Ja’Mycal Hasty + Second-Quarter Eruption Carry Longview to 55-30 Win Over Lufkin

LONGVIEW -- It doesn't take much to get Longview rolling. And on Friday night, one lost fumble completely changed the complexion of the game.

Laurent Johnson's fumble recovery ignited a 28-point Longview barrage in the final 6:11 of the opening half, propelling the Lobos to a 55-30 win over Lufkin at a rain-soaked Lobo Stadium in the 74th meeting between the old East Texas rivals.

Longview junior running back Ja'Mycal Hasty continued his strong start to the season by rushing for 200 yards and three touchdowns, the first of which coming on a 29-yard run that gave the Lobos (3-1) a 14-10 lead just three plays after Johnson's recovery of Lufkin (1-3) running back Steven Sowell's fumble.

Hasty, who had 509 yards and three touchdowns entering Friday's action, was the driving force behind a Longview offense that put up 490 total yards on 53 plays -- an average of more than nine yards per snap.

Lufkin's next play from scrimmage ended in disaster when Longview senior safety Travin Howard stepped in front of a Trey Cumbie pass and sprinted 35 yards to the end zone for a 21-10 lead. Hasty's second touchdown of the half -- a 5-yard run -- came on Longview's next possession and was set up by a 42-yard completion from Dezmond Chumley to Stephon Anthony.

Following a three-and-out, Longview took over at its own 43 with 1:05 remaining until halftime. Chumley hit tight end Jordan Whitaker for 28 yards on the first play, and connected with Anthony at the 10 before the receiver slipped through a would-be tackler and into the end zone for a 34-yard score and 35-10 lead with one second showing on the clock.

"That was back-breaker, the second quarter," said Longview coach John King. "It got us rolling and gave us a 25-point lead into the half. And unless you go out and just lay an egg you have control of the game. So that was big for us."

Chumley had perhaps his best outing of the young season, completing 12 of 19 attempts to seven different receivers for 204 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 21 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

"He played better tonight that he had the last couple of weeks," King said. "And Lord, who would have thought it in the rain? But sometimes you throw it better in the rain. I thought he threw the ball better, he was protected better and made great decisions."

Lufkin marched 75 yards in 10 plays on the opening drive of the second half, scoring on Cumbie's 15-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Jeffery on fourth-and-10, which cut Longview's lead to 35-17.

Hasty responded immediately, racing 66 yards to the end zone on the first play of the Lobos' ensuing drive, which gave Longview a 41-17 lead after a missed extra point.

"The second half they get the ball and march down the field and score on a fourth-and-10, and that kinda lets the air out of your team," King said. "Fortunately for us, one play and we get it back."

Lufkin continued to effectively move the ball in the second half, scoring on a 1-yard run by Sowell and a 41-yard pass from Cumbie to Coutee, but Longview answered both with touchdowns of its own -- a 12-yard pass from Chumley to Whitaker and a 54-yard run by Quatorian Jacobs.

Cumbie finished the night 13-of-25 for 172 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions -- two belonging to Longview free safety Stephan Maxey. Junior receiver Key'vantanie "KeKe" Coutee had seven catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns.

Sowell led Lufkin on the ground with 85 yards on 23 carries, and added a 68-yard touchdown pass to Coutee after receiving an option pitch for Cumbie, which gave Lufkin a 10-7 lead with 8:52 remaining in the second quarter.

The Panthers then forced a Longview three-and-out, and appeared to have all the momentum before Sowell's fumble turned the tide.

Lufkin's first possession of the night traveled 71 yards in 18 plays and ended with Timmy Martinez's 31-yard field goal for a 3-0 Panthers lead with just :25 remaining in the opening quarter. Longview had the answer, driving 75 yards in only nine plays and scoring on a 3-yard keeper by Chumley for a 7-3 lead just 1:08 into the second quarter.

Each team begins district play next week. Lufkin hosts A&M Consolidated in the 14-5A opener, while Longview entertains reigning 12-5A champion Mesquite on Friday night.

"To be 3-1 and playing the people we've played … really we're a couple plays away from being 4-0," King said. "Of course, we could be 2-2 as well. But that's what football is. It's a game of inches and it's a game of four, five, six plays each week that decides the outcome … that'll swing the momentum and get your kids off and running."

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Longview 55, Lufkin 30

Lobo Stadium, Longview

Lufkin              3    7   13    7    --   30
Longview         0   35    6  14    --   55
First Quarter
LUF--FG Timmy Martinez 31, :25.
Second Quarter
LON--Dezmond Chumley 3 run (Andres Perez kick), 10:52.
LUF--KeKe Coutee 68 pass from Steven Sowell (Martinez kick), 8:52.
LON--Ja'Mycal Hasty 29 run (Perez kick), 6:11.
LON--Travin Howard 35 interception return (Perez kick), 5:54.
LON--Hasty 5 run (Perez kick), 2:01.
LON--Stephan Anthony 34 pass from Chumley (Perez kick), :01.
Third Quarter
LUF--Jamal Jeffery 15 pass from Trey Cumbie (Martinez kick), 8:56.
LON--Hasty 66 run (kick failed), 8:36.
LUF--Sowell 1 run (pass failed), 4:21.
Fourth Quarter
LON--Jordan Whitaker 12 pass from Chumley (Perez kick), 11:14.
LUF--Coutee 41 pass from Cumbie (Martinez kick), 8:23.
LON--Quatorian Jacobs 54 run (Perez kick), 3:52.

                                       LUF               LON
First Downs                          22                 20
Total Yards                          424               490
Rushes-Yards                 44-184          34-286
Passing Yards                     240               204
Comp.-Att.-Int.              14-26-3         12-19-0
Punts-Avg.                      2-36.0           3-37.3
Fumbles-Lost                        1-1               2-1
Penalties-Yards                    4-25             8-67

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Lufkin, Steven Sowell 23-85, Trey Cumbie 8-42, Josh Tolbert 10-38, Jamal Jeffery 2-15, KeKe Coutee 1-4. Longview, Ja'Mycal Hasty 24-200, Quatorian Jacobs 1-54, Dezmond Chumley 5-21, Jeremy Powell 2-8, L'Darrius Peterson 2-3.
PASSING--Lufkin, Cumbie 13-25-3--172, Sowell 1-1-0--68. Longview, Chumley 12-19-0--204, Lance Cooper 0-1-0--0.
RECEIVING--Lufkin, Coutee 7-189, Jeffery 5-37, Sowell 2-14. Longview, Jordan Whitaker 3-68, Stephon Anthony 2-76, Dorian Leonard 2-21, Hasty 2-6, Powell 1-15, Chris Pellum 1-11, Marquies Hunter 1-7.