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| LONGVIEW - Corsicana's Tigers balanced the two-yard books with the Longview Lobos Friday night in Longview, coming from behind to take a torrid 25-14 football victory.
Just as the '52 Lobos snatched a 7-6 win over Corsicana, the 1953 Tigers came from a 1-point deficit to win going away, despite several lapses that nearly cost the ball game. Two touchdowns in the final quarter did it after the Tigers had failed, in a lackluster third period, to threaten seriously. The scoring got under way in a hurry. The game was only three minutes old when Longview took to the air with a 46-yard pass from quarterback Bob Randall to back Jim Ferguson for a touchdown, and George Myers booted the extra point to make it 7-0 for the home team. Corsicana then unveiled something in a way of trickery. Guard Ray Laird, pulling out of the line as he does on someplace, took a handoff from Scott Middleton from the Corsicana 34, were the Bengals had returned the kickoff. he was into the Longview secondary before the Lobos spotted him, two key blocks sprung his past, and he outran anyone else who gave chase. Harold Coffey missed his point kick and the Lobos led by one point. Corsicana fought back, still in the first quarter, to go ahead in the game. Moving from their own 13, the Tigers got a score in 11 plays. Harry Hudson and Ned Polk carried the brunt of the ground gains, which were short ones. With the ball resting on the Longview 31, Polk faked a sweep and tossed a pass to James Henson for a touchdown.This time Coffey converted to make it 13-7, Corsicana. The second quarter was scoreless, but not without its thrills. There was the sterling defensive play by the Tigers which stopped a Longview thrust cold on the Tiger 31. Then there were two Longview pass interceptions, both coming inside the Lobo 20 yard stripe, that killed Tiger touchdown drives. One drive featured a 46 yard pass from Scott Middleton to Henson, and the other featured a 38 yard punt return by Jimmy Tutt. The halftime was colorful, with Corsicana high's band saluting both stands with the initials L and C, and going through its intricate maneuvers.The Longview band saluted the Lobo pep squad and cheerleaders in a special demonstration. In the third, Longview moved to take the lead in the game for the last time, and a new quarterback, George Myers, who will be remembered here as a fine American Legion basketball pitcher last summer with the Longview Legion nine, taking over the man-under chores. Moving from their own 31, and with Myers chunking, two passes were ruled complete because of Corsicana incomplete. However, Corsicana recovered a Lobo fumble, on the Tiger 2 to stop that drive only to have the Longview eleven roar back from the Tiger 38 and score this time. Again it was an interference ruling that was good to the Tiger 13, and a penalty after that to the Tiger 1. Myers plunged over and booted the extra point to put the Lobos out in front, 14-13. Corsicana and Longview exchanged fumbles late in the third. Early in the fourth, Guy Neal Poarch recovered a Lobo fumble on the Corsicana 41 and that set the stage for another touchdown drive by the Tigers. Middleton rifled to Polk for a beautiful pass good for 38 yards to the Lobo 21, but Polk turned an ankle on the play. Ted Sherrill relived him and picked up 5 in two tries. Hudson rammed for 6 to the Longview 9, and then Sherrill plowed to the 4, and the 2 and the 1 in three tries. On fourth down Sherrill hit the jammed-up middle for the counter that put Corsicana out in front. Coffey failed to convert, making it 19-14 in the Tigers' favor. Longview took to the air then, trying to get back ahead, but no completions were in order. Corsicana returned the punt-out to its own 46. From that point Manning David ripped 28 on a beautiful sweep in which the blockers upended Lobos like tenpins. He was downed on the Longview 26, but Corsicana was penalty in the 31. From there Polk got off another sweep, for his best run of the night, doing a fancy bit of stepping and going the full 31 for the score. Coffey again failed to convert, 25-14. Corsicana played without the services of Pete Osborne, starting end, who injured his back in the practice early in the week. Charles Ray Waller filled in in fine fashion. Longview had no impressive ground game with which to vary its passing attack, but then the Corsicana line had a lot to do with stifling the Lobo running attack. Longview netted only 69 yards on the ground all night. Among the defensive standouts for Corsicana were Guy Middlebrook, Ray Laird, Bruce Leiser, Windle Prater, Tutt, Donald Wyatt and a good many others. But it was a team victory for the Tigers, who probably boast less man-hours of experience than any team they have played this season. There were several defensive stands by the Bengal line. Only in the third quarter did the charging lapse for a while, and then only temporarily, during the rash of pass-interference penalties that seemingly befuddled the Bengals. |