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| MARSHALL - The Marshall Mavericks, who were soundly spanked by Lufkin a week earlier, spoiled Longview's District 8-AAAA opener by battling the Lobos to a 7-7 tie here Friday night in an upset played in the mud and rain.
The contest started in a torrential downpour and the rain fell in sheets throughout the first half. Heavy rain earlier in the day had already turned the field into an arena of muck and mire and the rain never did quit, although it did slacken just before the end of the first half and the remainder of the game was played in a steady drizzle. Neither team was able to perform at anything even resembling top form under the miserable weather conditions, even though the number of fumbles was not what would have been expected. Each team had two penetrations while Marshall led in first downs, 8-7. The game will into the standings as a half game won and a half game lost for each club but should they by any chance finish in a tie for first place in the district standings, the title would go to Marshall by virtue of leading in first downs. Longview's running attack was handicapped by the loss of fullback Pete Burks, who left the game early in the second quarter with a charley-horse in his leg and never did get back into the action. Three players from Marshall and one from Longview were ejected from the game by officials. Eddy Cooper, Longview fullback, and Hans Mullikin, Marshall quarterback were ejected simultaneously late in the third quarter while Bulldog Mattis, Marshall tackle, was banished early in the fourth and just before the end of the game another Marshall player was sent to the sidelines by officials, although he could not be identified because all numbers and others means of identification had long since been completely obliterated. The Lobos scored the first touchdown of the game early in the contest after recovering a fumble on the Marshall 28-yard line with quarterback Bill Bolger taking everybody by surprise by risking a pass in the pouring rain and flipped a 24-yard shot to halfback Harry Moore for the score. Burks ran the extra point across. Marshall's touchdown came in the third quarter when halfback Danny Person shook loose over left tackle and scampered 62 yards into the end zone with Gene Tenney running the extra point over. A 37-yard punt by Thomas in the opening minutes of play put the Mavericks well back into their own territory and Ed Buckner recovered a Marshall fumble for Longview on the Mavericks' 28-yard stripe. On the first play after the recovery Moore lammed over left guard for four yards. Then Bolger looted back through the mud and whipped a pass through the rain down the middle to Moore for 24 yards and a touchdown. The pass was good for 19 yards with Moore taking it on the five and racing the rest of the way into the end zone. Burks plowed over right tackle for the extra point. The Mavericks recovered a fumble on Longview's 40-yard line halfway through the opening period to set the stage for their first scoring threat. A 15-yard gallop by Clark around left end enabled Marshall to reach the Lobos' 20, but on fourth down Bolger intercepted Mullikin's pass on his five and returned it to Longview's 25. Thomas set the Mavericks back in a deep hole late in the first quarter when he got off a booming 54-yard kick to the Marshall 21, but the Lobos were unable to take advantage of the situation and three plays later Mullikin kicked out of danger for the Mavs. Marshall lost a golden opportunity on the first play of the second quarter when Thomas, back to punt on fourth down, fumbled the ball and fell on it on Longview's 29-yard line. But four plays gained only eight yards against the stubborn line of the Lobos and Longview took over on its own 21. Two plays later the Mavericks had another scoring chance when Buddy Matheney intercepted Bolger's pass on Longview's 36 but once more Marshall could pick up only eight yards in four plays as the Lobos held for downs to gain possession on their own 22. Jus before the end of the half Agnor gave Marshall still another scoring opportunity when he recovered a Longview fumble on the Lobos' 18-yard line but two passes from Gibson to Clark in an effort to beat the clock fell incomplete and the half ran out on the Mavericks. Marshall finally broke into the scoring column with startling suddenness the second time they got the ball in the third quarter. After Thomas had banged the angry ball 34 yards to the Marshall 33, the Mavericks ran two plays that netted five yards and then Person took a handoff, bro loose of left tackle and raced 62 yards for a touchdown. Tenner banged over right tackle for the extra point. The Lobos lacked eight yards of chalking up what would have been the winning touchdowns in the third period. King recovered a Marshall fumble on the Mavericks' 45-yard line and with Moore carrying on almost every play Longview moved down to the eight-yard line but on fourth down, the Lobos lacked only inches of making a first down and the ball went over to Marshall at that point. Clark almost broke away for a Marshall touchdown on the second play of the final period when he swept around left end for 43 yards and appeared headed for pay dirt, but Glass caught up with him and knocked him out of bounds on Longview's 36. The Lobos marched 46 yards to Marshall's 31 yard line midway through the fourth quarter but two 15-yard penalties stalled the drive. Making one last bid in the fading minutes of play, Longview moved from Marshall's 40 to the 20-yard line of the Mavericks. At that point, however, time began to run out on the Lobos and they were forced to go to the air with Tenney intercepting a pass and running it out of danger for the Mavericks as the game ended two plays later. |