Longview Seeks Fourth-Straight Win + Continued Dominance Over Tyler Lee

DISTRICT 11-6A

Longview Lobos (3-1, 1-0)

vs.

Tyler Lee Red Raiders (2-2, 0-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

At CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium, Tyler

Coaches

• Longview: John King
• Tyler Lee: Clayton George

Last week

• Longview: def. Mesquite Horn, 47-37
• Tyler Lee: lost to Rockwall-Heath, 34-7

Next week

• Longview: vs. Rockwall, Sept. 30
• Tyler Lee: at Mesquite Horn, Sept. 30

Playmakers

Longview

• S Traveion Webster, Sr., 6-0, 202 (13 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PBUs, 1 fumble recovery)
• RB Kendrevian White, Sr., 5-9, 215 (64 carries, 439 yards, 8 TDs)
• WR Eric Timberlake, Jr., 5-10, 165 (7 catches, 145 yards, 3 TDs)
• QB Gaylon Wiley, Sr., 6-4, 185 (23 of 49, 488 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT; 16 carries, 82 yards)
• RB D'Crayvan Polk, Sr., 5-9, 180 (47 carries, 291 yards, 3 TDs)
• OL Kendall Starling, Sr., 6-3, 310
• DB Jephaniah Lister, Soph., 5-9, 155 (29 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 4 forced fumbles)
• LB Kobe Davis, Sr., 5-10, 200 (29 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT)

Tyler Lee

• QB Chance Amie, Jr., 6-4, 205 (33 of 61, 486 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT; 73 carries, 558 yards, 6 TDs)
• S Makyle Sanders, Sr., 6-2, 185 (25 tackles, 2 PBUs)
• WR Keashun Davis, Sr., 6-1, 165 (12 catches, 215 yards, 2 TDs)
• LB Campbell Miller, Sr., 6-2, 260 (21 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 PBUs)
• WR Isaiah Davison, Sr., 5-9, 150 (12 catches, 150 yards, 2 TDs)
• LB Lanthony Simmons, Jr., 6-2, 190 (31 tackles, 5 for loss, 6 QB pressures, 1 PBU)
• RB LaDarius Wickware, Soph., 6-2, 180 (46 carries, 258 yards, 2 TDs)
• DB Triston Wesley, Sr., 5-11, 170 (25 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 QB pressure, 1 forced fumble, 3 PBUs)

Just the facts

• This the 57th all-time meeting between Longview and Tyler Lee. Longview holds a 40-14-2 lead in the series.
• Lee's last win over Longview came in 2003.
• Since a 35-24 loss to Lufkin in Week 1, Longview has won three straight, averaging 55 points per game.
• The Lobos are 67-4 in district games under head coach John King. He's 10-0 against Lee.
• Longview is averaging 47.3 points and 439.3 yards per game -- 314.3 rushing and 125 passing.
• Lee has scored just 24 points total in its last two games following back-to-back 34-point performances to begin the season.
• The Red Raiders committed a season-high four turnovers in last week's loss to Rockwall-Heath.
• Lee is averaging 23 points and 410 yards per game -- 288.5 rushing and 121.5 passing.

Key matchup: Tyler Lee rushing attack vs. Longview defensive front. After beginning the season 2-0 with impressive wins over Marshall (34-7) and Corsicana (34-20), the Lee offense has hit the skids. The Red Raiders were held to 17 points in a Week 3 loss to Nacogdoches, and just last week, mustered just one touchdown and turned the ball over four times vs. Rockwall-Heath. Through all of the recent struggles, the most consistent aspect of the Lee offense has been its running game. Spear-headed by junior quarterback Chance Amie, who comes into Friday averaging almost 140 rushing yards per game, the Red Raiders have been at their best when controlling the line of scrimmage and gashing defenses on the ground. But Amie by himself may not be enough; Lee will need to rely on its talented duo of sophomore running backs LaDarius Wickware and Jordan Printers, who have combined for nearly 500 yards on the year but have have mustered only 117 between them the last two weeks.

Longview's defense has been very consistent against the run in the early going. Through four weeks, the Lobos are allowing a modest 154.3 rushing yards per game, and a yards-per-attempt average of 4.6 yards -- a respectable figure, considering Longview averages nearly seven yards per carry. If the Lobos can keep Lee from getting its offense moving on the ground, that will allow for their defensive backs to play coverage against the Red Raiders' top receivers Keashun Davis (17.9 yards per catch) and Isaiah Davison. Amie completes right at 54 percent of his passes, but making Lee more one-dimensional by taking away the running game, could play right into Longview's hands.

Don't be surprised if: Friday's game goes fast. Neither Longview or Lee is expected to put the ball in the air too much, and if both running games play up to their potential, there is the possibility of a quick contest. Last week's matchup of Lee and Rockwall-Heath took just a little more than two hours to complete. There were a combined 20 pass attempts between the two teams, including only two by Heath.