Sweetwater Plays Old Foe Tonight

By Lew
September 3, 2004

By RON HOWELL / The Sweetwater Reporter Sports Editor

It's been five years since Sweetwater and San Angelo Lake View met on a foot-ball field. And to some fans, it probably seems almost that long since the Mus-tangs have had a home game.

But the wait will finally end at 7:30 p.m. Friday as Sweetwater -- which had both of its preseason scrimmages away from home as well as last week's season opener against Lubbock Cooper -- welcomes the Chiefs back to the Bowl.

Sweetwater and Lake View played in the same Class 4A football district during most of the 1980s and '90s, and it was a onesided rivalry. The Mustangs won the teams' last 14 meetings, the last a 44-20 decision in 1999. Sweetwater was moved down to Class 3A the following year, but Lake View has stayed in 4A.

Kent Jackson and most of his staff at Sweetwater wasn't here back when the teams were regularly butting heads on the gridiron. All the Mustang head coach knows is that Lake View -- which lost to Abilene Wylie, 38-20, in its opener -- will present a considerable challenge tomorrow night.

The Chiefs are led by three exceptional seniors: quarterback Matt Phillips, who has thrown for over 3,000 yards in his varsity career; running back Robert Payne, who was the leading rusher a year ago in District 4-4A with 1,161 yards; and linebacker Tyler Hayes, who in 2003 had 140 tackles, including 51 solos. All three are preseason All-West Texas selections and helped Lake View break a seven-year playoff drought last season.

Lake View, unlike Lubbock Cooper in last week's season opener, operates from a shotgun or no-huddle spread offense in which the pass is a primary weapon.

"It will be so much different from last week," Jackson said. "They will line up and spread the field, and force you to defend with more of an air attack. Our secondary and linebackers will have to concentrate and find a way to put pressure on Phillips. He's a very physical kid and not afraid of contact."

However, the Chiefs had almost a per-fect balance between the pass and run in their game with Wylie, with 33 runs and 31 passes. Phillips went 22-for-31 for 172 yards and a touchdown, while Payne ran for 60 yards on 13 carries. Lake View's top rusher was actually Donnell Harris, who scored the Chiefs' last touchdown on a 68-yard run and finished with 71 yards on just three attempts.

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