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| LUFKIN - A gambling Longview Lobo team scored two quick touchdowns to hand the fighting but outmanned Lufkin Panthers a 14-0 defeat in the District 8-AAAA season finale for both teams here Friday night.
Texarkana sewed up the outright championship Friday night by defeating Robert E. Lee of Tyler, 20-3, and the Tigers will meet Denison in bi-district play next week. The Lobos, needing one yard on a fourth down situation late in the first period, sent Don Petty, their bruising fullback, slanting off his own right tackle on a big gamble. The gamble paid off big. The Lobos would have settled for the one yard needed for a first down, but Petty found the right sideline and raced untouched for 71 yards and a touchdown. Robert Myers kicked the extra point. The touchdown came with 3:49 remaining in the first period. On the ensuing kickoff, the Lobos who were as daring on this chilly night as a Mississippi riverboat gamble, kicked short, and the ball was covered by Longview on the Lufkin 47. The Lobos promptly drove to another score, which was to be the last of the night. From the 47, the Lobos scored in eight plays, with two pass plays by big quarterback Robert Myers opening the lock to the promised land. Myers tossed to Petty for 11 yards, then hit halfback Hawk Clements for 17 yards and a first down on the Panther 19. Ground plays moved the ball to the two-yard line, and from that point Petty powered over for the touchdown. Myers again kicked the extra point, and the scoreboard read 14-0, with 11:49 left in the second quarter. Lufkin's deepest penetration was to the 11 yard line in the first period. But a 15-yard penalty, one of six suffered by the Panthers, brought the ball back to the 26 yard line. Lufkin had taken over on the 26 yard line after center George Merriwether recovered a Longview fumble. Ground plays by halfback Richard Carswell and Billy Ballard, and fullback John Rowe took the ball to the 11 where the penalty occurred. Longview had three drives halted during the game. The Lobos threatened twice in the second period and once in the third period. Gene Wilson, Panther end and responsible for recovering a Lobo fumble on the 18 yard line midway in the second period. The Lobos had marched from their own 20 yard line. But, the Panthers fumbled on their 29 yard line. A 15 yard penalty set the Lobos back to the 44. Longview drove to the 26 in two plays with a 14-yard pass from Myers to Clements keeping the Lobo alive. But a fourth down pass failed and Lufkin took over. Longview took the second half kickoff and drove from their 37 to Lufkin's six yard line, but a 15-yard penalty and a minus nine yard pass play killed the drive. The Panthers' biggest gain of the night as on the last play from scrimmage on a 28 yard pass from Dunn to Rowe from Lufkin's 28 to the Lobos' 44. Turnovers played a big role in the game. The Lobos lost four fumbles, while the Panthers only bobbled the ball twice. But, only one fumble was in Lufkin's territory, that being on the 18 yard line. One Lufkin fumble was in Longview territory. The Panthers lost the ball on the 29 yard line, but a 15 yard penalty against Longview moved the ball back to the 44 yard line. Carswell gained 35 yards for the Panthers in eight carries for a 4.3 average. He was followed by Rowe, Thompson and Ferguson. Rowe totaled 16 yards in five carries for a 3.2 average while Thompson gained 14 yards in one carry for a 14 yard average. Ferguson carried the ball four times and picked up 10 yards for a 2.2 yard average. As a team the Panthers toted the ball 24 times for 86 yards for a 3.5 yard average. Longview's big rusher was Petty, who speed enabled him to gain 104 yards in 13 carries for an eight yard average. He was followed by John Malone with 71 yards in eight carries for an 8.8 yard average. The Lobos carried the ball 48 times, twice as much as Lufkin, and gained 232 yards for a 4.8 average. In the other 8-AAAA finale, John Tyler defeated Marshall by a 21-7 score. Texarkana's victory gives them a 4-0-1 district record followed by Longview, with a 4-1 slate. John Tyler (3-1-1), Marshall (2-3), Lufkin (1-4) and Lee of Tyler (0-5). Texarkana sports the best record for the season with eight wins against one loss and a tie. It's lone loss was to Denison, 7-6. The same teams square off in bi-district play next week. Longview, John Tyler and Tyler Lee follows with 5-5 records while Lufkin finished a 4-6 record.Marshall compiled a 3-6-1 record for the season. |