|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
||
|
|
| LONGVIEW - It is hard to believe sports fans.
Longview's Lobos kicked Texarkana's Tigers all over Lobo Stadium here Friday night for four quarters to give veteran football coach Watty Myers his worst beating by a Lobo football team. For the record, the Lobos posted a 28 to 13 victory before a crowd of around 4,000 fans. Very few Tiger fans made the trip to Longview. It was two years ago the Lobos blanked the Tigers, 12-0. Last year at Texarkana the Tigers, who were No. 1 in the Class AAAA, downed Longview 25 to 13, behind the ace quarterback of Joe D. Norwood. The victory Friday night for the Lobos was sweet. Beating Texarkana is like winning the state championship. Most clubs in District 8-AAAA haven't had the opportunity in beating the Tigers in recent years. Never get comfortable in a football game. Longview learned this lesson Friday night and got the scare of it's life before finally whipping the scrappy Tigers in the third district contest of the season for both clubs. Longview was about as unstoppable as Elliot Ness as the Lobos racked up 401 net yards rushing to Texarkana's 89. Longview went to the air for 84 yards while the Tigers grabbed 210 yards via the air. Longview had a net of 485 yards to the Tigers' 299. In the first down department Longview netted 16 while the Tigers 15. Longview scored touchdowns in the first, second and third quarter in posting their second district 8-AAAA win of the season. The first win was over Tyler Lee, 9-0. Last Friday night the Lobos lost to Marshall, 13 to 9. Longview now has a 4-3-1 record and a 2-1 league mark. The Lobos travel to John Tyler on Friday night for another important district contest. Longview is still very much in the district race and can't gave up now. The victory must be credited to the fine running of wingback Rodney Hill, 152-pound junior. This lad raced up and down the turf like a jet engine. He carried the ball six times for 145 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 11 yards and 26 yards and a kickoff return for 88 yards for a touchdown. Tis lad had his best night of the season. Longview won the hard way over the Tigers, grinding every grudging, stubborn, uphill foot to outlast the Tigers. Quarterback Judy also had one of his best nights as he carried the ball 21 times for 141 yards and scored one touchdown on a four yard run in the first quarter. He went to the air nine times and complete six bombs for 54 yards. Fullback Joe Griffin, 194-pound junior, was truly the big work-horse in the backfield as he toted the pigskin 14 times for 69 yards. his blocking and tackling was great. The Tigers won the flip-of-the-coin in midfield and elected to receive. Ralph Blount kicked off and Ricky Sanders took the ball on the seven and returned to the 22 before host of Lobos nailed him to the turf. Two plays later tailback Mike Stevens was hit by several Lobos and fumbled the pigskin and Keith Bishop recovered the ball on the 17 yard line to gig the Lobos one of several breaks in the contest. Mr. Judy, who said early in the week the Lobos could beat the Tigers, took charge of the team and with very little trouble moved the ball across the goal line for the first touchdown. From the 17, on the first try, was snowed for a loss of two back to the 19 yard line. Then on the second try the talented field general went to the left side of the line to the 15. Then on the next try Judy sailed to the seven yard line. On the seven, Judy elected to allow fullback Griffin to carry the ball over right tackle to the four. On second down and needing four, Judy went over right tackle into the end zone for the touchdown with 8:55 left in the first quarter. Keith Parker's kick for the extra point sailed through the high uprights to give the Lobos a 7-0 lead. This really shocked coach Myers on the east sideline as he started walking back and forth down the line and shaking his head. The touchdown covered 17 yards (19-lost two), tow first downs and five plays. The Lobo defensive line held the Tigers on the Lobo 16 yard line with 8:04 left in the second period on fourth down. The Lobos started their touchdown drive with Judy barking the signals. On the first play, Judy's pass as perfect to end Cecil Newton to the 26 yard line for a first down. Then Judy took the snap and sailed to the 36 yard line of Texarkana for a gain of 38 yards of another first down before the Tigers could look up. Fullback Griffin took over and carried to the 27 for nine yards and then again to the 24 for a first down. On the 24, Judy broke away to the 16 for a gain of eight yards. On the next try Griffin was caught by the shoe string for a loss of one back to the 17. Then Judy carried to the eight for a first down. From the eight, Judy started to his right and slipped for a loss of three back to the 11. Rodney Hill on the next try put on his jet wings and sailed around the left side of the Tigers into the end zone for the second touchdown of the night for Longview. With 4:05 left before half-time, the Lobos led 13-0. Parker's kick added the extra point, 14-0. The drive covered 84 yards, nine plays and five first downs. Ralph Blount kicked off to the Tigers and Texarkana took over on the 11 yard line. It took the Tigers only nine plays, four first downs and 89 yards to put six points up on the scoreboard. Quarterback Artie Starr sailed a bullet into the arms of halfback Jack Hehn for a 23 yard strike and a touchdown. With 1:22 left before halftime, the Tigers were closing in on the Lobos. Starr's kick for the extra point was good, 14-7 Longview. Two big gainers came on passes that set up the touchdown. Starr hit end Rickey Hildreth for a 35 yard bomb and Starr sailed a bomb into the arms of Johnny Whitecotton for 20 yards. Texarkana only ran three times for 10 yards and moved the ball 78 yards in the air. In the opening seconds of the third quarter, Rodney Hill gave the fans something to talk about for a long time. This time he took the kickoff on the 12 yard line from the foot of Hildreth and moved down the field 88 yards for a third Lobo touchdown. With 11:47 remaining in the third chapter, Longview led 20-7. Parker's kick made it 21-7. Hill took the ball on the 12 and about midfield he picked his way through several would be blockers and sailed to the goal line untouched. This Hill lad is truly one of Longview's great backfield runners. Defensive halfback Cecil Newton, who intercepted three passes, set up the final touchdown of the night for the Lobos. Newton took the ball on the Lobo five yard line and returned it to the 14 before he was tackled by the Tigers. Judy started the touchdown machine moving once again. On the first play, Judy carried to the 17 and then on the second try went to the 18. Then fullback Griffin took the handoff and plowed his way to the 28 yard line. On the next try, Griffin sailed to the 35 yard line for a gain of nine. It was second down and needing one for a first, so Judy twisted his way to the 32 yard line of Texarkana for a gain of 33 yards and a first down. Three plays later, Hill from the 26 yard line went into the end zone for the touchdown with 2:41 left in the third quarter. Parker's kick again was good. The Lobos led 28-7. Texarkana's final touchdown came in the fourth quarter with 1:55 left in the game. Sophomore quarterback Mike Stevens sailed a 42 yard pass into the arms of end Rickey Hildreth for the touchdown into the right end zone. Stevens' pass for the two point conversion failed and the Tigers had to settle for the six points. |