Longview Blows Past Hallsville to Claim 15-5A’s No. 1 Seed For Division I Playoffs

HALLSVILLE – Longview broke open a one-possession game with five consecutive touchdowns in a 63-20 romp over Hallsville in the regular-season finale at Bobcat Stadium on Friday night.

With the win, the Lobos clinched a share of the District 15-5A title with Marshall and Texas High. Longview (8-2, 6-1) also locked up the top seed in the district for the Division I playoffs, setting up a bi-district meeting with rival Lufkin at 7:30 p.m. Friday from Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler.

Hallsville (6-4, 4-3) opens the playoffs with Ennis, a last-minute winner over Corsicana on Friday night.

Braylynn Anthony led a barrage of Lobo rushers, who totaled 583 rushing yards in a contest that was 14-7 midway through the second quarter, with four touchdown runs on a 192-yard night. Austin Moore (138 yards) and Kendrevian White (105 yards) rounded out a trio of Lobo backs over the century mark.

Tyler Buchanan-Anderson scored twice, Gaylon Wiley had a 28-yard touchdown run and Moore had a 1-yard blast for the Lobo ground attack.

Michael Ross finished with 100 yards passing, including a touchdown toss to Chris Braggs from 18 yards away.

In total, the visiting Lobos tallied 685 yards of total offense, while Hallsville gathered 330 total yards – 210 on the ground and 110 through the air.

Hallsville senior quarterback Roger McCuller totaled 160 yards of offense, going 7-for-16 through the air for 112 yards with 48 yards on the ground. He had a 68-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Southard. Hallsville’s second passing touchdown came off the arm of Caden Thomson, who connected with Coleton Lassester for a 5-yard score.

Leading the way on the ground for the Bobcats was Josh Taylor, who scampered for 133 yards on seven attempts, including a 60-yard touchdown.

Hallsville’s opening drive stalled near midfield and the Bobcat defense thwarted the Lobos’ first drive with an interception in the end zone from Ty Meissner.

After Hallsville punted for the second-straight time, Anthony broke a 79-yard run to put Longview ahead, 7-0, the first quarter’s lone points.

Longview recovered a Hallsville fumble in the red zone and this time, Anthony broke loose for 80 yards to extend the Lobos' lead.

Hallsville answered quickly with a 68-yard catch-and-run from McCuller to Southard, making it a 14-7 Longview advantage with 7:24 remaining in the second quarter.

Anthony added his third and fourth scores of the night around Ross’ scoring toss to Braggs as Longview built a 35-7 lead by halftime.

Moore’s 1-yard blast and Wiley’s 28-yard scamper extended the lead to 49-7 midway through the third quarter before Hallsville got back in the end zone on Taylor’s 60-yard score.

Thomson’s toss to Lasseter came in between Anderson’s two scores for the Lobos in the fourth quarter.