|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
||
|
|
| LONGVIEW - Defense was the name of the game and the Marshall Mavericks, salt as sea water, played like they invested it Friday night.
The Mavericks, who arranged No. 9 in the weekly Associated Press grid poll, defeated the Longview Lobos here in Lobo Stadium, 21 to 6, before a crowd of 7,500-plus fans. Marshall's Mavericks had everything going for them. They had a couple of fine runners, a good passer, two good receivers and a double stout defense. And they all came together for a booming 21 to 6 victory for their second District 8-AAAA win and their seventh straight season win. The defeat for Longview in district play was the second straight. Last week the Lobos lost a thriller, 21 to 20, to Tyler Lee's Rebels. The Lobos are 4-3 for the year and 0-2 in loop action. Longview will travel to Texarkana next Friday night for a district battle with the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. Texarkana and Marshall are tied in the district race. The Texarkana club is ranked No. 1 in the Lone Star State. The big runners for the Mavericks were quarterback Mike Beane, 175-pound junior, and wingback Tommy Assaff, 175-pound senior. Quarterback Beane passed 17 and completed seven for 94 net yards. And then there was the defense, a giant that didn't allow Longview its initial first down until one minute and 54 seconds left in the second quarter. During the first half of action the Lobos recorded only one first down; 23 yards rushing; a minute three yard passing for a net of 20 yards. Street attempted six passes and only completed one. The Mavericks in the first half had eight first downs; 95 yards rushing; 38 yards passing for a net of 133 yards. Marshall's quarterback Beane attempted seven passes and completed three. Marshall finished the night with 266 net yards while the Lobos finished with a net of 74. The game officials had a wonderful time blowing their horns and dropped the ole red flags. Lobos were penalized seven times for 48 yards and the Mavs six times for 51.5. Longview pass receivers missed more passes than they will ever see again. The receivers failed to give that second effort that is needed to win football games. Street's 18 attempted passes and only four completed for 16 yards was the worst this year for the Lobos. Tailback Skippy Archer caught two for a minus one yard; weak side end Cecil Newton caught two for 19 yards. Street was the ground gainer for Longview with 43 net yards on 14 tries. Quarterback Mike Beane carried 15 times for a net of 66 yards to lead the Mavericks. Wingback Assaff was runner-up with 29 yards on three tries. Cecil Newton punted eight times for 288 yards and an average of 36.0. Marshall's Beane punted four times for 133 yards and an average of 33.3. He had one blocked that set up Longview's lone touchdown of the night. Defensive players for the Lobos that turned in an excellent job were Chal Barnwell, Ronnie Bagley, James street, Rodney Mitchell, Cecil Newton, Danny Bogue, Mike Maberry, Skippy Archer and Stan Bobo. Marshall's co-captains, end Ronnie Hammers and wingback Tommy Assaff, won the toss of the coin for the Mavericks in mid-field. The elected to kickoff. Hammers booted the ball down field and halfback Rodney Hill took the ball on the 11 and returned to the Lobo 24 before he was given a shoe-string tackle. Street took the snap from center Chal Barnwell and stepped back two yards. He sailed the ball into he arms of Marshall's Ronnie Hammers. The talented receiver caught the ball on the 25 and rushed back to the 20 with 11:28 on the clock. The Lobo defense went to work. To the surprise of the Mavericks and many, many fans in the stands, Longview held the Marshall club on fourth down with 9 yards needed for a first on the Lobo six yard line. Longview took over on their own six yard line and three plays later Cecil Newton punted the ball out. The ball rolled to the Lobo 38 yard line. Three plays later wingback Assaff sprinted around left end on a pitch-out from Beane for 27 yards and a touchdown with 6:36 left in the first quarter. Hammers' kick for the extra point sailed wide to the right. Fullback Steve Bridger plowed over from the two yard line for the second Maverick touchdown with 6:29 remaining in the second quarter. Beane's pass to end Jimmy Bennett was good for the two pointer and the Mavericks led, 14 to 0. The Mavericks touchdown drive started on their own 36 yard line with about one minute left in the first quarter. Longview took over with four minutes left in the third quarter after taking a punt from the Mavericks. On the 44 of Longview, the Lobos started moving the ball as if they were going for a touchdown. On the first play, Street hit end Cecil Newton to the 46 yard line of Marshall for a gain of 16 yards and a first down - the first passing down of the night and the second first down of the game for the Lobos. Eight plays later the Lobos were on the Marshall 10 yard line on the fine running of fullback Larry Gregg and Street. From the 10, tailback Rodney Hill was pushed back to the 11 yard marker. Street's pass to John Watson was missed to kill the drive on fourth down. So the tough and mighty Marshall club took over. Quarterback Beane on the first try carried to the 17. Halfback Brook carried to the 18. Tailback Scotty Furrh on the next try carried to the 20. It was fourth down and needed one for a first down. Beane went back to punt and he was rushed by Chal Barnwell and two other Lobos. Beane fumbled the ball and Barnwell recovered for Longview on the three yard line. From the three, quarterback Street oiled his touchdown machine. On the first try, Street carried to the one yard line. On the next play Marshall was called offsides by an alert official who loves to drop the red flag. So the Mavericks were charged with a half-yard penalty. On the next try, Street moved the ball to the six inch line. Then the talented quarterback went over for the touchdown with 7:53 left in the fourth chapter of this district battle. Street's pass for the two pointer was blocked. Marshall's final touchdown came when end Ronnie Hammers went to try for a field goal. He sailed the ball into the arms of end Ben McBridge in the left end zone for the touchdown. The pass covered 28 yards with 33 seconds left in the game. |