again when they partially blocked a Palestine kick on the Wildcats' 33-yard line. At that point Palestine received a 15-yard penalty for interfering with a fair catch and Rogerson promptly brook through center, faded to his left and fought his way over the goal line. Cashell came in from the bench to drive the extra point between the crossbars. Although the play of both elevens was somewhat ragged, the Lobos showed surprising form and rolled up 11 first downs against seven for the visitors. The Wildcats were rapping on the Longview goal as the game ended when Rogerson batted down Donald McNeil's pass in the end zone after he had previously connected for two in a row to Robert Mathis which gained 48 yards and advanced the Wildcats to Longivew's 10-yard stripe. The Lobos rolled up a total of 236 yards from scrimmage while limiting the Wildcats to 140 and had a total of 61 yards in punt returns against a scant 15 for Palestine. The Longview passing attack, however, was practically a useless weapon for the Lobos attempted 14 aerials and completed only one for a 14-yard gain while 10 were incomplete and three intercepted. The Wildcats only had slightly better luck overhead, completing but three attempts out of 17 and 12 incomplete and two intercepted. Co-Captain Jimmy Pakenham, who started the game at fullback but who switched to guard by Coach Maco Stewart when the Lobo forward wall started leaking early in the tilt, was outstanding in the Lobo line, along with Don Menasco at center. The 161-pound Menasco turned in a fine job of line-backing as well as moving down the field fast on punt receivers. |