|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
||
|
|
| SHREVEPORT, LA - Jerrel Williams scored three second half touchdowns and Marcus Maxey returned an interception for a score as the Longview Lobos rallied with 29 unanswered points to upend Evangel Christian Academy 43-26 here Saturday night before an estimated crowd of 20,000 at Independence Stadium.
The Lobos, who trailed 26-14 at halftime, used a 22-point fourth quarter to pull off their second win in two years over the nationally ranked Eagles. Evangel came into the ballgame ranked No. 2 in the country by USA Today and the Tony Poll. Longview was ranked sixth by the National Prep Football Poll and fifth in the state of Texas by The Associated Press. Longview, which improves to 4-0, had an open date this week before opening District 11-5A play on Oct. 3 at John Tyler. Evangel falls to 1-1 on the season. Williams, who ran for 64 yards on 13 carries, scored on runs of 1, 8 and 3 yards. But it was Chris Jones who was the workhorse of the Lobo backfield, rushing for 149 yards on 12 carries, which included a 40-yard TD run in the first quarter. Quincy Grant was 6 of 12 for 198 yards passing, with Malcolm Kelly on the receiving end of three receptions for 156 yards and one score. However, the game turned on a gutsy fourth-and-one call at Longview's own 18-yard line as Jones took the handoff as raced 70 yards to the Evangel 18. The Lobos had just forced the Eagles to turn the ball over on downs trailing 26-21. Williams, who scored from the one-yard line at the 5:18 mark of the third quarter, ran in from eight yards to put Longview in front for the first time since early in the first quarter. Longview elected to go for the two-point conversion leading 27-26. Grant threw a jump ball to Kelly who wrestled the ball away from the defender as both players came down with their hands on it. The Lobos led 29-26 with 8:47 showing on the clock. After Longview's defense forced a rare punt by Evangel, as the Eagles were pinned deep in their end of the field, Grant and Kelly connected for a 33-yard pass completion, and on the fourth play of the drive Williams scored from 3 yards out. Howard then added his fourth extra point. The Lobos then sealed the victory on Evangel's next possession as Maxey stepped in front of a Denny Duron pass and returned it 25 yards for the touchdown. Duron threw for 272 yards on 25 of 40 pass attempts. Connor Campbell was the main target with 15 catches for 179 yards and one touchdown. Much of the first quarter resembled a track meet as Longview and Evangel combined for 34 points - with most of the scoring coming on big plays. Longview scored first as Grant hit Kelly in stride for an 87-yard catch-and-run as the 6-foot, 4-inch wide receiver got loose behind the Eagle secondary and raced into the end zone with 10:29 still showing on the clock. The Lobos appeared to going in the opposite direction, losing 17 yards in penalties on their opening possession after a 10-yard run by Williams. However, Grant simply went up top and put the ball into a streaking Kelly's hands. Evangel, though, wasted little time as Jacob Hester took the ensuing kickoff and ran it back 68 yards to the Lobo 30. After both teams traded five-yard penalties, Duron found Campbell in the end zone to draw the Eagles even. With just one minute, 31 seconds elapsed off the clock, 14 combined points had already been put on the scoreboard. Longview answered right back with a short three-play, 72-yard drive. The Eagles also helped with 20 yards in penalties, including a costly 15-yarder on a facemask call. Jones put the Lobos back up 14-7 as he burst through the middle of the line for a 40-yard romp at the 9:05 mark. Again, Evangel scored the equalizer. However, the Eagles took nearly four minutes to march 79 yards as Hester rumbled in for the first of his two first half touchdowns, this one coming on a 7-yard run. Tied 14-14 with 4:58 still left in the opening quarter, a Grant fumble was picked up by the Eagles' Zach Schreiber who returned it 25 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Grant had scrambled for two yards on the first play of the Lobos' third possession. The Eagles padded that lead at the 3:30 mark of the second quarter, marching 64 yards in 15 plays with Hester going the final two. Evangel went for the two-point conversion on a fake, but kicker Jennings' pass was picked off by Longview's Robert Henson. |