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| NACOGDOCHES - It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win. At least that's how Longview mentor Robert Bero saw Friday night's 32-13 win over Nacogdoches here at Dragon Stadium.
The win improved the Lobos' mark in District 13-5A to 3-0, 4-1 overall. Nacogdoches, meanwhile, continued its downward spiral falling to 0-3, 2-4. "We're 3-0 and that's where we wanted to be. It wasn't pretty, but we'll take the results," Bero offered. Three Dragon miscues helped the Lobos put 17 points on the scoreboard - a pair of fumbles and an interception. The turnovers certainly helped as the Longview defense surrendered 304 yards total offense for the game. The lapse came after the Mean Green unit had limited Texas High a week ago to 86. "They fumbled the football some in the first half and that helped us. We didn't really stop them in the first half, but they made enough mistakes where we were alb to capitalize on them and get some touchdowns," Bero added. Offensively, tailback Earnest Hunter continued his assault on the district with 166 yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns. He's now rushed for 506 yards in three loop contests and scored nine touchdowns. Hunter's 1-yard dive totaled out the scoring for Longview with 1:24 remaining in the contest. He had scored in the first half on runs of nine and ten yards. An interception of a Derrick Reeves pass late in the third quarter by Anthony Jimmerson resulted in Longview's other score of the second half, a 33-yard field goal by David Hill. His kicked at the 10:47 mark of the fourth ended an 0-4 streak this season. In the first half, a pair of Dragon fumbles and one sustained drive helped the Lobos assume a 21-7 halftime lead. Longview definitely benefited front eh back-to-back Nacogdoches miscues. Especially after the Dragons took the opening kickoff and drove 60 yards in 7 plays to take a 7-0 lead. A 40-yard kickoff return by Terry Garrette gave the Dragons good field position. The key play in in the drive but he host scam on a second-and-three from 47, with Irving Tanner taking a pitch and rambling for 36 yards to the Lobo 17. A 10-yard pass from Reeves to tight end Stan Simms two plays later put the ball at the 4. The Lobo defense did hold for two plays, including a 3-yard loss on Tanner, but Garrette finally concluded the drive, striking pay dirt from seven yards out at the 8:18 make. Christian Fontana tacked on the extra point. After the Nacogdoches defense held Longview on its first possession of the night, Hill got off a 61-yard punt to the Dragon 8 yard line. Nacogdoches put together two running plays for 16 yards, getting it out of the shadow of its own end zone. But on a first-and-10 at its own 24, Garrette lost the handle and Otis Reese recovered for the Lobos at the 19. Three straight running plays by tailback Hunter produced his seventh touchdown of the season, a 9-yard run, leaping 'Doches' Chris Stringer at the three before racing into the end zone. Hill's point-after knotted the contest with 4:43 to play in the opening quarter. The Dragons threatened to take the ball right back down the field on the ensuing kickoff as Garrette advanced the football to the Lobo 49. Tanner continued the march, taking a handoff down the left sideline on the first play, but attempting to switch hands on the ball fumbled it after a 25-yard gain. Fred Thompson recovered for Longview at its own 24. Hunter again produced the bulk of the running as the Lobos marched 76 yards in 11 plays. The 5'10, 190-pound junior put Longview on top with a 10-yard gallop at the 11:56 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Shawn Lawson converted the Lobos third score of the half with a 2-yard bootleg on their next possession. Fullback Michael Reedy saved the drive with a 32-yard run after Longview was faced with a third-and-12 from its own 33 after a holding call. Deondreau Bennett also contributed with a yard gain. |