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| LONGVIEW - The Texarkana High ball club came with a Tiger in their tank here to Lobo Stadium Friday night, but a funny thing happened - a little animal climbed back out to hand the Longview Lobos their second District 8-AAAA victory, 12 to 0, before a crowd of 7,000 fans.
If there were a happier bunch of football players in the Lone Star State Friday night, you couldn't have heard them for the yells coming from Longview's dressing room on East Young Street Field House. The yelling and back-slapping began as the Lobos loaded the buses from Lobo Stadium where they had just beaten the No. 8 ranked team in Class AAAA. Texarkana and Longview are tied with a 2-1 District 8-AAAA record. The Lobos are now 5-3 for the season and the Tigers of Coach Watty Myers have a 6-2 mark. Texarkana Coach Myers and his troops sat around Friday night like a family whose home had just been devastated by a hurricane from the Gulf. Some observed their shoe shine while others started dressing and packing their supplies for the long road trip home. The Lobos, who combined an air-tight defense with an awesome display of might, crossed the Tiger goal line twice to post the very important district win. The Lobo fans have never seen a better played ball game than was staged here Friday night. Quarterback James Street almost single-handedly racked Texarkana here Friday night as they pounded 177 yards and the Tigers could only muster 102. The giant ground gainer for the Lobos, of course, was Street. He carried 24 times for 87 yards. However, he had a loss of 20 for a net 67 yards. Fullback Glenn Cobb was runner-up with 19 tries for 77 yards. Cobb didn't lose a yard. With 7,000 excited rooters yelling their lungs out, the Lobos struck through the airways when the chips were down, zipped and sprinted on the ground with fine running of fullback Cobb and Street to beat the highly rated Tigers. Modest, unassuming quarterback Street guided the Lobos in their finest victory of the season. All the Lobos need now are wins over John Tyler and Lufkin and they will share the district crown honors. Street wore the stunned look of a man who had just reached down in his pocket and pulled out a thousand dollar bill Friday night. The fancy-stepper felt that rich in spirit too, if his huge smile was any indication. Everybody was slapping him on the back, shaking his hand like it was a pump and offering kind words about his rampaging runs in the contest. Quarterback street engineered the two touchdown drives and he had plenty of block and tackling from the entire Lobo linemen and backs. Those first 30 minutes Friday night in Lobo Stadium, the Longview team couldn't get the touchdown machine started. However, the great defense came alive in the first quarter when the Tigers were knocking at the goal line at the one-yard stripe. The Tigers kicked of to the Lobos by Lester Smith and Harold Bridges returned the ball from the 10 to the 27. Four plays and Ronald Cook entered the game and booted the ball out with Don Walton returning the kick. However, a 15-yard penalty was booted against the Lobos and the officials placed the ball at the 47-yard stripe of Longview. Texarkana started moving down the field like they were going to a fire. Quarterback Steve Copeland was in charge and he was hard to stop. When he finally got the ball on the one-yard line, the Lobos went to work. On four straight plays, Texarkana didn't make an inch. And the ball went over to the Lobos on the one with 5:25 remaining in the first chapter. The Lobos were grounded on the one and Cook booted the ball out to get them out of trouble. The Tigers, as over-confident as you'll ever see a team, is probably still blushing. The Lobos slapped them down one by one with good sound blocking and tackling.
With less than 10minutes left in the third quarter, the Lobos started their first touchdown drive.
Cobb again plowed up the middle to the 42. Street off left guard to 37, Street again off left guard to the 35. Then Mr. Street on a handoff to Cobb fumbled the ball where he was hit by a host of Tigers. The ball bounced to the left and Street recovered the ball on the 32.
Seven plays later the Lobos were on the nine-yard line with 3:34 on the clock. Tailback Don Stout plowed to the seven for a gain of two. Then Street went off left guard to the two-yard line before the Tigers could say Jack Robinson. On third down from the two, Street went over for the touchdown with 2:27 on the clock. No ned to tell you how the Longview fans felt.
The extra point two failed as the ball was fumbled when Cook started to kick.
After the touchdown Cook kicked off twice. The first time the Lobos were offside. So the ball was placed on the 35-yard line. Fancy stepper Robbie Patman returned the ball fro the 11 to the Tiger 48-yard line.
Three plays later quarterback Copeland went to the air lanes and his pass was intercepted by Harold Bridges on the 34-yard line of Longview.
Longview took over and on the first play Street fumbled the wet old pigskin and Patman recovered the ball on the 28.
So the Tigers took over on the 28-yard line of the Lobos. It looked dark for the Lobos. On the first play Copeland passed to Patman to the 20. Then three more plays and Copeland fumbled on the 10-yard line and MikeCollier of Longview as the "grid king" and landed on the ball for the Lobos.
Longview had the ball three plays before Cook punted the ball out.
Texarkana took over on the 29-yard line of Longview. Copeland on a screen pass to Don Walton went to the 22 of the Lobos. Then Patman took the ball from the shot-gun offense to the 15. The Tigers made their 1-10 and were barking at the touchdown goal line.
Left halfback John Reed was given the ball and a penalty was charged against Texarkana, moving the ball to the 20. It was first and 15, Patman took the ball and went to the air lanes. He threw the pigskin down field and the Tigers had a wrong recovered downfield and they drew a 15-yarder to place the ball back on the 35. Then Walton took the ball and fumbled it as it was recovered by a host of Lobos.
On the 34-yard line of Longview, the Lobos started moving like a pro club. So 11 plays later, the Lobos were on the 28-yard line with a fourth down needing three for a first. Street took the snap from center Pat Bain, stepped back three and then set sails to the left end. He ran over three tacklers and he pushed several more out of hi way to cross the goal line for the second touchdown. With 3:27 on the clock, the Lobos had beaten ole Watty Myers' club. This is truly the finest victory of the season.
Both try for extra points failed. |