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| TYLER - Longview's lumbering Lobos cleared another hurdle in their path to the District 9 schoolboy gridiron championship here at Lion Stadium Wednesday afternoon as they power-housed their way to a convincing 19 to 6 victory over the Tyler Lions in an Armistice Day clash played before a gala crowd of over 6,000 paying customers.
Led by the redoubtable Jack Skipper, who personally accounted for 10 of the visitors points, the Lobos took an early lead, withstood a brilliant Tyler touchdown march and then went ahead to add insult to injury with a fourth-quarter touchdown march. Skipper, and all three of his running mates, Matthews, Johnston and Cantrell, assisted late in the game by a diminutive Frank LeBus, gained yardage almost at will behind a powerful, hard-charging front wall that opened holes, resembling those a mammoth steam roller would open if driven through a thin pasteboard wall, in the Tyler front line. The success of the Lobo running attack was based on the ability of the big Green line to open gaps through the left side of the Lion line for the powerful reverse thrusts of Skipper and Matthews. Only the right side of the Tyler line proved a stumbling block to the Lobo advance and even then, constant pounding at that point occasionally made it give ground. Victory Wednesday left the Lobos tied for the district lead with the Gladewater Bears, and faced with the necessity of conquering only the weak Marshall Mavericks, November 19, to come face to face with their rival in a game that will decide the title, Thanksgiving Day. The Bears have finished the remainder of their conference schedule. The game was not the walkaway for the Lobos that was expected by many fans, both Tyler and Longview, as the fighting Lions, off to a slow start, spotted the invaders two touchdowns, and then came to life with a lightning aerial thrust that netted a touchdown and battled desperately to even the score, only to blow their chances with fumbles and slippery football. Skipper climaxed a 42-yard drive, that saw him carrying the ball most of the way, with a 2-yard jab at center for the first Lobo score, midway through the first period. His conversion try was wide. the only successful aerial try of the Lobos during the game paved the way for their second marker. After taking a short Tyler punt on the Lions' 25, three Lobo plays gained only four yards and with it fourth down and six to go. Skipper faded back, tossed a short forward over the line into the waiting arms of Simms, an end, who in turn lateraled to his other wingman, Aden, standing behind him, and the latter raced to the 3-yard stripe before being hauled down. Skipper, Cantrell and then Skipper again carried the ball across in three plays, the latter going over from the 1-foot line. He added the extra point to give the Lobos a 19-0 lead. Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Tyler had scored. After taking the kick on his own 10, Murphy raced it back to the Lobo 32. On the first play he picked up five yards after finding no one to pass to, and, on the next play, tossed a 27-yard pass to Tom Sikes, who was standing at the Lobo 5. Likes took the ball from the grasp of a pair of Lobo defensive men, and evaded two tacklers to break into the clear and run the remaining distance to score. Johnson's try for the extra point was low. The Lobos staved off a threatening tyler tying rally in the opening minutes of the third period when they recovered a Lion fumble on their own 15. The drive started on the Lobo 44, where Murphy was stopped after returning a Longview punt six yards. A 15-yard penalty against the Lobos put the ball on the Lobo 39. Payne picked up 17 yards on a reverse to the right. He tried the same play again but failed to gain. Miles then added 11 yards on a reverse to the left, making it a first down on the Lobo 11. A pass was incomplete and Tucker failed to gain before Payne started a wide sweep to the right. He was hit by a pair of Lobo tacklers and fumbled. Daniel recovering on the 15 to end the last Tyler threat. The Lions failed to make a first down the rest of the game. A steady power drive on the ground with Skipper, LeBus and Cantrell alternating at carrying the ball, was good for 64 yards and the final Lobo score in the final period. For the Lobos, Sellars, Simms, Brannon and Spotterswood stood out in the line play, both offensively as well as defensively. Skipper, the captain, not only played a swell offensive game but was a standout defensively as well. The play of Sikes at end was the feature of the Lions' defense, although he received more than his average support from captain Woody Johnson, Freddie Mumford and linebacker Gordon Siegel. Other Tyler plays showed spots of defensive flashiness but failed to turn in consistent performances. What little offense the Lions could must featured Murphy, Payne, Miles and Tucker. |