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| LONGVIEW - Tyler's quick-hitting football forces rocked Longview with two sharp second quarter touchdown thrusts Friday night, then held on with some great defensive play to whip the scrappy Lobos, 20-9, before 9,000 fans.
For the Lions, the game offered a distinct study of contract. Their split-T machine meshed smoothly during the first two quarters as they built a 13-7 lead, but stalled almost completely in the second half, and only some fine clutch performances by Lion defenders saved the victory. The statistics tell the story: It was a Tyler first half. The Lions ripped off 138 of their 160 yards rushing during eat first two quarters and registered their only completely pass - a 16-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Charles Milstead to end Willie Cain. That impressive attack netted 9 first downs. It was different during the second half, however. Longview's defense tightened and the Lions could squeeze through for only 22 yards as they failed to make a first down. The Lobos, making there first start under Coach Milburn (Catfish) Smith, didn't match Tyler's first-half brilliance, but offered a much steadier overall attack. <> The Lions threatened the first time they got the ball early in the first period, but the drive fizzle out in the teeth of stubborn resistance by the rugged Lobos. The visitors took a short Longview punt on their own 47-yard line and drove to Longview's 21, where guard Weldon Davis smashed through on fourth down to chill Tyler quarterback Charles Milstead in his tracks. As Davis pulled Milstead to the ground, the Tyler quarterback lateraled to Leggette, who romper over the goal line, but the play was ruled dead by officials at the point where Davis nailed Milstead. Late in the first quarter the Lobos launched a threat of their own and moved to Tyler's 30-yard line before losing the ball on a fumble. With Taylor and Rothrock leading the drive, Longview reeled off three first downs in a row before Tommy Roosth of Tyler covered a fumble on his own 30 to break up the drive, and the first quarter ended 0 to 0 a few minutes later. The Lions marched 70 yards for their first touchdown early in the second period with Roosth and Leggette sharing the offensive burden. From Longview's 10 Milstead faked a handoff and slipped over right tackle almost untouched to score and then place-kicked the extra point to put Tyler ahead, 7 to 0. The Lobos, however, roared backed immediately to tie the score at 7 to 7 on a 58-yard march. Taylor returned the kickoff following Tyler's touchdown 32 yards and Randel hit Rothrock with a pass for 15 more. Randel took to the air twice more for six yards to Taylor and a lateral to Rothrock and then fired to Taylor for 20 more. Taylor skipped around right end for a first down on the 12 and Randel then shot a bullseye to end Chuck Brown on the goal line for a touchdown with three minutes and 19 seconds left in the half. Randel split the uprights with a perfect placement kick for the extra point to knot the score at 7 to 7. Tyler came back with a 53-yard march for another touchdown just before the end of the half. Roosth and Leggett did most of the damage as the Lions pushed their way to Longview's 15, from where Milstead whipped a pass to end Willie Cain with only 10 seconds left in the second quarter. Milstead's kick on the try for extra point was wide and low, leaving the Class AAAA eleven holding a 13 to 7 lead at the half. Longview reduced Tyler's margin midway through the third quarter by scoring a safety after the Lions had been set back on their heels by a fine punt from the toe of John Boyd. The Longview wingman looted a 33-yard kick to Tyler's two-yard stripe, where it rolled dead. When Milstead tried to run the ball out from behind his own goal line from punt formation, end Tommy Rdorgieuz and tackle Danny Woodard broke through to nail him in the end zone for s safety and Longview trailed at the three-quarter marker, 13 to 9. The Lobos apparently had the Lions hanging on the ropes early in the fourth quarter and were pushing toward what looked like a certain touchdown, but the entire complexation of the game changed with a lightning-like suddenness. Randel whipped a short pass into the right flat, but Leggette raced in to intercept the ball on Tyler's 30, juggled it on his fingertips a couple of times and then sped 70 yards down the sidelines to score without being touched. Milstead kicked the extra point to end the scoring. The Lions got one other scoring opportunity later in the final period when Billy Sims recovered a fumble for Tyler on Longview's 18-yard stripe. Three plays lost five yards for the Lions and on fourth down Milstead attempted a field goal from Longview's 23, but the ball was low and wide. |