Dream Finish Jolts Mead Down 21-0, Richland Rallies For Ot Win

Lonnie Pierson’s dream became Mead’s nightmare.

The Richland coach woke up in the middle of the night this week with a trick play on his mind, and Saturday afternoon the Bombers used it for a touchdown with 20 seconds to go to cap a 27-point fourth quarter.

Then the third-place team from the Big Nine stopped Mead in overtime to pull out a 34-27 victory in the quarterfinals of the State AAA high school football playoffs before 1,408 chilled fans at Albi Stadium.

“I’m extremely devastated from the outcome,” Mead coach Mike McLaughlin said. “At the same time, I’m proud of the year this team had, but that’s an extremely difficult way to lose.”

The ninth-ranked Panthers (10-1), in the playoffs for the eighth-straight year, last reached the quarterfinals in 1990 when Richland ended their season.

It seemed the Panthers would end their frustration when they dominated the first three quarters, opening a 21-0 lead. And after the Bombers (10-2) scored 14 quick points, Mead got a gift touchdown after a botched punt return.

But the Bombers wouldn’t give up. They went 80 yards in seven plays to close within 27-21 with 1:51 to go. Then they held Mead and faced an 87-yard field with 1:16 remaining and no timeouts.

Jared Mitchell, who finished 21 of 40 for 292 yards and three touchdown passes, marched the Bombers to the Mead 25 and spiked the ball to kill the clock with 27 seconds left.

Then Pierson’s dream became reality. On the next play Mitchell threw a backward pass to Josh Jelmberg to the left and Jelmberg hit a wide-open Casey Metz down the right side to tie the game. But Colin May hooked the potential game-winning PAT to the left, leading to overtime.

In overtime, Mitchell hit Joel Lechelt for 15 yards to the Mead 9. The Bombers were hit for a delay of game penalty, but on third down from the 7, Mitchell hit Aaron Richardson over the middle on a slant from the left slot. When Mead got the ball on the 25, Brandon Muzatko threw two incompletions before connecting with Jason DeJong, who was wide open on the right side. But when DeJong turned upfield, he slipped 2 yards short of a first down. On the next play, Muzatko scrambled but was stopped by Jeff Lidey a yard short of a first down, ending the game.

“They caught fire offensively and made some plays, give Richland the credit,” McLaughlin said. “I don’t think they made too many adjustments. We played a little back on our heels and their athletes made some great plays.”

The Panthers used a good punt return from Evan Thomas and sacked Mitchell twice to gain field position that led to Scott McGlocklin’s 4-yard touchdown run 2:14 before the half.

Mead stopped the Bombers and then a defensive back slipped, allowing Jon Wells to turn a pass from Muzatko into a 51-yard gain. Muzatko followed with a 15-yard scoring strike to DeJong 58 seconds before halftime.

“I told them not to look at the scoreboard, play for pride,” Pierson said of his halftime talk, adding with a shrug: “Two touchdowns (down), we’re a throwing team.”

Richland scored its first touchdown following a McGlocklin fumble at the Mead 8. Richland cut it to 21-14 with 9:25 left on Lechelt’s 48-yard draw play.

Richland 34, Mead 27 (OT)

Richland 0 0 0 27 7 - 34 Mead 0 14 7 6 0 - 27

M-McGlocklin 4 run (Stamps kick)

M-DeJong 5 pass from Muzatko (Stamps kick)

M-Cassel 16 run (Stamps kick)

R-Richardson 5 pass from Mitchell (May kick)

R-Lechelt 48 run (May kick)

M-Ferguson 2 run (kick failed)

R-Jelmberg 15 pass from Mitchell (May kick)

R-Metz 25 pass from Jelmberg (kick failed)

R-Richardson 8 pass from Mitchell (May kick)

R M First downs 22 13 Rushes-yards 29-104 45-145 Passing yards 317 141 Return yards 40 24 Passes 41-22-0 24-11-1 Punts-avg. 5-36.8 7-37.9 Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-1 Penalties-yards 5-45 1-15

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Richland, Lechelt 5-52, Metz 13-42, Mitchell 10-9, Lidey 1-3. Mead, McGlocklin 30-106, Cassel 2-12, DeJong 1-11, Muzatko 6-8, Stamps 2-4, Ferguson 1-2, McCullough 3-2.

PASSING - Richland, Mitchell 40-292-21, Jelmberg 1-25-1. Mead, Muzatko 24-141-11-1.

RECEIVING - Richland, Jelmberg 12-158, Metz 3-52, Rae 2-49, Knutson 1-22, Richardson 3-21, Lechelt 1-15. Mead, Wells 3-75, DeJong 6-46, Cassel 1-11, McCullough 1-9.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo