Legacy’s Nathaniel Kirksey makes a tackle against Longview on Sept. 8, 2023, in Longview. (Michel Alfaro/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

It was Oct. 10, 2003, and the then Tyler Lee Red Raiders just won 18-14 at Lobo Stadium for their sixth win over the Lobos in seven meetings.

But since that night — starting with a 22-21 Longview win on Halloween that same year — it’s been all Longview as the Lobos have won 19 straight over the Red Raiders.

Legacy (3-4, 2-1) will look to end that streak when it takes on Longview (4-2, 2-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Lobo Stadium in Longview.

“Let’s go in there, strap it up and play ball,” Tyler Legacy head football coach Beau Trahan said. “I think you’ve got to match them physicality wise. That’s the program in East Texas. They have been for eyars. We’ve got to match the physicality and play clean football. We can’t shoot ourselves in the football. We’ve just got to match them on both sides of the ball and on special teams.

“Coach (John) King does an outstanding job. Everyone said they’re going to be down this year, but they’re never going to be down, because they’re a program that’s just going to rebuild. They’ve gotten better and better each week. They’ve played some really good football teams, so they’re battle-tested. We’ve got to go in and, like I said, we’ve got to go match their physicality, do what we do and have fun with it.”

The Red Raiders have won three out of four games after an 0-3 start. In last week’s 38-31 victory over Royse City, Legacy had three 100-yard rushers — Corey Ransom (119), Jace Love (106) and Micah Pierson (102).

“Big men rule the world,” Trahan said. “Those guys up front did a really nice job of targeting everything right and controlling what they can control. The running game just took over. When you can run the football, it’s comforting.”

And Ransom rewarded his offensive line after scoring two touchdowns.

“It was amazing,” sophomore left tackle DeMarrion Brown-Johnson said. “We practiced all week just to get the D-linemen off the ball. Corey said if we get him in the end zone twice, he would get us barbecue on Saturday, and he did. It was very good.”

Now, the Red Raiders take on a Longview team coming off wins of 63-34 over Rockwall and 41-14 over Forney. Running back Kelvin Washington had 24 carries for 381 yards and six touchdowns and two catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns against Rockwall, and he added 14 carries for 265 yards and four touchdowns against Forney.

“He’s a guy that can make you miss,” Trahan said. “As he goes, their offensive goes. They’ve got a guy that manages the game for them and doesn’t lose it for them. He gets it to his guys and they go win it. It’s all about canceling gaps and bottling up 20.”

“We just have to be very physical,” senior defensive end Simeon Garner said. “Their offensive line isn’t that big, but they’re just really physical off the ball, so we just have to be really physical off the ball.”

Next week, Legacy will host Rockwall in the final home game of the season, and Longview will travel to take on Rockwall-Heath.

AROUND DISTRICT 10-6A

Rockwall (3-3, 1-1) is hosting Forney (3-4, 1-2) in a game that could have huge playoff implications with both teams still to face Legacy this season.

Royse City (2-5, 0-3) is hosting Rockwall-Heath (2-4, 0-2).

District-leading North Forney (5-2, 3-0) has a bye and will return to action next week at home against Royse City.