Game Recap November 3, 2022
BY HUNTER GRANEY
Read the article in the Atomic Times
The Richland Bombers and the Mountain View Thunder face off in the last game of the regular season with an out-of-conference match-up. Mountain View came out on top 45-44 in a game down to the wire.
Mountain View came into this game with a 4-4 record, with all four losses being one-possession games. Richland (5-3), just coming off a 28-32 loss against Kamiakin, looked to gain some confidence on 'Senior Night' with a win heading into the postseason. Bomber receiver Seth Shook shared, "I just wanna put on a show," when asked how he feels about his last regular season game. Richland's coach Mike Neidhold commented on what it's like facing an out-of-conference team, "It's like the playoffs; you don't know what you're gonna get. It's hard to judge a team just off of the film." Mountain View ran a different defensive scheme each game of the season, making it even more difficult for the Bombers to know what was coming.
Richland started the game with a quick three-and-out. Mountain View capitalized with an impressive drive that went inside the red zone, where they were forced to take their field goal due to penalties. The Bombers were unable to produce anything offensively, and Mountain View struggling to finish their offensive drives left the score 3-0 at the end of the 1st quarter.
The Bombers turned things around when QB Josh Woodard let it fly into the hands of Seth Shook for a 60-yard TD. Richland's PAT would be bobbled and not allow kicker Jason Slack to get a chance on the PAT, leaving the score 6-3. Following the touchdown, Mountain View's Akili Kamau took the kickoff to the house with a shifty 85-yard kick return eluding multiple tackles and putting the Thunder back on top 10-6. The Bomber offense began to heat up as QB Josh Woodard threw a 30-yard pass into the cookie basket of senior receiver Tanner Schuster. After almost being picked off on the goal line, Woodard couldn't find a target, so he scrambled up the gut and dove into the end zone for a TD, showing off his dual-threat capability. Richland regained the lead 13-10 with five minutes left in the half.
Right after Woodard's impressive TD, Mountain View's 3-star recruit, Kyle Chen, took the kick all the way to midfield to give the Thunder excellent field position. After a poor three plays, QB Mitch Johnson stayed on the field to deliver a crucial 4th down conversion to the junior receiver, JJ Thompson. Not long after the conversion, Mitch Johnson throws a 15-yard touchdown pass with an acrobatic catch by running back Porter Drake. Thunder had retaken the lead 17-13 with 2:30 remaining in the half.
As if we hadn't seen enough in good returns, Landon Charlton took the kickoff 70 yards down to the 30-yard line. As the Bombers looked to take advantage of the prime field position, Woodard took a sack that made it 3rd and 13. Woodard dropped back to pass and had Seth Shook open in plenty of space in the end zone. Shook's 2nd TD of the day gave the Bombers a 20-17 lead heading into halftime.
To begin the half, Richland's defense came out strong, forcing a punt after only one 1st down. Immediately after forcing a punt, Woodard's low pass to Tanner Schuster bounces off the chest pads into the hands of Mountain View's JJ Thompson, who took the interception 45 yards to the crib. Another lead change puts Mountain View up 24-20.
As what seemed like a kick nobody would try to return, Landon Charlton took the kick 60 yards to Mountain View's 35-yard line, where he was taken down by the kicker. Woodard, wasting no time, threw a 35-yard pass perfectly placed to freshman Brady Bocek, the only freshman on a 4A varsity roster in the state, for a touchdown. The Bombers now led the Thunder 27-24 with 9 minutes left in the 3rd. The Thunder easily marched down the field after a couple of big runs from Kedyn Bolds and a big run from Porter Drake. After a wide-open dropped pass, the Bomber defense was able to get out of it and force the Thunder to try a 41-yard field goal. The 41-yard field goal try from Owen Purvis had the distance but missed left. Bombers still lead 27-24. The Bombers were now looking to take a two-possession lead. It didn't look promising as the ball was snapped over Woodard's head and rolled down to the 1, where he recovered it and was able to throw a 50/50 ball to midfield, where Seth Shook snagged it and won the foot race to the end zone for an 80 yard TD, Seth Shook's 3rd TD of the day. Shook, wanting to "put on a show," most certainly was, giving the Bombers a two-possession lead 34-24 with 5 minutes left in the 3rd.
After getting a break with a penalty, the Thunder give the ball on a screen route to Porter Drake, who takes it inside the red zone. Next play, Jacob Martin catches an over-the-shoulder TD, 34-31 Richland still ahead. The Bombers reach the red zone after a big 3rd down conversion on a pass from Woodard to receiver Colson Mackey. Woodard takes a lousy snap, can't find a receiver, scrambles for a first down, and ends up inches short of the goal line. The Bombers use Kalani Steward's size and feed him the ball as he punches it into the end zone, 41-31 Bombers ahead at the end of the 3rd.
To start the quarter, QB Mitch Johnson launches the ball down the field into the hands of defender Torin Belliston. Richland's offense keeps the momentum going as Woodard connects to senior receiver Mikah Burch for 35 yards into Thunder territory. After multiple Kalani Steward runs to set the Bombers up inside the 10, the Thunder defense comes up big to force a 25-yard field goal from Jason Slack to extend the lead 44-31.
With only 7 minutes remaining, QB Mitch Johnson was sidelined after a body slam from linebacker Isaya Galvez. Backup QB Cash Cook shows no fear and rifles a pass to Kyle Chen for 17 yards. Cook continues to tear apart the Bomber defense with a lazer to create a first and goal. Kedyn Bolds takes a handoff into the end zone to cut the Bombers' lead to 6. Richland would receive the ball at the 6 with 5 minutes left. Mountain Views's defense only allowed one first down on a pass to Tanner Schuster but then forced a punt.
Two minutes remain in the game. The Thunder offense, with starting QB Mitch Johnson back in the game, needs a TD and PAT to take the lead. QB Johnson steadily leads the team down the field into Bomber territory, but Bombers force a 4th and three with 52 seconds left. QB Mitch Johnson completes a huge 4-yard pass to get the first down followed by a connection to Akili Kamau put them inside the 15. 3rd down and 13 with 27 seconds left, Johnson and Kamau connect again for a TD. The PAT is good, and the Thunder silence the crowd as they go up 45-44 with only 16 seconds left in the game.
If the Bombers were able to execute the PAT on their first TD, they would have been headed to overtime. Instead, the Bombers failed to score, take a tough loss, and move to 5-4. The Mountain View Thunder also move to 5-4 with an impressive 7-minute, 13-point comeback.
Some impressive players of the game were the Bombers receiver Seth Shook who recorded 6 receptions for 208 yards and 3 touchdowns. Mountains Views QB Mitch Johnson went 21/29 with 276 yards in the air and 29 on the ground for 3 touchdowns.
The Bombers go into playoffs with a two-game losing streak and will face Eastmont on November 4th.
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October 28, 20221234Final
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Mountain View Thunder314141445
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Richland Bombers02021344
- 1st Quarter
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Field Goal: Owen Purvis 32 Yd Field Goal (8:03)
Mountain View 3, Richland 0 - 2nd Quarter
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Touchdown: Seth Shook 86 Yd Pass From Joshua Woodard (Slack Kick No Good) (7:28)
Richland 6, Mountain View 3 -
Touchdown: Akili Kamau 84 Yd Kickoff Return (Purvis Kick) (7:14)
Mountain View 10, Richland 6 -
Touchdown: Joshua Woodard 5 Yd Run (Jason Slack Kick) (5:06)
Richland 13, Mountain View 10 -
Touchdown: Porter Drake 20 Yd Pass From Mitch Johnson (Purvis Kick) (2:29)
Mountain View 17, Richland 13 -
Touchdown: Seth Shook 14 Yd Pass From Joshua Woodard (Jason Slack Kick) (1:06)
Richland 20, Mountain View 17 - 3rd Quarter
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Touchdown: James Thompson Jr. Interception Return (Purvis Kick) (10:30)
Mountain View 24, Richland 20 -
Touchdown: Brody Bocek 32 Yd Pass From Joshua Woodard (Jason Slack Kick) (9:54)
Richland 27, Mountain View 24 -
Touchdown: Seth Shook 83 Yd Pass From Joshua Woodard (Jason Slack Kick) (5:26)
Richland 34, Mountain View 24 -
Touchdown: Jacob Martin 20 Yd Pass From Mitch Johnson (Kick) (3:11)
Richland 34, Mountain View 31 -
Touchdown: Kalani Steward 2 Yd Run (Jason Slack Kick) (0:00.1)
Richland 41, Mountain View 31 - 4th Quarter
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Field Goal: Jason Slack 24 Yd Field Goal (7:39)
Richland 44, Mountain View 31 -
Touchdown: Austin Chapman 4 Yd Run (Purvis Kick) (5:08)
Richland 44, Mountain View 38 -
Touchdown: Akili Kamau 13 Yd Pass From Mitch Johnson (Kick) (0:16.6)
Mountain View 45, Richland 44
- News/Media
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Bomber Football Game Notes vs. Mountain View
bomberfootball.org: Wednesday October 26, 2022
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Mountain View Game Stats
bomberfootball.org: Friday October 28, 2022
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Chiawana sweeps MCC football schedule; regional playoffs set
Tri-City Herald: Tuesday November 1, 2022
Article by Jeff Morrow in the Tuesday, November 1, 2022 edition of the Tri-City Herald.
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