Longview Survives 14-0 Slugfest to Reach State Semifinals

WACO – For the first time all season, the Longview Lobos’ offense needed some help.

A combination of the damp and blustery weather and a menacing Spring Westfield defense had the Lobos’ number for most of the game.

Longview scored on its first possession of the second half, and the defense stymied Westfield all day in its 14-0 win Saturday afternoon in the Class 6A Division II, Region II final at Waco ISD Stadium.

The Lobos (14-0) will meet Amarillo Tascosa (11-3) in the state semifinals at 8 p.m. next Saturday from AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

“We’re advancing one more week, and like I’ve said since we started: everybody’s 0-0,” said Longview coach John King. “That’s how we’ve addressed it. All we’re guaranteed is one more round, and we just happened to be one of four left, and I’m proud of our coaches, our kids, and Lobo Nation for the support they gave us today. The kids feed off of that.”

Longview, which came in averaging 54 points and more than 500 yards per game, was held off the scoreboard in the first half and committed four turnovers on the afternoon.

“We were concerned coming into the game,” King said. “We knew that they were fast and physical and they were gonna load the box. And playing these type of conditions was gonna make it difficult.”

The Lobos’ offense came to life in the second half, dominating time of possession, and outgained Westfield (12-2), 192-44 after halftime.

“I thought we got great play out of the front seven versus the run game,” King said of his defense. “We leveraged it and didn’t let them get on the perimeter.”

The windy conditions had an effect on Longview’s passing game as Haynes King finished with only 94 yards through the air. He completed 9 of 18 attempts, tossed one touchdown, and threw two interceptions.

“Our biggest challenge was those guys we were going against, Mother Nature wasn’t the biggest challenge,” King said. “The people we were playing, they were pretty good.”

Longview relied on the legs of running backs Jessie Anderson and Keilyn Williams. Anderson led the way with 99 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, while Williams added 51 yards on 17 attempts.

King chipped in with 43 yards on nine carries.

Longview zipped 68 yards in only six plays to begin the third quarter, and Anderson’s 14-yard touchdown got the Lobos on the board. An errant snap caused a failed PAT, and Longview led 6-0 with 9:36 to play in the quarter.

The Lobos were stopped on downs and lost a fumble on their next two series, but put the game away on their next possession.

King completed passes of 15 and 13 yards to Kaden Kearbey, and then hit Daquavion Randall with a 5-yard touchdown pass. King found Jhailon Braden on the two-point conversion, giving Longview a 14-0 lead with 11:12 remaining in the fourth.

“We got it adjusted in the second half, and played a little bit better,” Coach King said. “To come out here with a 14-0 win with four turnovers is pretty good for our football team. We played great defense today, bent but didn’t break, and made some huge stops down there in the first quarter for us to keep them off the board.”

Westfield took the ensuing drive all the way to the Longview 8-yard line, but the Lobos defense stopped the Mustangs on fourth down with 7:30 to play.

Longview never returned the ball to Westfield, milking the rest of the clock.

Westfield played into the wind in the opening quarter, and as a result, was short on a pair of field goal attempts inside 40 yards.

Longview could never get its footing on offense in the opening half. Three turnovers – two interceptions and one fumble – put a wrench in the Lobos’ offensive plans.

“What I told the kids all week is there’s a lot of ways to win a game,” Coach King said. “You’re not just gonna go out there and put up video game numbers against everybody. These guys are good. It was gonna be tough getting yards, and moving the ball into the wind, and things like that.”

No. 4 Longview 14, Spring Westfield 0

Class 6A Division II, Region II Final
At Waco ISD Stadium

Westfield            0      0      0      0    –      0
Longview            0      0      6      8    –    14

Third Quarter
LON—Jessie Anderson 14 run (kick failed), 9:36.
Fourth Quarter
LON—Daquavion Randall 5 pass from Haynes King (Jhailon Braden pass from King), 11:12.

                                        WES                 LON
First Downs                             7                    23
Total Yards                           106                  281
Rushes-Yards                    28-47            46-187
Passing Yards                         59                   94
Comp.-Att.-Int.                  6-15-1            9-18-2
Punts-Avg.                        4-30.5            1-39.0
Fumbles-Lost                         0-0                 3-2
Penalties-Yards                     9-79               6-50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Westfield, Rayshawn James 11-28, Ra’Quon Washington 10-17, Ivory Roberts 3-8, Joshua Adams 2-3, Dexter Johnson 2-(-9). Longview, Jessie Anderson 17-99, Keilyn Williams 17-51, Haynes King 9-43, Team 3-(-6).
PASSING—Westfield, Washington 6-15-1—59. Longview, King 9-18-2—94.
RECEIVING—Westfield, Malachai Jones 3-50, Nakeo Thomas 1-5, Ashton Callaway 1-4, James 1-0. Longview, Kamden Perry 3-38, Kaden Kearbey 2-28, Jhailon Braden 1-17, Anderson 1-5, Daquavion Randall 1-5, Williams 1-1.