Game Recap September 26, 2023
Eric Schwartz; Herald Staff Writer
No passing game, no problem.
Richland's Marcelino Morales rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns Friday night at Fran Rish Stadium as the Bombers won their second straight game, defeating Walla Walla 28-14.
Junior quarterback Brett Jacobs continued to struggle, completing 5-of-12 passes for 51 yards. But the Richland offensive line buoyed the team's running game, giving Morales plenty of room to run and allowing Jacobs plenty of room for error.
Walla Walla put eight men in the box for most of the game defensively, but the Bombers' offensive line remained resilient.
"We knew we were outnumbered," said second-team all-league tackle Glenn Richmond. "We decided that we were just going to go in and pound them."
Pounding the ball wasn't always easy, even though it looked like it would be a cakewalk after Richland's first drive.
Morales busted loose on Richland's first drive for a 45-yard run that took the Bombers all the way down to the Walla Walla 5-yard line. He punched it in for the team's first score two plays later to give Richland a 7-0 lead.
Morales could only muster 37 yards in the remainder of the half, as the Walla Walla defense zeroed in on the running game.
Meanwhile, Wa-Hi quarterback David Weisner went to the air early and often, completing 18 of 35 passes for 166 yards, including a 20-yard pass to Gary Winston that tied the score at 7.
"We knew they would come out passing," said junior safety Jamison Rowe. "It's the key to their offense. ... I think we did a good job adjusting and picking up on it."
Richland scored again two minutes into the second quarter after Morales fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line, only to have it recovered by Joe Biddle in the end zone to give the Bombers a 14-7 lead.
After two unsuccessful drives by both teams, Walla Walla got the ball on its own 33, and Weisner proceeded to lead the offense down the field on four consecutive passes. Drew Limburg punched the ball in to tie the score at 14 heading into intermission.
But in the third quarter, a blocked punt gave Richland the ball on Walla Walla's 1, allowing Jacobs to score on a quarterback sneak that gave Richland the lead for good.
Morales took control on Richland's final drive of the game with rushes of 35 and 34 yards, the latter giving Richland its fourth touchdown of the game.
"We're sure proud of him," Richland coach Rick Redden said of Morales. "He can change direction and turn on a dime, and the offensive line did a great job of blocking and wearing them down."
Richland's Cody Shepherd left the game in the first quarter after catching a 21-yard pass. He did not return.
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September 14, 20071234Final
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Walla Walla Blue Devils14
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Richland Bombers28
