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| LONGVIEW - Isiah Stoker put on a running show Friday night that all those fortunate enough to witness will not soon forget.
In the Longview Lobos' 35-8 ripping of Tyler Lee, Stoker picked up 231 yards rushing in 14 carries in one half of football. He scored on lightning dashes for 30, 3, 93, and 57 yards to bury all hopes the Red Raiders (2-6 overall, 1-2 in 13-5A) had of staying in the game - and the district race. The Lobos (7-1, 2-1) were at full health in the offensive line with the return of guards Paul Thomas and Kendrick White. With the offensive line opening holes, and fullbacks Easick Shead and little brother Tajua Stoker leading the way through them, Isiah Stoker left the Red Raiders standings still. The score was 28-0 with 4:32 left in the second quarter. Tajuan Stoker gained 78 yards himself, also on 14 carries, and the team totaled a season-high 364 yards on the ground. "Our whole team played extremely well," said head coach Robert Bero. "We did a great job of blocking, and you give Isiah a crack and he has the ability to go all the way." The Lobo defense claimed four takeaways - interceptions by Lantz Darensbourg and Lee Jackson, and fumble recoveries by Juan Ingram and Gerrick Green. The special teams got the Lobos started as Ingram returned a punt 26 yards to the Lee 34 early in the first quarter. Two plays later, Isiah Stoker followed Shead through the right side for a yard sore and 7-0 lead. Two minutes later, Darensbourg - starting in place of the injured Denjuan Richardson - picked off a tipped Robert Myrick pass at the Lee 46. Longview mounted a 10-play drive that Irish Stoker capped from the 3 early in the second period. Lee's Clay Pendleton punted dead at the Lobos' 7 soon afterward, but on the first play Isiah Stoker took a pitchout to the weak side, and jetted 93 yards for a 21-0 lead. One of the Lee defensive backs was only a yard behind Stoker at midfield, but the Lobo sprinter pulled away from steadily. Two minutes after that, Ingram recovered a fumble at the Longview 43. On the first play, you know who ran the pitchout to the left, cut back across the field and went 57 yards for a 28-0 advantage. Sub tailback Lee Jackson scored on a two-yard run in the third quarter, and Jeff Works added his fifth extra point. The Red Raiders avoided a shutout by scoring on Jason Holloway's 1-yard run with 3:10 left in the game, finishing off a 73-yard drive against the Lobos' youngsters. Lee managed to total 248 yards in offense, most of it gained after the outcome was settled. With this one nailed down, the Lobos at last can turn their attention to next Saturday's showdown with No. 1 ranked John Tyler, at 2 p.m. at Rose Stadium. |