LONGVIEW — The Longview Lobos are about to party like its 1937, after finishing their season 16-0 with a 35-34 win over the Beaumont West Brook Bruins that sealed a UIL State Championship season for the first time in 81 years.
A victory parade has been set for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and Lobos head coach John King has been hard at work assisting with the coordination of the celebration. He said he expects a sizable turnout.
“I hope it’s as packed and loud and rambunctious as it was at AT&T stadium on Saturday December 22," said King. "What a great showing that was! We’ve got all kind of events planning with it. We’ve got, for the kids, I think they have bounce houses, we’ve got food trucks coming and our boosters will be selling state championship merchandise."
King explained the parade is as much for the dedicated fans of Lobo football as it is for the members of the 2019 squad.
“So glad to be able to win one for them,” King reflected. “Everywhere you go it’s all walks of life affected by this win and it just kind of, you know, lifted a dark cloud off of us.”
Lobo alumni Michael Craig says his whole family will be there, as he does his best to instill Longview pride in his wife and two daughters.
“I took them to the game, so they got to experience this as well,” Craig said.
As for the Lobo football program, Coach King says they’re hungry for more next year.
“We’re going to get back to work here in 2019," King said. "You sit around and gloat about it too long, you get knocked to your knees. And we’re not going to let that happen to this program.”
The parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the corner of Whaley and Green Streets. It will go west to Center street, loop around, and end by the Longview News-Journal offices. The pre-parade festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Heritage Plaza in downtown Longview.