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| LONGVIEW - Any concern about Longview's letdown following last week's big win at Lufkin was quickly erased as the No. 3 state-ranked Lobos rolled over Tyler Lee 42-25 Friday night.
The homecoming crowd of 10,000 had barely enough time to settle into their seats at Lobo Stadium before Fred Talley romped 69 yards for the game's first points on Longview's second play from scrimmage. It would only be the beginning of a season-high performance by the junior was ran for 222 yards on 16 carries and scored twice. In a matchup between District 12-5A's leading rushers, Talley out gained his counterpart Joffrey Reynolds from Lee. Reynolds, who had been averaging 178.2 yards per game, battled for every yard against a determined Lobo defense as he posted 129 on 24 carries and scored twice. "All year long this team has taken it one game at a time," said Longview coach Robert Bero. "I was a little concerned after that big win last week down in Lufkin. But I thought our team came out and played real well in the first half." Talley truly set the tone for the early offensive output by the Lobos. His first touchdown came after an 11-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. The two-play drive lasted just 38 seconds, but the snap on the point-after was high and holder Lee Nix was tackled as he scrambled for the end zone. Lee kicker Shane Hudnall continually kicked off through the end zone in an attempt to negate Longview's return speed. But the inevitable was only delayed. It came in footwork and lightning quick speed of Talley, who had 199 yards on 12 carries int he first half alone. The Red Raiders (4-3, 1-1) did come back on their first drive of they game was Jeff Hilliard connected with Anthony Dingle and Orenthro Walker for 44 yards through the air to the Lobo 11-yard line. But the drive stalled and Hudnall booted a 24-yard field goal for a 6-3 deficit with 8:58 showing. Longview (7-0, 2-0) then mounted one of its longest scoring marches of the season, going 80 yards in 14 plays. However, they also took more than seven minutes off the clock before Jay Hurst strolled into the end zone on a 5-yard quarterback keeper. He then hit Ben Price for a two-point conversion pass. The Lobo defense continued to dispatch Reynolds in the early going, holding him to zero or negative yardage on his first four carries. After Lee was forced to punt, Dexter Daniels set up Longview's third scoring series with a 37-yard return to the Red Raider 45-yard line. Passes of 15 and 8 yards from Hurst to Daniels, with a carry for 15 yards by Talley sandwiched in between, keyed the seven-play drive as Leon Bell went over from the 1. Lee didn't roll over as it took advantage of a miss-kicked pooch kickoff that netted no yardage as the Red Raiders took possession at Longview's 40. Reynolds finally found some daylight as he carried on all five plays, scoring on a 17-yard carry with 6:20 left before intermission. But Talley finished off any thoughts of a Lee comeback as he raced 71 yards, breaking a couple of tackles along the way, to push the margin to 28-9. The Lobo offense continually churned all night, finishing with 521 yards combined rushing and receiving. In the second half, Hurst and Nix went to the air and each connected with Shawn Byrdsong for 95- and 33-yard touchdowns, respectively. Hurst was 7 of 9 for 164 yards, while Nix was 7 for 8 and finished with 68 yards. Byrdsong caught three passes for 133 yards, Daniels had four receptions for 42 and Ben Price hauled in two for 27. Erin Roerecke kicked three extra points and David Monsivais converted once. Byrdsong also had one of two interceptions against the Red Raiders - his third of the season. Throne Brown had the other as Hilliard was 11 of 25 for 158 yards. Lee's final two scores came in the fourth quarter as Reynolds scored on a 6-yard run and Hilliard ran in from a yard out. |