Game Recap September 1, 2012
There is winning ugly and there is losing ugly and the Richland Bombers almost did both in one game.
I have taken stats for Richland football since September of 1989 and the one thing I have learned is that numbers don't lie. The Southridge Suns had the ball for 76 plays, Richland had 44. The Suns had 279 yards of total offense and the bombers had 90 yards. The only statistical category the Bombers won on the night was punts with nine over the Suns six.
The first half of the game felt more like a soccer game and ended in a Sounder-like fashion tied at 0-0.The second half really didn't feel much different though with 7:28 remaining in the third quarter, Southridge broke the tie when Connor Mertens connected on a 37 yard field goal.
Into the fourth quarter, Southridge was starting to take command and embarked on a methodical march down the field doing a great job of both chewing up yardage at 3 to 4 yards at a time and counting down the seconds. But on the 17th play of the drive Bennett Peterson stepped in front of a Grant Lathim pass and sprinted down the field 85 yards for a Bomber touchdown and a 7-3 lead. Finally, the Bombers seemed to have found some life.
On the next drive, Southridge could not muster any offense and were forced to punt. Unfortunately as was the story the entire game to this point, the Bomber offense could not muster the needed offense to chew up the clock.
The Suns had one last shot at the win with less than two minues remaining and started throwing the ball around the field, first to Clay Gonzales for 18 yards and then a few plays later to Brendon Kelly for 34 more yards deep in Richland territory. The Bomber defense then stiffened again and knocked the Suns back with two consecutive sacks and the Suns looked all but dead.
With one play remaining in the game, Lathim rared back and spotted Kelly on the right hand side and lofted the ball. Two Bomber defenders looked to have the bead on the interception or to at least knock it down but in Harry Potter-like fashion, the ball landed in Kelly's hands on the 10 and he split through the defenders for the winning touchdown. As you can expect, bedlam ensued.
The Bombers played inspired defense for 75 straight plays but play number 76 took the wind out of their sails.
As Coach Neidhold said in the postgame interview, though, it is better to lose one like this early then to lose it late. This is only the first game of the season and the Walla Walla Blue Devils are next on the docket. It is Richland's only true road trip of the season until the playoffs so I suggest you pack up the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and mosey on down to wine country for some high school football at Borleske Stadium. 7:00PM, don't be late!
See you next week! Go Bombers!
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August 31, 20121234Final
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Richland Bombers00077
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Southridge Suns00369
- 3rd Quarter
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Field Goal: Connor Mertens 37 yard field goal
Southridge 3, Richland 0 - 4th Quarter
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Touchdown: Bennett Peterson 85 yard interception return (kick good)
Richland 7, Southridge 3 -
Touchdown: Brendon Kelly 34 yard pass from Grant Lathim
Southridge 9, Richland 7
- News/Media
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Tri-City Herald Season Preview
Tri-City Herald: Friday August 31, 2012
Article from the Tri-City Herald football preview section on August 31, 2012
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Suns pull out 9-7 victory
Tri-City Herald: Saturday September 1, 2012
Tri-City Herald article written by Craig Craker on Saturday, September 1, 2012
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