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| HUNTSVILLE - Missed opportunities are what Longview will remember best in Saturday's playoff with Spring Westfield.
Time was all Westfield needed to crank up its wishbone offense and defeat the Lobos, 24-7, in a Class 5A Division I bi-district contest as Bowers Stadium. Longview ends its season at 8-3, while Westfield improves to 9-1-1 and moves on to the area round against Austin Bowie. Quarterback Darell Henderson rallied the Mustangs from a 7-3 halftime deficit, leaping into the end zone on a 13-yard run with 7:48 left in the third quarter, and then connecting with Chris Phelps for a 69-yard touchdown strike at the 9:02 mark of the fourth. The Lobos were only 1 of 5 in on fourth down conversions, including two failures deep inside Westfield territory. With Longview trailing 10-7 but driving, the biggest play for the game occurred when the Lobos were called for illegal motion on a fourth-and-one at the Mustangs' 13. After a 5-yard mark off for the penalty, LaMarcus White was tackle for a 2-yard loss and Westfield took possession with 11:07 left in the game. Five plays later, Henderson, who came into the game having thrown for 411 yards, faked a pitch and then hit Phelps, who was alone down the right sideline for the game-breaker. Longview attempted to rally as quarterback Chris Judy went to the air, completing three consecutive passes to move the ball to near midfield. But after a costly delay-of-game call and an incompletion, Thomas Hutchinson intercepted for the Mustangs. Sedrick Stevenson sealed the victory with a 1-yard dive with 3:43 to play. Westfield piled up 327 yards of offense, 232 on the ground, which was led by Jeff Lewis' 100 yards on 13 carries. Henderson was 3 of 5 passing for 95 yards. The Lobos were held to 192, but more effectively only 105 on the ground. Among Hutchings, who came into the game with 1,002 yards for the season, gained only 51 on 16 carries. Hutchings scored on a 3-yard sweep around the left corner to give Longview its 7-3 halftime lead. The Lobos took over on their own 33 after Daydrion Taylor pulled down Henderson on a fourth-and-two for a 2-yard loss. Longview marched 67 yards in 10 plays, getting a 22-yard run by Hutchings, and a 14-yarder from White after a 7-yard holding penalty. Hutchings carried it in with 1:48 remaining in the opening quarter. Westfield scored with 21 seconds remaining in the half on a 37-yard field goal by Derek Kuyn. The nine-play, 49-yard drive followed by a failed fourth down play by the Lobos. The Mustangs used an unusual commodity in its drive, a pair of Henderson passes for 12 and 13 yards to Devi Brown and Phelps to set up Kuyn's kick. Westfield gave Longview a couple of gifts in the opening kick, but Longview could not convert either fumble. Defensive end Gaylon Hyder forced the first at the Lobo 40. The drive reached the Mustangs' 37, but Judy's pass attempt for Hyder was too high on fourth down. Kendrie Nichols recovered the second with 6:14 to play in the half. Again, a fourth down play was unsuccessful. On third down, L'Vendric Fite, who had the first down inside the 25-yard line, was dragged down for a loss after attempting to reverse his field. |