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| MARSHALL - An alert Marshall team took advance of two critical mistakes and played a turnover-free game Friday to complete a 7-2-1 season and knock Longview High out of the playoffs, 15-9, at Maverick Stadium.
Mavs coach Bill Harper said he didn't think the fact that Marshall had already clinched its playoff spot would affect the outcome, and he proved to correct. Marshall put up all the points it needed in a two-minute, 11-second span late in the first quarter, then made the decisive defensive plays that cut off the Lobos' last comeback drive in the fourth quarter. As a result, Longview was kept out of the playoffs for the second year in a row, despite a 7-3 overall record. The Lobos finished district play with a 2-3 record, tied with Lufkin (which beat them 20-0) and probably with tyler Lee, which plays No. 1-ranked John Tyler Saturday night. The tiebreakers do not favor Longview. In the end Friday, the Lobos' slow start doomed their playoff hopes. They went three-and-out on their first two possessions, so with the quarter almost over, they were in a 15-0 hole, having gained a net of two yards. Marshall drove 54 yards in seven plays on its second possession, aided by a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty that put the ball on the Longview 29. After quarterback Scott Furrh passed 13 yards to Marlon Hawkins, tailback Clifford Bell scored from the 2. The Mavericks lined up for the conversion in the swinging gate formation and snapped the ball wide left to Isaac Johnson, who scored the two-pointer easily behind a wall of blockers for an 8-0 lead. Three Lobo offensive plays later, punter Jeff Works went back to kick. First Longview was hit with a delay of game penalty. Then the snap sailed yards over the head of Works, who tried to recover on his 2 but was hit by three Mavs, one of whom, line backer Keith Noel, recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. James Reyes kicked the extra point for a 15-0 lead. Longview responded with a 75-yard, 14-play scoring drive that took 7:01 off the clock. Isiah Stoker (34 carries, 157 yards) had back-to-back 12 yard runs to get the Lobos moving, and he converted two fourth-and-one plays, the first at the Marshall 12, the second for the touchdown. The extra point went awry, as holder Eric Davis picked up the ball and threw a little pass to Stoker, who was stopped short on the left side. In the third quarter, Longview drove 40 yards to the Marshall 20, where their only pass completion of the night from Lee Nix to Lantz Darensbourg, was foiled for a loss of two yards on third-and-seven. Works kicked a 40-yard field goal with 3:03 left in the period. Two comeback chances, however, were spoiled. Early in the fourth quarter, defensive end Tony Cox sacked Furrh, forced a fumble, and recovered it himself at the Longview 40. Howveer, the turnover was cancelled by a defensive holding penalty against the Lobos. Four plays later, Reyes missed a 31-yard field goal attempt, and Longview started from its own 20. Two first downs later, Stoker broke free around righty end and was one man away from a 53-yard, go-ahead touchdown. However, that last man, safety Michael Jamison, fought off a block and dragged him down at the Marshall 34. With third-and-eight at the 32, Juan Ingram took a pitchout right and attempted a halfback pass, which he had thrown for a touchdown early in the season. Marshall had Eric Davis double-covered, and Jamison intercepted at his 10. When the Lobos got the ball back again, they war at their 31 with only 2:18 left. Marshall stopped them at midfield with 45 seconds left to clinch its victory and second-place district finish with a 4-1 record. Playoff arrangements are pending until Saturday, but Mav fans were preparing for a bi-district game next weekend at Pennington Field in Hurst, likely against Temple. |