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DALLAS - Longview High School Lobo gridmen initiated the 1961 campaign on a sour note Friday night when the Lobos dropped a 6 to 21 decision to the heralded Rebels of Dallas' Thomas Jefferson High School.
It looked for awhile as if Longview would pull of a big upset, but Thomas Jefferson turned breaks into victory and shortly snuffed out the Lobo candle. Longview scored first in the exciting tilt, but the host 11 roared back for three tallies to capture the win. Longview's score came in the first quarter and the Lobos held the lead for the opening period, but Dallas took the front position in the second quarter and never relinquished it. Longview stunned the host Rebels the first time the Lobos got their hands on the ball. The underdog Lobos started off on the right foot by marching 73 yards in 17 plays to strike for the first count of the game. Longview took the ball on its own 27-yard line. Sparked by five completed passes from Robert Myers to Hawk Clements, Paul Ketchum and Don Petty, the Lobos kept a sustained drive alive long enough to push into the end zone. Petty Climaxed the drive with a one-yard scoring blast over right tackle. Petty's try for the point after kick fell short, but Longview held a six to nothing edge. Longview's score came with less than three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Thomas Jefferson jumped on the scoring wagon early in the second quarter when a freak play resulted in six points. The Rebels had the ball on Longview's 34-yard marker when quarterback Bruce Teagarden fumbled and it looked as if Longview would recovered. Halfback Jim Lawrence popped up from no where and scooped up the loose pigskin and scatted 34 yards down the sideline for the score. Kaufman kicked the extra point and Dallas led 7 to 6. Longview's pass defense halted two other Rebel drives before half when Longview intercepted tow Dallas passes. The first intercepted came in the opening stanza that snared a Thomas Jefferson drive on Longview's 30-yard line. The second airway steal came late in the second quarter when Robert Myers snuffed out a forward drive by intercepting the ball on Longviews' 29-yard line. Dallas widened the gap in the third quarter when their second big break of the night came. Longview's offense started the half on its own 18-yard marked before the Lobos were forced to punt on fourth down. Myers dropped back to punt but the Rebel defensive unit sifted through to block the punt. Ben Johnson picked up the ball and tumbled into the end zone for the score. The point after failed, but Dallas held a 13-6 lead. Jefferson's final score of the night came in the final frame when substitute Sandy Kaufman put on amazing play of open-field hurdles as he twisted 27 yards through the tire Longview defense. Kaufman then ran in the two points and the Rebels had a 21-6 lead. The victory was a tough one, however, as the Dallas crew showed that football is just a game of break, and Longview didn't get any. Longview led in every statistic except the final score. Longview's entire line, Freddy Harmon, Bobby Byrd, Lloyd Phillips and John Owens, played great ball. Myers' passing was exceptional throughout 4th game, as the armed quarterback completed 10 of 15 tosses. Petty was the big gainer on the night for Longview, as he picked up 34 of the 74 yards gained on the ground. Longview miscues were the difference in the score, with the blocked punt, two fumbles and an intercepted pass that gave the Rebels the edge they would use to mark the win. |