District 12-5A

Mesquite Horn Jaguars (6-1, 2-1)

vs.

Longview Lobos (5-1, 2-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Lobo Stadium, Longview

 

Coaches
  • Mesquite Horn: Mike Overton
  • Longview: John King

 

Last week
  • Mesquite Horn: lost 31-17 vs. Mesquite
  • Longview: won 42-10 at Rockwall-Heath

 

Next week
  • Mesquite Horn: vs. Rockwall-Heath
  • Longview: at North Mesquite

 

Playmakers

Mesquite Horn

  • QB Destri White, Sr., 6-0, 195 (committed to Rice; 92 of 165, 1,462 yards, 17 TDs, 5 INTs; 77 carries, 408 yards, 4 TDs)
  • WR Del'Michael High, Sr., 6-1, 180 (31 catches, 513 yards, 8 TDs; 23.4 yards per punt return, 2 TDs)
  • SS Darreon Jackson, Jr., 5-11, 170 (57 tackles, 4 for loss, 4 INTs, 5 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery)
  • RB Justyn Oliphant, Jr., 5-9, 170 (89 carries, 492 yards, 10 TDs; 9 catches, 146 yards, 1 TD)
  • WR Jarrison Stewart, Jr., 5-10, 180 (27 catches, 457 yards, 4 TDs; 1 rushing TD)
  • LB Jordon Harold, Sr., 6-0, 205 (65 tackles, 3 sacks)
  • LB Terian Braziel, Sr., 6-0, 200 (44 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery)
  • DT Andrew Morris, Sr., 6-2, 290 (committed to Baylor; 34 tackles, 3 sacks)
  • OL Jonathan Alvarez, Sr., 6-3, 300 (committed to Oklahoma)
  • DE Phillip Thomas, Sr., 6-1, 220 (37 tackles, 4 sacks)

 

Longview

  • RB JaMycal Hasty, Jr., 5-9, 181 (111 carries, 841 yards, 10 TDs)
  • S Travin Howard, Sr., 6-0, 179 (44 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 sack, 4 INTs, 1 forced fumble, 1 punt block, 2 def. TDs, 1 punt return TD)
  • QB Dezmond Chumley, Jr., 6-0, 188 (56 of 96, 1,014 yards, 13 TDs, 2 INTs)
  • DT Zaycoven Henderson, Sr., 6-1, 293 (4 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 fumble recovery)
  • S Stephan Maxey, Sr., 5-11, 186 (47 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 fumble recovery, 1 def. TD)
  • S Laurent Johnson, Sr., 5-8, 160 (48 tackles, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery)
  • WR Dorian Leonard, Sr., 6-4, 200 (committed to Texas; 18 catches, 310 yards, 5 TDs)
  • DT Omar French, Sr., 6-0, 202 (24 tackles, 10 for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles)
  • DE DeRodrick Alexander, Sr., 6-1, 240 (23 tackles, 6 for loss, 4 sacks)
  • OL Vernon Hutchinson, Sr., 5-10, 293

 

Just the facts
  • Longview is 7-1 all-time vs. Mesquite Horn.
  • Horn's only win came last year, a 25-17 home victory for the Jaguars.
  • Longview senior safeties Travin Howard, Stephan Maxey, and Laurent Johnson have combined for 139 tackles, seven interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and four non-offensive touchdowns.
  • Mesquite Horn is 2-0 this season against East Texas teams, beating John Tyler 47-17 and Tyler Lee 48-21.
  • Mesquite is the lone common opponent shared by Mesquite Horn and Longview.
  • Longview hammered Mesquite 69-17 at Lobo Stadium on Sept. 27. The Lobos led 28-0 late in the first quarter and 42-17 at halftime.
  • Mesquite upset previously unbeaten Mesquite Horn 31-17 on Oct. 11. Mesquite led 21-0 in the first quarter.
  • Mesquite Horn senior Destri White is a third-year starter at quarterback.
  • White averages 267.1 total yards of offense per game.
  • Longview junior tailback JaMycal Hasty averages 140.2 rushing yards per game.
  • Mesquite Horn averages 42.3 points per game and allows 25.3.
  • Longview averages 40.5 points per game and allows 21.5.
  • Mesquite Horn is 3-0 on the road (Horn was the visitor in last week's loss to crosstown rival Mesquite).
  • Longview is 2-0 at home. The Lobos' only loss was 32-24 to Coppell at a neutral site (Allen's Eagle Stadium) in the season opener.

 

Longview QB Dezmond Chumley. (© Christopher R. Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Longview QB Dezmond Chumley. (© Christopher R. Vinn, ETSN.fm)
loading...

Key matchup: Mesquite Horn's defensive front vs. Longview's running game. Longview head coach John King will always tell you games are won and lost in the trenches. Friday's pivotal District 12-5A matchup should be no different.

Mesquite Horn has talented and experienced personnel playing in the box. Senior defensive tackle Andrew Morris is a 290-pounder who's committed to Baylor. Plus the Jaguars have linebackers Jordon Harold and Terian Braziel among their front-seven veterans.

But Horn's defense yielded a 222-yard rushing performance to Mesquite's Shadavian Reed in last week's 31-17 loss to the Skeeters. That same Mesquite offense did not reach 100 rushing yards against Longview in a 52-point loss at Lobo Stadium on Sept. 27.

Horn's struggles against Mesquite are not a good sign for Jaguar fans entering a matchup with what is perhaps the district's most physical rushing attack. Junior tailback JaMycal Hasty averages 140 rushing yards per game behind a Longview offensive line that may be the largest in King's decade-long tenure with the Lobos.

Longview S Travin Howard. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Longview S Travin Howard. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
loading...

On top of that, junior quarterback Dezmond Chumley has thrown only two interceptions -- compared to 13 touchdown passes -- in 96 pass attempts. In other words, not only is Longview's running game very difficult to slow, but a talented quarterback with experience and a deep receiving corps led by Texas-bound Dorian Leonard gives Horn's defense an entirely different dimension to worry about in addition to the running game.

Don't be surprised if: This game is a lot closer than the results of the games involving the mutual opponent -- Mesquite -- suggest it could be.

Horn's loss a week ago shouldn't take much luster off this highly-anticipated matchup. If Longview wins, the Lobos are the clear favorite to win the District 12-5A championship, even with a trip to 6-0 North Mesquite looming next Friday. If Horn wins, the league race gets extremely interesting and could result in a co- or tri-championship, pending results during the regular season's final three weeks.

Considering Longview's tradition of playing well at home, especially during King's tenure, the Lobos must be labeled as the favorite in Friday's contest. The key defensively for Longview is respecting Mesquite Horn veteran quarterback Destri White's ability to make plays with his legs. White's passing numbers speak for themselves, but his running ability can really send a defense into meltdown mode.

King needs a big night from his defensive line and more big plays from the secondary -- something Travin Howard and Stephan Maxey have delivered in droves this season -- to contain White and give Hasty and the aforementioned Lobo offensive line plenty of opportunities to dictate the game's tempo.

Mesquite Horn quarterback Destri White fakes a handoff to Treyvon Marsh during a Sept. 2012 victory against Tyler Lee. (ETSN.fm)
Mesquite Horn quarterback Destri White fakes a handoff to Treyvon Marsh during a Sept. 2012 victory against Tyler Lee. (ETSN.fm)
loading...

More From East Texas Sports Network