Game Recap September 27, 2018
The Richland Bombers got their ninth straight win against the Pasco Bulldogs, and their second of the season, with a 41-0 shutout at home. High scores and and shutouts have become the norm against Pasco, but this Pasco team is the best in years, so the win could actually be meaningful for the Bombers.
The first play from scrimmage was, of course, a good run called back on a holding penalty, but Dhuanye Guice made up for it with consecutive runs, capping a 65 yard drive with a 20 yard sprint around the right end, dragging two defenders into the end zone with him. With only two minutes gone from the clock, things looked good for Richland. The next score came after tough defense and more long runs from the seemingly unstoppable Guice, whose evasive running style provides plenty of entertainment. Lining up on the right side, sophomore Ben Fewel ran straight for the end zone, leaped over his defender at the five, and fell over the pylon for a two touchdown lead.
Pasco started the first quarter with a punt from their own end zone. Kade Powell had a big hit on the punter just as he kicked the ball, but the head ref didn't like what he saw and breathed some life in to the Bulldog offense with a flag. Powell apparently took that personally, as he made contact with the quarterback on two of the next three plays, applying constant pressure along with his fellow D linemen. Continued troubles with the passing game gave Pasco the ball back near midfield, but more tough defense got it right back. Josh Fonner finally connected with Ryan Kriskovich on a slant for a first down, and two plays later he connected again with Cody Sanderson on a short comeback pass. Dodging one tackler and then running behind an Aric Davison block, Sanderson outran the rest of the defense 50 yards for a score. 21-0, Bombers. Able to run and pass, it didn't look promising for the Bulldogs. Even less promising was the kickoff. Sophomore Nathan Craig came up with the ball at the Pasco 30, pretty good field position for a team on a roll. Using Guice and junior Sam Stanfield to get to the 12 yard line, Sanderson took a turn in the backfield, cutting left through a canyon opened by Davison and Brian Dean, assisted with a block by Drew Daves, and then bashing his way through a couple more defenders, Richland went up 28-0 with a few minutes to go until halftime.
On defense to start the second half, the Bomber D forced a punt and seven plays later Guice was in the end zone again, this time through the right side of the line, following lead blocker Stanfield and running between linemen Joe Hawkins and Geoff Robinson. Being continually pummeled by the defense but desperate to put points on the board, Pasco went for it on fourth and 19, failing miserably when Powell and Robinson collapsed the pocket yet again and took the QB to the ground. Guice immediately took the ball 20 yards to the Bulldog 20, where the holding flag reared its head once again. Undeterred, Fonner rolled out right and lobbed a perfect ball to Marshawn Davis-Copeland cutting toward the right sideline. Coming down inside the 10, it looked like another easy opportunity for Richland. What would have been Fewel's second score of the game was waved off in favor of another penalty. On fourth down and 12 Fonner zipped a pass to Sanderson running a tight curl just across the end zone line to make it 41-0 after the first missed extra point of the season by freshman kicker Joey Weissenfels. The Bulldogs next first down was quickly turned into second and 23 courtesy of Powell and fellow defensive end Daniel VanGorkum, who chased the scrambling QB back to the 10 yard line. A rushed pass fell incomplete under pressure from VanGorkum and newly installed linebacker Garret Gillespie.
The fourth quarter picked up where the third ended, with VanGorkum bringing down the punter after pressure from Gillespie and Fewel forced him to make a run for it. Starting at the 12 should have been easy pickings, but even with some tough running by Kevin Harding, a bobbled snap took away the momentum and a fourth down pass to the corner of the end zone went long. With a running clock, time wound down quickly and the shutout was assured.
Great defense marked this game, with a multitude of sacks registered by the D line, as well as the linebacking corps coming into form and helping put a lid on the Pasco running game. Missing from the lineup was safety and receiver Nathan Mitchell, injured in the Sunnyside game and out for the season. A great athletic talent and team leader, he will be sorely missed. On the offensive side, the O line thoroughly dominated. Guice had plenty of field to maneuver in, which created opportunities for the receivers to get open and make plays. The team is starting to mesh and should continue to improve while rounding out a series of games against the weaker conference teams at Walla Walla and then at home against Southridge. Join the Bombers in Walla Walla this Friday as they go for their second straight shutout and solidify their playoff position.
Go Bombers!
- Atomic TV Pasco @ Richland - September 21st, 2018
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September 21, 20181234Final
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Richland Bombers141413041
- 1st Quarter
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Touchdown: Dhuanye Guice 16 yard run (Joey Weissenfels kick) (10:06)
Richland 7, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Ben Fewel 15 yard pass from Josh Fonner (Weissenfels kick) (1:26)
Richland 14, Pasco 0 - 2nd Quarter
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Touchdown: Cody Sanderson 55 yard pass from Fonner (Weissenfels kick) (6:41)
Richland 21, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Sanderson 12 yard run (Weissenfels kick) (4:20)
Richland 28, Pasco 0 - 3rd Quarter
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Touchdown: Guice 4 yard run (Weissenfels kick) (8:14)
Richland 35, Pasco 0 -
Touchdown: Sanderson 15 yard pass from Fonner (PAT fail) (2:20)
Richland 42, Pasco 0
