Longview Rides Momentum into First-Round Matchup with Rowlett

Class 5A Division II Region II
Bi-District Playoff

Longview Lobos (7-3)
vs.
Rowlett Eagles (4-6)

4 p.m. Saturday
John Kincaide Stadium, Dallas

Coaches
Longview: John King
Rowlett: Kiff Hardin

Next week: Winner plays Dallas Jesuit or McKinney Boyd in a 5A Division II Region II area playoff.

Playmakers

Longview

• LB DeMarkus Lathan, Sr., 5-9, 190 (111 tackles, 10 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass breakups, 1 kick block)
• FS Corey Bartley, Sr., 5-7, 155 (107 tackles, 6 INTs, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery, 15 pass breakups, 5 kick blocks, 1 punt block, 1 def. TD)
• RB Tory White, Sr., 5-9, 175 (135 carries, 865 yards, 10 TDs)
• QB Dezmond Chumley, Soph., 5-11, 185 (57 of 100, 894 yards, 11 TDs, 1 INT)
• LB Torean Sheppard, Sr., 5-10, 190 (107 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery, 4 pass breakups)
• DE Tre Allen, Sr., 6-0, 225 (37 tackles, 11 for loss, 7 sacks, 1 kick block)
• DT Cornelius Williams, Sr., 5-10, 290 (61 tackles, 14 for loss, 3 sacks)
• SS Stephan Maxey, Jr., 5-11, 185 (62 tackles, 3 for loss, 4 forced fumbles)
• WR Justinn Spady, Sr., 5-9, 155
• WR Dorian Leonard, Jr., 6-4, 185

Rowlett

• QB Carson Hyles, Sr., 6-4, 175 (166 of 263, 2,161 yards, 15 TDs, 7 INTs; 6 rush TDs)
• WR Chris Heath, Sr., 5-11, 170 (46 catches, 734 yards, 4 TDs)
• WR Jonathan Williams, Sr., 5-11, 175 (40 taches, 643 yards, 4 TDs)
• RB Derrick Imade, Sr., 5-9, 185 (113 carries, 573 yards, 7 TDs)
• WR Tyler Hogan, Jr., 5-9, 170 (42 catches, 495 yards, 5 TDs)
• RB Nigel Hasty, Sr., 5-10, 200 (57 carries, 338 yards, 4 TDs)
• LB Calvin Estrada, Sr., 5-8, 175 (76 tackles, 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles, 1 recovery)
• LB Chris Bloomquist, Sr., 6-0, 200 (58 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveries)
• DE Jamal Smith, Sr., 6-3, 230 (56 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT)
• DE Collis Walker, Sr., 6-3, 235 (33 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble)

Just the facts

• Longview averages 35.1 points per game and allows 17.0.
• Rowlett averages 27.6 points per game and allows 27.7.
• Longview has qualified for the playoffs 12 consecutive seasons.
• Rowlett has qualified for the playoffs eight consecutive seasons.
• Longview has won six consecutive first-round games.
• Longview's last first-round loss was 14-13 to South Garland in 2005.
• Rowlett has won its last two first-round games.
• Rowlett's last first-round loss was 38-0 to Dallas Skyline in 2009.
• Both teams have played North Mesquite, Rockwall, and Rockwall-Heath.
• Longview beat all three: 52-3 vs. North Mesquite, 40-7 vs. Rockwall, and 52-27 vs. Rockwall-Heath.
• Rowlett beat North Mesquite 31-14, but lost 41-37 to Rockwall and 45-0 to Rockwall-Heath.
• Rowlett won its final three regular-season games to qualify for the playoffs.
• Rowlett's three-game winning streak came on the heels of a six-game losing streak.

Key matchup: Rowlett's defensive front vs. Longview's running game. How do you beat Longview? Take away the Lobos' ground game. Just ask Mesquite and Mesquite Horn. Mesquite forced the Lobos to fumble nine times, resulting in five turnovers in a 33-7 win against Longview. Horn held Longview's Tory White to 46 yards on 16 carries in a 25-17 Jaguar win. If Longview dictates the tempo and the action at the line of scrimmage -- something that's a near guarantee at this point on the other side of the ball thanks to a deep and talented defensive line vs. opposing offensive fronts -- then chances are the Lobos roll. That's exactly what they've done in their last three games against overmatched foes. Rowlett cannot afford to allow Longview to control the pace. If the Lobos do that, they  can grind away on the Eagles' defense and kill their will.

Don't be surprised if: Longview keeps its winning streak alive and stretches it to four games. If you look at the three common opponents between the two teams, Longview has a huge advantage. The Lobos went 3-0 vs. North Mesquite, Rockwall, and Rockwall-Heath, beating that trio by a combined 144-37. On the other hand, Rowlett went 1-2 vs. that trio and was outscored 100-68. After stumbling a couple of times early in the District 12-5A schedule, Longview appears to be peaking at the right time. The final three district opponents Longview faced -- North Mesquite, Tyler Lee, and Rockwall -- certainly didn't hurt the Lobos' chances of getting rolling, but Longview did exactly what a good team should against overmatched opponents: hammered them. The development of sophomore QB Dezmond Chumley is especially encouraging and could give the Lobos the balance they need to make yet another playoff run under coach John King, who has led Longview at least the third round of the postseason five consecutive years. Speaking of players who have emerged lately, Tre Allen has made an already dominant Longview defensive line downright scary. Allen is Longview's leader with seven sacks after transferring from Chapel Hill and gives the Lobos yet another playmaker in their front four, something they already had plenty of with players such as tackle Cornelius Williams and Jalen Porter. With reigning Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year DeMarkus Lathan at linebacker and Corey Bartley -- who's making a serious case for that honor this season -- at safety, Longview has the personnel to shut down a Rowlett team that has scored more than 28 points only four times in 10 contests.