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| MESQUITE - What Dontray Nelson got playing special teams for Longview's football team on Friday was like getting a steak for dinner. Even though it was a big play, Nelson is hoping it's just an appetizer for what's to come.
Nelson had a 47-yard punt return for a touchdown, one of several big plays Longview had in a 38-13 win over Mesquite Horn before 4,000 spectators at Mesquite Memorial Stadium. With 3:16 left in the second quarter and on a 22-yard punt by Nathan Hunke, Dontray Nelson grabbed a loose ball in a crowd of players and rambled 47 yards for a touchdown. The ensuing two-point conversion by Cody Taylor gave Longview a 14-0 lead, enough points for the win. "If I could see it, I thought I could go get it," said Nelson about his punt return. "I could have went bad, but it was good." The victory concluded Longview's fourth consecutive season of perfect district play. The Lobos (9-1, 5-0 in District 12-5A) also carry a nine-game winning streak into the Class 5A Division II playoffs, which begin at 7 p.m. Thursday against Dallas W.T. White at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler. For Nelson, another district sweep is somewhat passe. "We do this every year," Nelson said. "We want to get further in the playoffs." Longview took the opening drive 72 yards, 56 thanks to Johnny Garrett, who ended the drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge. The score remained 6-0 as a bad hold led to a missed extra-point attempt. Garrett had 89 yards rushing on 15 carries. After Nelson's touchdown, Longview's special teams did have a breakdown later, as Wale Lawal partially blocked a Zach Decker punt. With a shorter field to work with, Horn went 60 yards, capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass from DeMarcus Smith to Tayler Gabriel to cut Longview's lead to 14-7 with 9:15 left in the second quarter. Longview's special teams did have a breakdown later, as Wale Lawal partially blocked a Zach Decker punt. With a shorter field to work with, Horn went 60 yards, capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass from DeMarcus Smith to Tayler Gabriel to cut Longview's lead to 14-7. Horn drove to the Longview 47-yard line on its next drive, but was knocked in reverse by back-to-back sacks by Roderick Anderson and Cordarren Solomon, who had two sacks each in the first half. Solomon finished with three sacks and four tackles for losses. The sack attack rejuvenated the Lobos to put the game away. Travrus Brown pulled away from his defender and Damion Lewis found him for a 61-yard touchdown strike, expanding Longview's lead to 21-7 with 2:48 left in the first half. Longview got a blocked punt of its own with 17 seconds remaining in the first half, getting the ball on the Horn 41. Lewis found Sean Massey to give Longview a 28-7 halftime lead. The game was iced when Austin Smith took a break from his defensive-tackle duties to play some offense. Lewis found Smith for a 14-yard reception on a third-down play and Smith ran the ball in from two yards with 8:16 left in the third. Lewis passed for 145 yards, creating perfect balance as the Lobos rushed for 145 yards. Decker added a 44-yard field goal with 3:16 remaining. Smith finished with 222 yards, but was sacked seven times by the Lobos. Gabriel finished with 85 yards receiving. |