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| IRVING - Billed as the battle of the pass versus the run, Huntsville quarterback Steve Clements led both on the field and the scoreboard out dueling Longview tailback Earnest Hunter here Saturday afternoon at Texas Stadium.
Tossing threw touchdowns, while completing 21 of 39 attempts in a 266-yard passing performance, Clements and the Huntsville Hornets held off Longview in a Class 5A area playoff, 24-14. Hunter, who rumbled for a school-record 328 just last week in the Lobos' bi-district win over Killeen Ellison, carried the ball 26 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns. But with the exception of a 51-yard scamper, his yards came tough against a stubborn Hornet defense. Huntsville moves on to face Lake Highlands in the regional round next Saturday, while the Lobos close out the season at 10-2. The Hornets, co-champions of District 15-5A, improves to 10-2. A pair of third quarter touchdown passes by Clements to his backfield mates, tailback Edward Ordaz and fullback Lunsford Bledsoe, propelled the Hornets to victory after Longview had taken 14-10 lead early in the second half. After holding the Hornets on defense to start the third quarter, Longview moved 84 yards in four plays with Hunter taking the pitch around right end for a 51-yard touchdown run with 10:05 showing on the clock. Sarting at their own 16-yard line after a clipping call had moved the ball back deep into their own territory, quarterback Selwyn Broughton scampered for 21 yards to the 49 yards, setting up Hunter's sprint down the sideline. Meanwhile didn't waste anytime regaining the lead as the Hornets marched 85 yards in eight plays. The key play on the drive came on third-and-eight from the Hornets' 38 as Clements saved not only a high snap over the head, but avoided a sack and then completed a 38-yard pass to Bledsoe for a first down to the Lobo 24. A 12-yard pass, again to Bledsoe, moved the ball to the 12, where one play later Clements lofted a short pass to Ordaz for the go-ahead touchdown at the 7:34 mark. The Hornets posted their final points on their next series when Bledsoe latched onto a 7-yard touchdown strike with 2:22 still left in the third quarter. Ironically, Longview used the pass to set up its first touchdown of the game was Broughton connected with Adams for a 42-yard gain down the right sideline on the Lobos' first play from scrimmage. Starting from Huntsville's 28-yard line, two straight carries by Hunter for runs of nine and 21 quickly moved the ball to the Hornet one. However, Broughton's sneak attempt on first down was stopped inches short of the end zone. One play later, Hunter burst through for his 25 touchdown of the year as Longivew led 7-0 with 10:13 to the play. The drive traveled 72 yards on five plays. Huntsville, after being stymied on its first two possessions, knotted the contest as Clements took the Hornets on a 6-play, 81-yard drive with 1:59 showing. On a first down from Longview's 49 yard line, Clements found Randy Bryant alone in the secondary for a 49-yard strike. A fumble by Hunter, one of four lost in the game by the Lobos, led to Huntsville's 10-yard halftime advantage. Huntsville started the series at Longview's 47-yard line. On Clements first pass of the series, he completed a 7-yard toss to Bledsoe, but Longview's Chris Moore was also called for roughing the passer and the Hornets had a first down at the 23. A pair of incompletion and a short gain on a Clements-to-Bledsoe pass resulted in a fourth down from the Lobo 19. Peterson then came on to boot a 37-yard field goal. The Lobos were the recipient of an early gift in the first quarter when Clements was intercepted by Darren Robertson on the Hornets' first possession of the game. But the Hornet defense held and forced the ball over on downs as Longview was denied the chance to extend its short-lived lead on Huntsville's 25. |