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| NACOGDOCHES - Their game plan was so simple it was scary. But it took the Dragons just two plays most of the game here Friday night, Hubert Douglas left and Hubert Douglas right, to roll past Longview, 26-14.
Douglas, perhaps one of the smallest players on the field at 154 pounds, squirmed and wiggled his way through the Lobo defense for 240 yards and 35 carries and three touchdowns to lead Nacogdoches from a 14-0 deficit in the half. Douglas entered the contest with 511 yards through five outings and picked up almost half that Friday night on a muddy, water-logged field. Douglas gave the Dragons a fresh start entreating the second half on touchdown runs of 3 and 1 yards in each of the first two quarters to cap drives of 75 and 73 yards, respectively, with each drive consuming nine plays. On the other hand, Longview scored both its touchdowns the first two times it touched the ball to go up by a 14-0 count with 8:37 still left to play in the first quarter. Following Donnie Centers' 90-yard opening kickoff return for a touchdown - Longview's second opening kickoff return for a score this year - the Lobos held Nacogdoches near midfield on its first possession. The Lobos set up shot at their own 15 and on the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Henry Shaw took an option play right and cut upfield, slipping several would-be tacklers all the way down the sidelines for an 85-yard touchdown and a 14-0 edge after Steve Blaschke tacked on his second extra point of the night. At that point, it looked as though history might repeat itself for Longview, who has dominated the Dragons in their last three meetings, walking away with decisions of 37-0, 33-0 and 24-9. However, history has no limits as to how far back it goes and the Dragons reached back to 1978 when they knocked off the Lobos 14-13. Douglas carried the ball six times during Nacogdoches' first scoring drive, including the last six in a row, and highlighted the drive with runs of 15, 11, 14 and 16 yards. Longview attempted to erase the Dragons' score with a drive of their own on their next possession. After setting up at their own 20, the Lobos moved the ball down to the Nacogdoches 27 on 10 plays with a 13-yard Shaw-to-Centers reception on third and 12 saving the drive. Then on a third and three, Shaw took an option right and was trapped for no gain. Blaschke then attempted a field goal from 44 yards out that missed short and to the left. Nacogdoches' next scoring drive was helped along after Douglas had taken the first handoff from scrimmage 21 yards up to midfield where Longview was cited for a late hit and another 15 yards were tacked on to give the Dragons a first down at the Lobo 37 From there, Douglas and backfield cohort Terry Kegler exchanged carries down to the 10 and from there, Douglas handled the ball the final four times.
After taking the opening kickoff of the second half, Nacogdoches continued to have the third quarter blahs. The Dragons have yet to score in the third period. On a third and 10, Douglas was hit at the line by tackle Will Pegues and stripped of the ball at the 18. Longview's Peter Porter was on hand to make the recovery.
The loss drops Longview's record to 3-3 on the year and 1-2 in district, while Nacogdoches is 5-1 on the season and 3-1. |