Game Recap November 23, 2013
The Richland Bombers were in uncharted territory playing their first state quarterfinal game since 1999 but were unable to contain the Federal Way dual threat of Keenan Curran and Chico McClatcher as the Eagles defeated the Bombers 41-34.
As has been their pattern, the Bombers came out with their hair on fire, taking the first drive of the game for a touchdown. Nathan Perry ran in from 18 yards for the score and a 7-0 lead.
The Eagles then went three and out on their first posession. Richland quickly moved the ball against the Federal Way defense and took at 14-0 lead when Zach Whitby connnected with Hayden Whitby for four yards and the touchdown.
Federal Way was finally able to get a sustained drive with Keenan Curran doing most of the damage and the Bomber defense not able to slow him down. Curran scored the Eagles first touchdown on a 19 yard run. Richland 14, Federal Way 7.
The Bombers played an excellent first half but were fighting themselves for most the time with seven false start penalties. On their third drive, the Bombers got the ball on the 29 yard line. Whitby connected on a long pass to Gibson McGeorge for 30 yards. A pass interference penalty on Federal Way brought the ball to the 13 yard line. After another false start, Whitby found Payton Radliff to get the Bombers inside the five. Nathan Perry then ran the ball in from 3 yards out and Richland was back up by two scores, 21-7.
Keenan Curran quickly got the Eagles back on the board with a 52 yard touchdown run to close the gap to 21-14. After holding the Bombers to a punt, Federal Way again started ripping off yards at a big clip, and tied up the game at 21 on Chico McClatcher's 13 yard touchdown run.
On their next drive, the Bombers moved the ball but were forced to punt. Zach Whitby's kick rolled down the field and Gibson McGeorge stopped the ball at the Federal Way 1 yard line. Richland then stuffed the Eagle offense and forced a punt of their own. Kicking from their own end zone, the punt gave the Bombers excellent field position on the Federal Way 30 with just over half a minute remaining in the first half.
A pass interference call on Federal Way brought the ball inside the 20. Zach Whitby then connected with Nathan Perry for 13 yards and the touchdown and at halftime, the Bombers led 28-21.
Much like their game last week against Skyline, Federal Way turned the momentum on its ear in the second half.
Federal Way came out and quickly scored on their first posession. Chico McClatcher tied the score at 28-28 with an 11-yard touchdown run. Then Richland started making mistakes.
After a flawless first half, Richland was not able to sustain a drive for their first five drives in the second half. Keenan Curran intercepted a Zach Whitby pass and returned the ball inside the Richland 35. Federal Way then pulled out the trick play when McClatcher threw a halfback pass to James Black for a 31 yard touchdown and took the lead for the first time at 35-28.
The next Bomber drive was cut short by another interception. After holding the Eagle offense to a punt, the second play of the Richland drive ended in a fumble that was recovered by Federal Way on the Richland 28 yard line. A few plays later, McClatcher scored from 4 yards out and the Eagles were up 41-28 with a lot of time remaining in the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately for the Bombers, the mistakes didn't stop. McClatcher intercepted another Whitby pass. The defense was able to hold and Jacob Devries blocked the punt to give the Bombers exceellent field position inside Federal Way territory. The Bomber drive quickly but Whitby's pass into the endzone on 4th and 11 was tipped and intercepted once more.
The Bomber offense didn't give up. Zach Whitby connected on a long pass to Payton Radliff down to the Eagle 20 yard line. Whitby then hit Radliff again for a 16 yard touchdown. Damian Ruiz then missed his first extra point of the year but with the previous Eagle PAT miss, the Bombers were still only behind by seven.
The Bombers attempted an onside kick and got their hands on the ball but Federal Way was able to recover. Keenan Currean put the final nail in the Bomber season when he tore off a 50 yard run and the Eagles were able to run out the clock to preserve with win and a date with the Chiawana/Wenatchee winner next week.
In closing, I have to say that this was the most entertaining Bomber team in several years, and not just because my nephew played on the team. Coach Neidhold and his coaches did an excellent job in taking the Bombers to their highest state position in 14 years. As with them, though, I was really hoping to see the Bombers take on Chiawana one more time.
Many thanks to all of you who have been reading my articles this year. Special thanks to Dana Vogel for all of the beautiful pictures. Thank you.
Go Bombers!
- YouTube GAME TWELVE: Federal Way 41, Richland 34
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November 22, 20131234Final
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Richland Bombers14140634
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Federal Way Eagles71414641
- 1st Quarter
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Touchdown: Nathan Perry 18 yard run (Damian Ruiz kick)
Richland 7, Federal Way 0 -
Touchdown: Hayden Whitby 4 yard pass from Zach Whitby (Ruiz kick) (3:50)
Richland 14, Federal Way 0 -
Touchdown: Keenan Curran 19 yard run (kick good)
Richland 14, Federal Way 7 - 2nd Quarter
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Touchdown: Nathan Perry 3 yard run (Ruiz kick) (8:50)
Richland 21, Federal Way 7 -
Touchdown: Keenan Curran 52 yard run (kick good)
Richland 21, Federal Way 14 -
Touchdown: Chico McClatcher 14 yard run (kick good) (4:10)
Richland 21, Federal Way 21 -
Touchdown: Nathan Perry 13 yard pass from Zach Whitby (Ruiz kick) (0:14.7)
Richland 28, Federal Way 21 - 3rd Quarter
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Touchdown: Chico McClatcher 11 yard run (kick good)
Richland 28, Federal Way 28 -
Touchdown: James Black 31 yard pass from Chico McClatcher (kick good)
Federal Way 35, Richland 28 - 4th Quarter
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Touchdown: Chico McClatcher 4 yard run (kick blocked) (10:49)
Federal Way 41, Richland 28 -
Touchdown: Payton Radliff 16 yard pass from Zach Whitby (kick failed) (3:00)
Federal Way 41, Richland 34
- News/Media
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Playing for another Monday
Tri-City Herald: Friday November 22, 2013
State playoff football preview article by Jack Millikin from the Tri-city Herald on Friday, November 22, 2013
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Football Playoff Preview: Richland at Federal Way
Federal Way Mirror: Friday November 22, 2013
Article from the Federal Way Mirror by Casey Olson on November 22, 2013
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