Game Recap September 26, 2023
Kevin Anthony; Herald Staff Writer
Every time the Richland football team needed a big defensive play Friday night, the defensive backs came through.
Whether it was Ryan McKinney swatting away a perfectly thrown strike in the end zone or Jamison Rowe generating two key second-half turnovers, the Bombers secondary was the primary safety net against Southridge.
So with the Suns sniffing at the end zone in the closing moments of the nonleague contest, it was time for Richland's defensive front to shine as first Austin Lomax and then Joe Biddle collared Southridge quarterback Andrew Mendenhall to preserve a 12-7 win at Lampson Stadium.
Running back Marcelino Morales powered the offense with a whopping 36 carries for 155 yards.
But despite controlling the game throughout the first half -Richland chewed up all but 70 seconds of the first quarter with its opening drive -the Bombers still couldn't find the end zone and trailed 7-0 at halftime.
"We were scoreless the last six quarters," Morales said, noting his team's shutout loss to Kamiakin last week, "and that's not how we play."
The Bombers finally lit their side of the scoreboard in the third quarter with a 77-yard drive -most of it Morales -ending with fullback Quinn Zorich piling in for a touchdown.
Morales got his end zone payoff early in the fourth quarter when Rowe's interception set up Richland at the Southridge 22.
After the two teams exchanged punts, the Suns mounted their final drive starting at their own 29.
Mendenhall, accurate in moving to either side of the pocket, overcame a second-and-28 with a 20-yard throwback to Cameron Sanders before Southridge converted its fourth fourth down of the night.
But after moving to the Richland 30, the Suns had a big play wiped out by a penalty, then Lomax and Biddle came up with their plays.
Southridge managed just 179 yards of offense, scoring only on Bracken Sorensen's 30-yard interception return in the second quarter.
"We have a young football team, and we played pretty well in the first half," Suns coach Andy Troxel said. "But we can't beat ourselves."
Rowe said this week's game was "a little about redemption" after getting shut out last week.
"This gives us confidence that we can win."
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September 7, 20071234Final
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Richland Bombers12
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Southridge Suns7
