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| WACO - Longview jumped ahead early during Saturday's UIL 6A Division II Region II championship at Waco's McLane Stadium, and never looked back in a dominant 50-14 win against DeSoto to eliminate the classification's 2022 and 2023 state champion program from the 2024 postseason.
The Lobos improved their 2024 season record to 12-2, and advanced to play Southlake Carroll during next Saturday's 2 p.m. UIL 6A Division II state semifinal at Dallas' Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The Eagles, meanwhile, finished the year with an 11-3 mark. "Nobody thought we would be here," Longview athletic director and head football coach John King said of his program's 2024 state semifinal advancement. "Not many people thought we could beat [DeSoto] except those kids and coaches in that [Longview] locker room [but] they believed in each other." DeSoto entered the matchup averaging 53.8 points per game, but Longview's defense set the tone of the game early by forcing a scoreless Eagle possession during Saturday's opening drive. Longview's offense immediately turned to its run game, and benefitted from Kelvin Washington's early 34-yard touchdown run to take an early 6-0 lead before DeSoto's defense blocked Lobo kicker Alexandre Mitchell's extra point attempt at the 7:34 mark of the first quarter. Washington eventually guided Longview to victory with his 31 carries for 285 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, and his one reception for 10 yards in the second half. "He's had a great year," King said of Washington. "He waited his time. He was behind Taylor Tatum. He's made the most of every opportunity." DeSoto quickly responded with its first score of the game when Kelden Ryan connected with Daylon Singleton on a successful 21-yard fourth down touchdown pass and kicker Damian Gomez nailed the ensuing extra point attempt to make it 7-6 Eagles at the 5:29 mark of the opening period. Longview went to work again because Washington produced a 10-yard touchdown run and Mitchell bounced back for a successful PAT kick to make it a 13-7 Lobos' advantage at the 1:43 mark of the first quarter. Washington then showed off his speed during a 95-yard touchdown run at the 6:50 mark of the second quarter to make it a 20-7 Longview lead. "We are in the fourth round in a big stadium," Washington said of how his best run on Saturday compares to his other long runs in 2024. "It felt great." Mitchell then wrapped up the first half scoring with a successful 24-yard field goal attempt at the 1:52 mark of the second quarter to set up Longview's 23-7 lead. Longview quarterback Johnny Hamilton started to heat up in the second half, and called his own number on a 25-yard touchdown run to make it a 30-7 lead at the 10:24 mark of the third quarter. Hamilton finished with eight carries for 86 rushing yards and one score, and completed one of his five pass attempts for 10 yards. DeSoto finally scored again during SaRod Baker's three-yard touchdown run to cut Longview's advantage to 30-14 at the 6:48 mark of the third period. Baker produced 58 of his 63 game rushing yards and his only score of the game in the second half. Longview finished strong because Da'Kayden Carter grabbed a pick six off a Ryan pass to earn a 36-14 lead at the 1:15 mark of the third quarter, but the score remained there after Mitchell's second missed extra point attempt of the game. Kason Brooks made another play for the Longview defense when he intercepted a pass from DeSoto backup quarterback Legend Howell at the 11:13 mark of the fourth quarter. Washington then wrapped up the Lobos' victory with rushing touchdowns of six and 34 yards between the 7:30 and 6:10 marks of the fourth period, and Mitchell bounced back again with two late successful extra point attempts to move the score to 50-14. Ryan only completed six of his 19 pass attempts for 108 yards and one touchdown in DeSoto's defeat. |