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| HENDERSON - Sophomore Eddie Armstrong, 185-pounder, Henderson's man with the "gold toe," booted a true field goal from 15 yards out through the middle of the crossbars late in the fourth quarter to allow the Henderson Lions to post a non-conference victory over the Longview Lobos, 3 to 0, here Friday night with an estimated crowd of 5,450 cheering fans looking on.
Superbly-honed Henderson, its offense reaching feast and its defense famine, buried Longview in the gray-brown soil in Lion Stadium. The Henderson defense was merely great, and a number of Lobo backs will attest to that. They're calling the Lion football team the Henderson Express. The locomotive, however, didn't start huffing and puffing until the second half here Friday night against Longview. But once it did there as no stopping as the Lions conquered the Lobos, 3 to 0. The Lions were given an early Christmas gift when Lobo quarterback Rusty Musser sent a bullet throughout he air and the ball was intercepted by Henderson's All-State candidate end Robert Porter. The talented ball player jumped high in the air on the 35-yard stripe to catch the ball and tip-top along the sidelines on the left side of the playing field to the five-yard line before he was tackled by a Lobo. Henderson went to work on the five-yard line with quarterback Buz Custer given the pigskin off to wingback Terry Ruston who was rushed back for a one yard line loss by a great host of Lobo linemen. Ruston again carried for one yard to the five before he was stopped. Then quarterback Custer voted to pass and halfback James Johnson was too well covered in the end zone and missed the catch. The Henderson team called time out and Henderson's coach Jack Fry sent Eddie Armstrong in to boot the three pointer from the 15 yard stripe with 2:10 left on the clock in the final chapter. The Lions last year in Lobo Stadium upset the Lobos, 22 to 18, on the fine playing of quarterback Mike Adams. Henderson's field general, Buz Custer, burst into full blossom here, enabling the Lions to come out smelling like a rose. The Lions in their two prior games were defeated badly by Pine Tree, 17 to 0, and last week by Athens, 39 to 0. The loss for the Lobos was the second of the year. W.W. Samuell of Dallas last week blanked Longview, 20 to 0. Henderson's flashy, skitter wingback Terry Ruston, who moves like a bucket of minnows, ran 17 times for 25 yards. Fullback Bobby Joe Wolley carried the pigskin 11 times for 24 yards. Raw truth stings like surgical alcohol. So dress it with diplomacy and ask what the Lions did to Longview loyalist Friday night in Lion Stadium. What the Lions did, other than beat the Lions 3 to 0, before the solicitous eyes of one of their largest crowds ever, was outplayed Longview offensively and outluck them defensively. With 10:32 left on the clock in the second period tackle Pat Lindsey of Longview recovered a fumble from quarterback Custer on the Lobo 25-yard line. It appeared the Lobos were on the go. However, the Lobos could only muster six yards on three tries and punt specialist Ronald Cook entered the game and booted the ball down field for 35 yards. Cook re-entered the game with 1:55 left in the third quarter and coach Ty Bain voted to allow his specialist to run with the pigskin. It took the Lions by surprise and Cook plowed through the middle of the line for 20 yards and a first down. The ball was placed on the 38-yard stripe. With just seven plays clicked off and the Lobos on the six-yard line and almost ready to score, field general Musser fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Henderson's end Adrian Gentry. A fumble by wingback Terry Rushton brought cheers from the Lobo fans as Charles Tyner recovered the ball on the seven yard stripe with 6:48 left on the clock in the final chapter. On the very first play quarterback James Street fumbled the ball and it was covered by Henderson's guard Don Crim. The Lions moved the ball from the seven to the 12-yard line and were forced to punt by Rushton. He booted the ball to the 42-yard line and Longview took over. Henderson's defense went to work and on the first play quarterback Musser passed the pigskin and it was caught by Robert Porter to set up the field goal. |