Rockwall-Heath (4-2, 1-1)
vs.
Longview Lobos (3-2, 0-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Lobo Stadium, Longview

Coaches
Rockwall-Heath: Mickey Moss
Longview: John King

Last week
Rockwall-Heath: lost to Mesquite, 35-14
Longview: idle

Next week
Rockwall-Heath: idle
Longview: at Mesquite Horn

Playmakers

Rockwall-Heath

  • QB Chase Schultz, Sr., 6-2, 195 (95 of 146, 1,051 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs; 44 carries, 229 yards, 5 TDs
  • DE Jordan Points, Sr., 6-4, 255 (33 tackles, 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble; committed to Texas A&M)
  • LB Raaquan Davis, Sr., 6-2, 210 (68 tackles, 1 INT; committed to Baylor)
  • WR Shyon Motlagh, Sr., 6-2, 175 (32 catches, 553 yards, 9 TDs)
  • RB Rico Henderson, Soph., 5-10, 185 (65 carries, 460 yards, 2 TDs; 25 catches, 150 yards, 1 TD)
  • WR/P R.J. Williams, Jr., 5-9, 170 (28 catches, 340 yards, 3 TDs; 40.4 average on 15 punts)
  • LB Clay Wilkerson, Jr., 5-10, 188 (57 tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles)
  • DE Jay Arnold, Sr., 6-4, 235 (17 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery; committed to Texas A&M)
  • OL Chase Regian, Sr., 6-3, 275 (committed to ULM)

Longview

  • RB Tory White, Sr, 5-9, 175 (85 carries, 594 yards, 4 TDs)
  • FS Corey Bartley, Sr., 5-7, 155 (65 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 forced fumble, 2 PAT blocks, 1 punt block, 7 PBUs, 1 def. TD)
  • LB DeMarkus Lathan, Sr., 5-9, 190 (62 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery)
  • LB Torean Sheppard, Sr., 5-10, 190 (46 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery)
  • FB Antonius Sanders, Sr., 5-10, 180 (27 carries, 198 yards, 4 TDs)
  • QB Dezmond Chumley, Soph., 5-11, 185 (19 of 41, 287 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs)
  • CB Nakia Brown, Sr., 5-10, 180 (27 tackles, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble; 24.7 punt return average, 1 TD)
  • DT Cornelius Williams, Sr., 5-10, 290 (32 tackles, 7 for loss, 1 sack)
  • DE Zaycoven Henderson, Jr., 6-2, 280 (14 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble)
  • DE Jalen Porter, Sr., 6-0, 210 (24 tackles, 6 for loss, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery, 1 def. TD)

Just the facts

  • Rockwall-Heath averages 32.7 points per game and allows 20.0.
  • Longview averages 27.6 points per game and allows 20.4.
  • Mesquite has beaten both teams: 35-14 vs. Rockwall-Heath, 33-7 vs. Longview.
  • Longview fumbled nine times, losing five, in its 26-point loss at Mesquite.
  • Rockwall-Heath has four Division I FBS commitments: DE Jordan Points (Texas A&M), DE Jay Arnold (Texas A&M), LB Raaquan Davis (Baylor), OL Chase Regian (ULM).
  • Longview has one Division I FBS commitment: injured QB Bivins Caraway (ULM).

 

Longview RB Tory White. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Longview RB Tory White. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
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Key matchup: Longview's offensive line vs. Rockwall-Heath's defensive line. Longview's offense relies heavily on the running game with tailback Tory White and fullback Antonius Sanders. A steady running game is an even higher priority for the Lobos with normal starting quarterback Bivins Caraway out for the season with a knee injury, and junior Stephon Dunn and sophomore Dezmond Chumley sharing snaps. Rockwall-Heath features what may be the best defensive line Longview will see in 2012. Coppell's sturdy front with two college-caliber players gave Longview fits in the Lobos' season-opening loss, but White managed to run for more than 100 yards. White's best game this season came against Lufkin, which also has a talented and deep defensive line. With two Texas A&M-committed defensive ends -- Jordan Points and Jay Arnold -- Rockwall-Heath will be a tall task for the Lobos as they try to establish their ground attack. And if they can neutralize those two, Baylor-bound linebacker Raaquan Davis is waiting at the next level of the defense.

Chalk talk

  • Longview coach John King on if quarterbacks Stephon Dunn and Dezmond Chumley are are making the kind of progress he wants to see: "Depends on what day it is. Both have progressed, but mistakes are still being made."
  • King on the difference in preparing for Rockwall-Heath compared to most new district opponents: "We've played against Mickey Moss and most of his staff while he was at South Garland ... and it wasn't good most of the time."
  • King on Rockwall-Heath's loaded defensive front: "They have three D-I commits in their front six and they are dang good. Maybe better than Coppell."

 

Don't be surprised if: The matchup that Longview coach John King emphasized -- the trenches -- decides the game. If Longview can keep Rockwall-Heath's defensive line from dictating action at the point of attack, the Lobos can not only run the ball, but can decide what pace at which the game will be played. That would help keep a somewhat undersized Longview defense off the field and keep the Lobos fresh when they have to match up with Rockwall-Heath's offense, which has shown plenty of ability to throw or run the ball. This game has huge implications on the District 12-5A race. Mesquite has already beaten both teams and is clearly in the driver's seat for the district championship. The team that loses this game will be fighting for its playoff life with its second loss in the first three weeks of the 12-5A schedule. A Longview loss would make the Lobos 0-2 with Mesquite Horn still on the schedule. Playing at home should give Longview an advantage, but beating a district newcomer won't be easy when that newcomer has a defensive front as talented as Rockwall-Heath's. This should be a very good game.

 

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