Game Recap October 1, 2017
In 2009 the WIAA instituted the running clock rule. If one team was winning by 45 or more points, the second half clock would run constantly, stopping only for a called time out or official reasons. In 2011 they reduced that number to 40 points. The Richland Bombers, after their 63-7 win over Pasco, have had four consecutive running clock games.
The win over the Pasco Bulldogs wasn't unexpected, and a good output by the Richland offense wasn't either, but a second straight game with 63 points in the first half isn't something a football fan gets to see every season. The Bombers started out fast again, putting the first points on the board with only 90 seconds gone in the first quarter. Adam Weissenfels caught a short pass and ran it down the right side for 30 yards, the first of two for him. The always tough Bomber D showed no mercy either, pinning the Bulldogs near their own goal line with two big tackles for loss by linemen Aric Davison and Cubby Stanfield. Davison dominated his section of the line for the first half (he didn't play the second half), and helped set up another score a few minutes later with a fumble recovery. Senior safety Ryan Piper scored the first of his two TDs on another short pass to the right side and dodged five defenders on his way to the 30 yard score. His second score came on his third reception of the night midway through the second quarter on a slant route from the left side.
Scoring quickly and efficiently remained a trend, as Sammy Cervantes took the first play after Davison's fumble recovery straight down the right sideline for his second TD of the year to make the score 21-0 with 7:00 left in the first quarter. Parker McCary joined in again, putting up 90 yards total (again, all in the first half) and scoring once, taking a quick pitch from QB Cade Jensen and rumbling easily down the right sideline for 35 yards and managing to get to the endzone with only one defender laying a hand on him. Pasco managed to force Richland into a turnover on downs after a holding penalty and a bobbled pass, but Weissenfels made up for it just before the end of the quarter, baiting the Bulldog QB into throwing the ball his way by feigning deep coverage, cutting back at the last second, and snatching the ball at the Richland 45, and making a beeline to the other end to go up 35-0. The Bulldogs finished the remaining five seconds of the quarter by taking the kickoff backwards to their own 10, courtesy of intense coverage by Josh Mendoza and Caleb Chapman.
The second quarter showed no signs of improvement for the Bulldogs. Jax Lee, Davison, Stanfield and Braden Powell continued to clog the inside and outside running lanes, allowing linebacker Casey Perryman to zip in to finish off the runner. Pasco's third play of the quarter saw a pile of tacklers lead by Mendoza and Perryman pop the ball out the runner's arms, where Stanfield and Lee pounced on it to set up a quick series for Richland. After a near interception, Jensen saw Mendoza headed for the far left corner of the endzone and heaved a pass over the defender. Mendoza drew the ball in with his fingertips as he leaped into a rolling dive. 42-0 with 10:00 to go in the half. Pasco kept heart, earning their first first down of the game with some spinning runs through the middle by Efrain Farias, one of the leading rushers in the MCC. If you think gaining yards on the ground against Richland isn't impressive, ask ball carriers around the league about it.
The first play after Pasco's first down took them back to reality, as a bad hand-off fell to the ground, collected by Jax Lee only 25 yards from the endzone. Two runs by Jared Whitby, a dropped pass, and a catch by Cervantes lead to Piper's second TD for a 49-0 score. After the two previous possessions, a turnover on downs has to be considered an improvement for Pasco, especially since they have a good punter. Unfortunately, a good punter is not enough. Whitby and McCary burst through for consecutive first downs, and the third play was an easy bomb to Ryan Kriskovich coming out of the slot receiver position. Even though he had to come back a little to grab Jensen's pass, he still had room to take it all the way. The half was mercifully close to ending, with 5:23 on the clock and the score at 56-0. Despite most of the Bomber starters being on the bench at this point, the defense raged on. Farias got knocked around a bit running up the middle and lost the ball as he went down. It could be the case that his knee was down before the ball came out, but it was ruled a fumble and recovered by reserve lineman Connor Faucheaux. A tough run by Perryman got a first down for Richland, and the next play from the five went through the air again, this time to Trey Zorich, all alone streaking to the right across the endzone grass. 63 points in the first half, again.
The second half went by quickly, of course. Despite being short on time and running behind a second and third string line, senior running back Tsega MacDuff managed to rack up 100 yards, and nearly broke free for a long TD before being bumped out of bounds by the last defender. MacDuff is not the bulkiest runner on the team, but he showed great speed and elusiveness on his 11 carries. The other second half highlight was an interception by junior Nathan Mitchell near mid-field. Pasco's lone score happened in the fourth quarter when their O line let the Bomber D line charge through. QB Kashon Tate lobbed a short pass over the line and into the hands of Farias, who zipped through the linebackers, looked Mitchell right in the eye as he side-stepped him, and took it the rest of the 36 yards for his sixth TD of the year.
The Bomber D failed to get a shutout again, but it should be remembered that the second half of these games are being played by second and third string players, as well as JV players who would normally see no varsity minutes. All in all a good effort by everyone.
Next week is being hyped as Richland's biggest challenge of the regular season as Kamiakin comes to Fran Rish Stadium to avenge two consecutive losses to the Bombers. Whether or not they can pull it off remains to be seen, but anyone who wants to witness it first hand should probably show up with plenty of time to spare. The fervant fans from both sides will be packing the stadium to the limit!
Go Bombers!
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September 29, 20171234Final
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Pasco Bulldogs00077
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Richland Bombers35280063
- 1st Quarter
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Touchdown: Adam Weissenfels 15 yard pass from Cade Jensen (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 7, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Ryan Piper 25 yard pass from Jensen (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 14, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Sammy Cervantes 28 yard pass from Jensen (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 21, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Parker McCary 31 yard run (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 28, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Weissenfels interception return (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 35, Pasco 0 - 2nd Quarter
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Touchdown: Josh Mendoza pass from Jensen (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 42, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Piper 28 yard pass from Jensen (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 49, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Ryan Kriskovich 28 yard pass from Jensen (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 56, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Trey Zorich 7 yard pass from Jensen (Weissenfels kick)
Richland 63, Pasco 0 - 4th Quarter
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Touchdown: Efrain Farias 36 yard pass from Kason Tate (kick good)
Richland 63, Pasco 7
- News/Media
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Prep Football Preview: Hanford has firepower to hang with Kamiakin
Tri-City Herald: Friday September 29, 2017
Friday football preview by Dustin Brennan on Friday, September 29, 2017.
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Friday Night Prep Football Results
Seattle Times: Saturday September 30, 2017
Results from the Seattle Times football rankings for Friday, September 30, 2017.
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Richland football spreads the wealth
Tri-City Herald: Sunday October 1, 2017
Tri-City Herald story from October 1, 2017.
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Seattle Times high school football rankings
Seattle Times: Thursday October 5, 2017
Football rankings by the Seattle Times has Richland sitting at No 2 and Kamiakin at No 3 ahead of their match up on Friday, October 6, 2017.
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Field, not polls, is proving ground
Tri-City Herald: Thursday October 5, 2017
Tri-City Herald article by Annie Fowler. Richland drops to No 4 and Kamiakin stays at No. 3 ahead of their matchup on Friday, October 6, 2017.
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