|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
||
|
|
| TEXARKANA - One little flag made a big difference Friday night in the Longview Lobos' surprisingly tough 29-12 victory over the Texas High Tigers.
Texas High was leading, 12-7, midway through the third quarter when they blocked a Lobo punt for the second time in the game and recovered it at the Longview 6. Then the Tigers saw the yellow marker. They were called for offside, wiping out the turnover and giving the Lobos new life at their 40. On the next play, with Texas High players still grumbling about the call, Isiah Stoker took a pitchout, cut it inside, broke a couple of halfhearted tackles and romped 60 yards for a game-turning touchdown. That run broke the Tigers' backs, and when holder Eric Davis passed for a two-point conversion to wingback Alfonso Davis off a fake kick, Longview was ahead to tay, 15-12. Stoker added another touchdown, his third of the game, after linebacker Dante Roberts forced a fumble and recovered it, and Lee Jackson scored another to cement a 29-12 victory that was not pretty. But it makes Longview 3-0. Until that flag flew, the Lobos were about to be undone by their kicking game. To begin with, their game-opening onside kick didn't work. Worse, low snaps on punts contributed to both Texas High first half scores. Attempting to punt from his 21 early in the first quarter, Jeff Works picked the snap up off the turf, then had his punt blocked by left outside rusher Gemard Jackson. Robin Smith recovered for the Tigers at the Lobo 5. Tailback Jerry Coleman scored on the next play, though the conversion kick was wide. Longview struck back swiftly in the second quarter. Backed up to his 6, Stoker ran the toss right and cut it back inside for a 45-yard gain. Joey Mille ran the same thing on the next play for 41 yards to the Texas High 8. Two plays later, Stoker scored from the 3, and Works converted for a 7-6 lead. The 94-yard drive took only two minutes, 10 seconds. Three minutes later, however, with the Lobos again backed up at their 10, works got another low snap and punted 17 yards setting the Tigers up at the Longview 27. It took Texas High eight plays to score, but Coleman finally drove over the pile for the final score. The Tigers went for two, but quarterback Jonathan Parker's pass was off target. After Longview regained command, Stoker totaled 157 yards rushing for 24 carries, giving him 402 yards for three games. The defense added five more takeaways, giving them 12 overall. Denjuan Richardson picked off two passes, and Dhawn Byrdsong and Juan Ingram intercepted one each to go with Roberts' recovery, which came at the Texas 20 on the third quarter. The Lobos drove 80 yards in seven plays for the clinching fourth-quarter touchdown. 53 of those yards coming on Jay Hurst's pass to Richardson which took the ball to the Tigers' 1-yard line. |