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| RUSTON - A Chris Jones short yardage touchdown, and Keaton Daniels' second interception for a score were all the Longview Lobos need as they posted their first shutout of the season in a 14-0 victory over Ruston here Friday night at James Field.
Longview wraps up non-district play at 4-0. The Lobos, ranked No. 5 in Class 5A in this week's Texas Associated Press schoolboy poll, open District 11-5A play next Friday at Lobo Stadium against John Tyler. With starting quarterback Joel Armstrong on the sideline after having his right knee scoped two weeks ago, Charlie Stavinoha played all but the final series of the ballgame as the Lobos primarily kept he ball on the ground. Jerrell Williams anchored the offense with a career-high 144 yards on 22 carries. Fred Hawkins also ran for 73 yards on 10 totes. Longview ran the ball 54 times, while putting it up just three times. Stavinoha did complete 2 of 3 passes for 38 yards. "I thought Charlie did an outstanding job, although he may have tried to improvise a little too much in the second half. But, as long as he was running the plays I was really proud of what he did," said Longview head coach Pat Collins. "We knew coming in this was going to be a tough Ruston ball club. I have to praise our defense for the effort they displayed out here tonight. It's been a difficult two weeks for us, but I'm proud of the way they responded." The Lobos finished with 300 yards total offense, 262 coming on the ground. They did turn the ball over two times and were saddled with 80 yards in penalties. Ruston managed 238 yards - 117 coming from quarterback Beau Jones, who was 11 of 21 throwing the ball. However, he tossed two costly interceptions. The Bearcats also put the ball on the ground four times, losing three. Both teams traded turnovers on their opening drives, with the Lobos fumbling the ball into the Bearcat end zone for a touchback. Ruston then marched deep into Longview's end of the field, only to have Tony Rivera pick off the ball at the 5-yard line. The Lobos then drove 95 yards in 15 plays, Jones slipping in for the touchdown from one yard out. Longview kept the ball primarily on the ground, although Stavinoha and Malcolm Kelly hooked up for a 30-yard pass play as the Lobos moved to midfield. Jones' touchdown came at the 7:04 mark of the second quarter as both teams' opening drives consumed the first frame. Alex Cammack booted the point-after for a 7-0 lead. Longview turned to the defense to take a two-touchdown lead into intermission. Daniels stepped in front of a screen pass from Jones to LaDarious Mamon, wrestling the ball away and running 36 yards in the other direction for the score. It was Daniels' second intermission return for a touchdown of the season. He returned one 58 yards in the season-opener against Marshall. It was the Lobos' ninth pick of the season. Cammack came on and booted the extra point with 5:27 left before halftime as the Lobos moved on top 14-0. The Bearcats nearly sliced the deficit in half as Jones appeared to score on a 30-yard quarterback option. However, a penalty for holding the came from the opposite side of play negated the touchdown. Ruston eventually turned the ball back over to the Lobos as James Stephens knocked the ball loose on a Jones-to-Brandon Belcher completion and Daniels recovered. A second fumble ended the first half for Ruston after rate Bearcats had moved again into Lobo territory. |