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| LONGVIEW - Longview's defense set the tone early on the first possession of the game and the offense found its traction and rolled from there.
It all added up to a happy homecoming. Behind a big night from the Lobo defense and the one-two punch of Markevion Haynes and Kaden Meredith, Longview handed Tyler Legacy its first loss of the season -- and grabbed the 16th-straight win in the series -- on Friday night at Lobo Stadium with a 37-14 win. A swarming and attacking night from the defense set the stage in this one. "Big night from the defense and they were outstanding," Longview head coach John King said. "We put them in a bad situation a couple of times with short grass but they were solid. They held up throughout and were pretty good all night stopping that two-headed monster." Longview (2-1) held Legacy to 108 rushing yards on 30 carries with nine yards coming as time expired at the end of the fourth quarter. Legacy entered the night averaging 415 rushing yards through two games -- wins over Lufkin and Tyler High. Legacy finished with six punts, a missed field goal and a blocked field goal. The two scoring drives went 31 yards after a poor Lobo punt into the wind and for 15 yards after a big kickoff return, boosted by a penalty, from junior running back Jamarion Miller, who finished with 45 yards on 13 carries. The Red Raiders finished 1-of-12 on third-down conversions. Longview's defensive front of Joe Jones, Trevor Tamplin, Arthur Bryant and Jahkamian Carr disrupted things from the start, evident by a swarming sack on Legacy's first third down of the night. That enabled the rest of the defense to fly around and they did with big nights from Devean Isaac and Kybrien Jackson-Jamerson. Jacobi Williams blocked a field goal attempt as well for Longview. "Pretty good alignment all night long, got pressure on the throwing downs and forced several punts when they hadn't been in punt formation many times this season," King said. "Defensive line did a solid job and the linebackers fit it pretty good." Offensively, the Lobos brought a two-headed monster of its own with Haynes and Meredith, who both had 100-yard and two-touchdown games for the second-straight week. Haynes finished with 120 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown run. Meredith totaled 111 yards and had and 83-yard kickoff return. "Keke had a great night running the ball and really got us going with a couple of runs -- and showed a little footspeed on that counter," King said. "Meredith kept pounding and found some creases like he does." Longview continued its quarterback rotation between Jordan Allen, who played the first half, and Landyn Grant. The pair combined for 66 yards but were hindered by several dropped passes throughout. Allen connected with Jalen Hale in the fourth quarter for a 19-yard touchdown. It's the third scoring snag in as many games for the sophomore, who had three catches for 51 yards. Antonio Onofre got the scoring going with a 48-yard field goal with ease. After a quick first down, the Lobos, led by Isaac, got a sack to open the night. After two third-down conversions, Longview got on the board with Onofre's 48-yard boot. A quick three-and-out and a 5-yard punt from Legacy set up Haynes' first score to cap a 16-yard scoring drive. After exchanging punts, with Longview's going for 15 yards, Legacy made it 9-7 with a Trent Adams pass to Ladavion Butler. A big kickoff return from Shannon Jackson and a 44-yard run from Haynes set up Meredith's first score from short range with 4:12 left in the first half to give Longview a 16-14 lead. After a penalty on the score, Miller showed his speed and elusiveness on a 55-yard kickoff return and set up Bryson Donnell's 15-yard score for a 16-14 Longview lead at halftime. Meredith opened the third quarter with an 83-yard kickoff return and two plays later, Haynes had his first score with a one-yard run. After converting a fake punt, Legacy was stuffed on its next fourth-down attempt with a stop in the backfield from Jackson-Jamerson. Haynes' 41-yard run late in the third quarter made it 30-14 and Allen hit Hale in the endzone for six more for the 37-14 final early in the third quarter. "It's good to be home," King said. "Add in all of the 2020 'extras' that we have to do as precautions made it a busy week but it was nice to get home and play in front of that crowd. It wasn't as big with the capacity but we felt it and we felt those that weren't here, too. That showed on the field. Good night at Lobo Stadium." Longview closes out its non-district slate against Beaumont West Brook at Abe Martin Stadium on Thursday in Lufkin. |