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| MARSHALL - Three-peat.
Scoring off two first-half turnovers, and shutting down Marshall's wide-open offense, Longview's Lobos captured a 21-7 triumph here Friday night at Maverick Stadium to earn their third straight District 15-5A crown. The win left the Lobos with an 8-1-1 regular-season mark, which was their eighth consecutive league game without a loss and sends them into the state playoffs next week at a site and time to be determined against an opponent to be determined. Today's Tyler Lee-John Tyler contest at Rose Stadium will decide whether Longview enters the Division I or II bracket. A Lee win would put Longview in the Division II bracket. Marshall, 5-5 on the season, also goes to the playoffs and must await an opponent. Longview scored within seconds off a pair of first-half turnovers, then, following a 53-yard Daydrion Taylor punt return, scored on a short drive in the fourth period when Chris Butcher shoved his way in from a yard out for the final insurance touchdown with 11:18 left in the game. Meanwhile, the Lobos defense, keyed by a pair of Horace Woods interceptions and a hard-charging line along with middle middle backer Kendrie Nichols, held the Mavs to just 34 yards rushing and mostly short passes as three quarterbacks hit 14 of 25 for 116 yards. Starter Brandon Walker was injured early and Tony Paige came on to complete 13 of 21 for 109 yards, then Clint Walker briefly saw action when Paige was shaken up. Longview also got a career- and season-high 130 yards rushing from tailback L.V. Fite, who had an 88-yard jaunt and 106 at the half. Reggie Jones scored Marshall's lone touchdown, on a 10-yard pass from Paige with 8:34 left in the third quarter. In the first half, Marshall turned it over and Longview caused in, needing only three plays to post a 14-0 halftime advantage. Linebacker Wendell Glaspie recovered a fumble at the Mavericks' 16 on the second play of the second quarter and two plays later Fite swept right end and scored from 13 yards out with 10:50 left for the initial points of the game. Darren Danielson added the first of his three point-afters. Then the Mavs' next possession was thwarted when Woods picked off a Paige pass deep in his own end of the field. After a 10-yard Longview penalty moved the ball back to the 12-yard line, Fite stepped throughout the middle of the Mavs defense and raced 88 yards with 8:!6 remaining. Wide receiver Adrian Davis shielded off the only Marshall player in pursuit, Rontrez Johnson. At that point, the Lobos had only two first downs and both came on touchdowns. Paige had come into the game after Walker injured his left shoulder, and had driven the Mavs from their own 19 just inside Longview territory before he was intercepted. Longview had the ball 5:34 of the first quarter without scoring, but in the second quarter needed only 1:02 for the touchdowns. |