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| MARSHALL - Everybody seems to be ready for the Wolves when they blow into town this year and the Marshall Mavericks were no exception here Thursday afternoon as they capitalized on two breaks to hand the Lobos their third setback of the season with a sensational 13 to 6 upset.
Only brilliant tackling by the Lobo safeties prevented the Mavs from counting a couple of times more but not even that could save the two markers racked up by the Mavs in the third and fourth periods. Pass interceptions deep in Longview territory at propitious moments saved three or four counters in the first half, during which the rifle wing of Warren, Maverick quarterback, kept the Lobos backed deep in their own end of the field. The Wolves were badly outplayed all the way in the first two periods. Then came the second half and the Lobos looked for a few minutes like a ball club. Taking the Mav kickoff on his own seven, Scott raced 50 yards down the middle and to his right before he was stopped on the Marshall 43. Worsham tossed one incomplete pass and then threw eight straight that found their marks. The first was to Cantrell for eight, then to McDonald for six more an the initial first down of the tilt for the Lobos. That started them to rolling. Worsham passed to Scott for four to the Mav 25 and Bivins got two at center. Worsham failed to gain at left end and Worsham passed to Scott on the 18 for another first down. Scott hit left end for no gain before Worsham passed to Scott for five over the middle. Worsham then passed to Cantrell on the one and he was run out of bounds there. Scott failed to gain on a try at center and on the net play the Wolves drew a 15-yard penalty for pushing. Worsham then passed to Scott who went 16 yards to score. The first pass in the series of eight thrown by Worsham was incomplete and he then threw seven in a row that were caught. Worsham's kick was bad and the Wolves had a 6-0 lead. Longview took a Marshall punt a few moments later only to have Bivins fumble on the Lobo 35. Mason recovered for Marshall. That was the break the Mavs needed for on the first play Warren passed 20 yards to Saser and he went the remaining 15 for a touchdown. That tied the count, Young failing to convert. There the thing stood until late in the fourth period. The Mavs knocked at the goal line a couple more times but there was no body home. An aerial attack took the ball to the Lobo 7, where four downs netted them just five yards and the Lobos took over on the two before Worsham booted out. The Lobos took over on their own 40 midway through the fourth period when Worsham intercepted a Warren pass. Runs and aerials to Richardson for 18 and McDonald for 9, both thrown by Worsham carried Longview to the 27. Then Worsham, trapped far back of the line trying to pass, threw wildly toward the line of scrimmage and Mason gathered it in on his own 26 and ran 74 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown. Just by the way of a clincher, Young converted this time and the Mavericks had the game in the sack. They nearly scored again a few minutes later when Bibb intercepted a heave on the Lobo 7, but four downs netted but two yards and the Wolves took over on the 5. Warren's passing was the stickout but he had great support from a trio of sticky-fingered receivers - Mason, Young and Sasser. They made some sensational catches and ran the Lobo secondary, notoriously weak against aerials all year, completely dizzy. Worsham's kicking, not so good at first, finished well and helped the Wolves several times. He passed beautifully in the wolves' touchdown drive but his one bad heave cost the Lobos the ball game. He completed 10 out of 15 tries and Scott completed 2 out of the other 4 the Lobos attempted. Warren filled the air with passes from the first whistle. He threw no fewer than 46 aerials himself - all that were tossed by the Mavs - and connected with 19 of them. His wing was the difference although the Lobo defense crumbled all the way and could not halt the tricky aerials. The Lobo line looked good and stopped the Marshall running attack dead but the well-coached Maverick aerial attack left the Wolves - and about 3,500 persons - flabbergasted. |