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DALLAS - Playing like a team that would not be denied on offense and would not yield on defense, the Longview Lobos whipped the Dallas Jefferson Patriots 34-0 here Friday, their 15th consecutive season opener without a loss.
Reserve tailback Monroe Henderson ripped off 126 yards in only 10 carries, all in the second half to lead an Lobo offensive surge that ended with 468 total yards. Defensively, cornerback Ed Jackson returned an interception 78 yards for a touchdown as the Mean Green came-of-age, giving up only 88 yards and just two in the second half. Tailback Sammy Lanier, with 81 yards, and fullback Larry Smith, with 68, joined Henderson as the leading rushers in the game. Longview finished with 358 yards overland. Quarterback Victor McGee hit on his first five passing attempts and finished six of nine for 78 yards with one touchdown. Longview scored on its first possession, driving 52 yards in nine plays, with McGee hitting tight end Melvin Lewis from 16 yards out for the six-pointer. Olynn Marshall toed the extra point to give Longview a quick 7-0 lead with 7:09 remaining in the first stanza. Lanier scampered 35 yards on Longview's next possession, climaxing a 55-yard, four-play drive. The extra point kick was blocked. Jefferson took the ensuing kickoff and made its only real drive of the night, starting from its 26 and going all the way to the Lobo nine before coughing up a fumble that was recovered by Willard Hunter. The drive was kept alive at midfield, however, when Longview was called for piling on after a third-down play was stopped. Actually penalties were Longview's only miscue of the evening, as the Lobos were hit on 15 different occasions for a total of 107 yards. Jefferson got a big break with only 46 seconds remaining in the first half when the Patriots took over at the Longview 33 when Longview punter Kevin Jones couldn't handle a snap from center and was dropped in his tracks. But quarterback David Powell tried to hit Bobby Carter in the right flat and Jackson stepped in front of the receiver and was untouched down the left sideline. Not letting up, Longview took the second half kickoff and marched 68 yards in nine plays, with Henderson sprinting in from 35 yards out. Henderson had two carries for 45 yards on the drive. With 7:15 remaining in the game, Rex Owens culminated a marathon 93-yard, 11-play drive by diving over from the two. |