Longview Lobos (4-2, 1-1)
vs.
Mesquite Horn Jaguars (4-3, 2-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday
E.H. Hanby Stadium, Mesquite

Coaches
Longview: John King
Horn: Rodney Webb

Last week
Longview: def. Rockwall-Heath, 52-27
Horn: lost to Mesquite, 56-41

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

Playmakers

Longview

  • RB Tory White, Sr., 5-9, 175 (98 carries, 710 yards, 6 TDs)
  • S Corey Bartley, Sr., 5-7, 155 (74 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery, 7 PBUs, 3 kick blocks, 1 punt block, 1 def. TD)
  • LB DeMarkus Lathan, Sr., 5-9, 190 (70 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 3 PBUs)
  • CB Nakia Brown, Sr., 5-10, 180 (28 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT, 4 PBUs; 2 punt return TDs)
  • DT Cornelius Williams, Sr., 5-10, 290 (38 tackles, 10 for loss, 2 sacks)
  • DE Zaycoven Henderson, Jr., 6-2, 280 (18 tackles, 6 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
  • DE Tre Allen, Sr., 6-0, 225 (8 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack in Lobo debut vs. Rockwall-Heath)
  • QB Dezmond Chumley, Soph., 5-11, 185 (24 of 47, 357 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs)
  • DE Jalen Porter, Sr., 6-0, 210 (32 tackles, 6 for loss, 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles, 1 recovery, 1 def. TD)
  • FB Antonius Sanders, Sr., 5-10, 180 (34 carries, 251 yards, 4 TDs)

 

Mesquite Horn

  • QB Destri White, Jr., 6-0, 185 (104 of 172, 1,122 yards, 16 TDs, 4 INTs; 71 carries, 405 yards, 3 TDs)
  • RB Treyvon Marsh, Sr., 5-7, 165 (139 carries, 853 yards, 17 TDs; 19 catches, 68 yards)
  • WR Brian O'Bannon, Sr., 5-8, 160 (26 catches, 407 yards, 5 TDs)
  • LB D.J. Green, Sr., 6-2, 220 (71 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
  • LB Hunter Harwell, Sr., 6-2, 2-5 (54 tackles, 1 sack, 4 PBUs)
  • WR Justyn Oliphant, Jr., 5-9, 165 (10 catches, 97 yards, 2 TDs; 30 carries, 216 yards)
  • DL Colton King, Sr., 6-2, 245 (41 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 1 kick block)
  • LB Regi Peterson, Sr., 5-10, 210 (14 tackles, 3 sacks)

 

Just the facts

  • Longview averages 31.7 points per game and allows 21.5.
  • Mesquite Horn averages 39.7 points per game and allows 27.4.
  • Longview's won both games this season after losses, with an average victory margin of 20.5 points.
  • Longview has won four games by an average of 30.0 points, but its two losses have come by an average of 29.5.
  • Mesquite Horn has won four games by an average of 27.3 points, and its three losses have come by an average of 7.7.
  • Mesquite Horn linebacker Hunter Harwell has offers from Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, according to Rivals.com.
  • Longview is 7-0 against Mesquite Horn, including last season's 38-30 win and two wins in 2010, which saw the Lobos eliminate Horn from the playoffs in a 28-14 victory at Shreveport's Independence Stadium.

 

Key matchup: Mesquite Horn's defensive front vs. Longview's offensive line. Longview coach John King said his defensive line has performed well all season, but his offensive line continues to get better and better. Longview's ability to run wild on a Rockwall-Heath front with two Texas A&M-bound defensive ends -- Jay Arnold and Jordan Points -- and a Baylor-bound linebacker -- Raaquan Davis -- proves the progress of which King speaks. Longview wants to run and run a lot, and that's exactly what they've done on their wins. Their losses have been caused by an inability to control the line of scrimmage (Coppell) and turnovers (Mesquite). One thing to consider is that Horn will be going from defending a spread offense a week ago against Mesquite to defending a run-first offense that uses multiple formations out of the I and single-back sets. If Longview owns the line of scrimmage, the Lobos will dictate the pace and keep their speedy defense off the field, making the unit that much more fresh when it must take the field to combat Horn's spread.

 

Chalk talk

  • Longview coach John King on the bye week's impact on his team's preparation and performance in last week's rout of Rockwall-Heath: "The biggest impact is we practiced better and that led to us playing better."
  • King on his offensive line's improvement: "Things are starting to jell with the O-line. We had to make some changes and get some people in the right spots early on, but the reps we got during the bye week definitely helped."
  • King on Mesquite Horn's offensive weapons: "Destri White and (Treyvon) Marsh are both home-run threats. Scheme-wise they will try to hurt you with misdirection and play-actions."
  • Mesquite Horn coach Rodney Webb on what stands out to him about Longview: "Very physical. D-line is incredibly good."
  • Webb on the deciding factor in Friday's game: "Horn vs. Longview really isn't about matchups. It's about overall execution in all three phases. The team that executes best should win this game."
  • Webb on the challenges of defending an uptempo spread offense one week (Mesquite) to a pro-style, run-first offense the next (Longview): "Longview's offense is more difficult to prepare for in terms of blocking schemes and run fits. Defending Mesquite was more about preparing to make tackles in open space."

 

Don't be surprised if: This game decides one of District 12-5A's top two finishers. Mesquite has beaten both teams, so the Skeeters have the edge in the race for first place. But Friday's game at E.H. Hanby Stadium could determine who finishes second. If Mesquite were to stumble somewhere during the final weeks of the regular season, the winner of this game is right there to seize upon the opportunity in the district championship race. Like the Mesquite/Longview matchup, this is another contrast in styles. Longview hurt itself with turnovers -- nine fumbles, five lost -- in the 33-7 loss to the Skeeters. Don't expect the Lobos to do that again. Longview has responded emphatically both times it has lost this season, and the momentum carried over from a 49-0 second-quarter lead on Rockwall-Heath could very well fuel the Lobos to a pivotal road victory in a key 12-5A showdown. Two "T's" will have huge impacts on the game: tempo and trenches. The team dictating the pace and winning the battles on both lines will have the decided advantage.

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