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MESQUITE - Back-up quarterback Selwyn Broughton scored twice in the fourth quarter to lead the Longview Lobos to a come-from-behind, 15-12 season-opening win over the North Mesquite Stallions here Friday night at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.
Broughton replaced starting quarterback Kevin Madden in the final quarter. Longview had spotted the Stallions a 12-0 advantage before rallying back and avenging a 28-14 loss to the Stallions in last year's season opener. Broughton's two scores also made up for a pair of turnovers by the senior quarterback, including a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown by North Mesquite's Jason White. The Lobos' winning points followed a North Mesquite fumble with 3:45 remaining in the contest. With the ball on their own 17, the Stallions' second-string quarterback Matt Cain lost the handle on the ball and Cedric Davis recovered for Longview. A three-yard run by Ernest Hunter to the North Mesquite 14 set up Broughton's quarterback keeper from 11 yards out with 3:03 remaining. The Lobos then went for two points with Hunter crossing into the end zone for the conversion to give Longview a 3-point edge. The Cain fumble followed a Lobo miscue when Broughton coughed up the ball deep in Stallion territory. Longview had moved from its own 19 to the North Mesquite 22-yard line. The Lobo defense, however, needed to hold off a late Stallion drive to preserve the victory. Moving from its own 26 yard line, North Mesquite moved the ball to the Lobos' 30. However, a White-to-Colby Tow pass attempt on fourth-and-eight play was tipped away in the end zone by Lobo cornerback LaRoyce Allen. Longview's first score in the game came with 11:15 left to play as Broughton marched the Lobos on a 69-yard, 10-play drive, scoring on a 15-yard sweep. A pair of backups at tailback and fullback, Marques Ingram and Michael Reedy, started the series with identical 14-yard gains. But a 15-yard late-hit penalty on the Stallions after a short 3-yard run by Ingram keyed the drive as Longview advanced the football to the North Mesquite 23. Four straight plays by Hunter, who rushed for 83 yards on 26 carries, set up Broughton's touchdown at the 15. Kyle Cook connected on the extra point as the Lobos pulled to within five, at 12-7. The Stallions had taken a 12-0 advantage with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter on White's interception return of a Broughton pass. Longview dominated statistically in the game as they piled up 322 yards total offense to North Mesquite's 132. The Lobos, however, were straddled with 70 yards in penalties - and many of them proved costly. North Mesquite opened the scoring with 42 seconds remaining in the first half as Heath Phillips scored from 6 yards out. His touchdown culminated a 14-play, 75 yard Stallion drive. But Gary King's extra point attempt was blocked at the line of scrimmage by Longview's Blake Hunter, as the Stallions took a 6-0 lead. King would also miss a point-after on North Mesquite's second touchdown. North Mesquite moved the ball effectively on the ground during the series, alternating carries between the fullback Phillips and tailback Collin McCormick. However, the key play in the drive, Cameron pitched to wingback Mickey Elliott for 12 yards and a first down at the Lobo 13. Phillips then carried three straight plays, including his 6-yard plunge, North Mesquite held the ball for 6:09 during its scoring drive. Longview, which crossed midfield twice in the first half, opened the game moving the ball from its own 26 to the Stallion's 25 yard line before a pass attempt by Madden on a fourth down play fell incomplete. The Lobos had faced a fourth-and-one at the 20, but a delay-of-game call moved the ball back 5 yards. Hunter paced the opening series, carrying the ball six times for 24 yards. A holding penalty killed Longview's second venture into Stallion territory as the Lobos were forced to punt at the host's 46. |