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| LONGVIEW - Longview had to play a Thursday game for the second straight week due to a rainy Friday forecast, but it still breezed to a 70-0 regular season finale win against West Mesquite and earned its third undefeated regular season since 2018.
The Lobos improved their overall season record to 10-0 and their District 7-5A Division I mark to 7-0. They will host either Barbers Hill, Crosby or Porter in a Class 5A Division I bi-district home game next week. West Mesquite, meanwhile, finished the 2022 season with 3-7 record and 0-7 district mark. "We played up to our standard," Longview athletic director and head football coach John King said of his team's performance on Thursday night. "We came out, and took care of business. Proud of the maturity of these kids, and how they handled the last two weeks." Longview's defense forced a quick West Mesquite three-and-out during the first possession of the game, and its offensive unit followed with an eight-play scoring drive. Taylor Tatum carried the ball three times for 17 yards, and Jordan Allen's four-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Hale gave Longview a 7-0 lead at the 6:25 mark of the first quarter. Allen completed four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, and ultimately finished with a 7-for-11 performance for 81 yards. The Wranglers' offense was shut down on the next drive, and the Lobos took advantage again. Alijah Johnson picked up nine yards on his first carry of the possession, and followed with a 37-yard rushing touchdown on the second to make it a 14-0 game with 3:22 left in the opening period. Johnson finished the event with 102 of Longview's 275 rushing yards in the game, and scored three of his team's seven rushing touchdowns. Brandavion Steverson followed with 42 rushing yards and a touchdown. Kelvin Washington contributed 36 rushing yards and a touchdown, Tatum earned 34 more yards on the ground, and Andrew Tutt added 32 and a score. The offensive and defensive trends continued, and Longview expanded its margin to 21-0 by the 1:41 mark of the quarter. Allen tossed a 17-yard pass to Hale before Johnson broke free on a 21-yard run with 1:41 remaining in the frame. Tatum started the next Longview possession with a 17-yard run, and Johnson followed with more production. He earned an 18-yard carry and a 10-yard touchdown run to make it a 28-0 score with 8:15 left in the second quarter. Willie Nelson then returned the next West Mesquite punt 94 yards all the way to the house to grow Longview's margin to 35-0 with 2:33 left in the first half. Allen then found Hale on a 15-yard touchdown connection with 29.3 seconds remaining until the mid-game break. Longview wrapped up the game's scoring with 28 second half points. The third quarter featured Washington's 13-yard touchdown run and Steverson's 12-yard scoring carry, and the fourth period included Jose Soto's two-yard touchdown run, and Tutt's seven-yard scoring carry. |