G-Prep Grinds ‘Em Up Solid Defense, Ground Game Key In Win

Those with a sense of history never relaxed. Neither did the Gonzaga Prep defense, though the Bullpups weren’t concerned with history.

The Bullpups defense dominated from start to finish to open the 4A football playoffs with a 30-6 win over Richland before 2,170 cold fans at Albi Stadium on Tuesday night.

A year ago, Richland scored 27 points in the fourth quarter before finishing Mead’s playoff run in overtime.

Prep (9-1) never allowed the Bombers (6-4) to get untracked, limiting them to 45 yards in the first half, 134 for the game, and picking off four passes.

“We just tried to play it safe, keep the ball in front of us and make them drive the field,” Prep defensive coordinator H.T. Higgins said. “Our kids are real disciplined, no mental mistakes and extremely coachable.”

The Bullpups face Kamiakin (8-2) at Albi Stadium at 2 p.m. Saturday after the Ferris-Mead soccer quarterfinal game, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Kamiakin dropped Lewis and Clark 23-7 in Kennewick.

Offensively, the Bullpups were as predictable and just as unstoppable as usual.

Quarterback Kevin O’Connell ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns and fullback Tony Valentine ground out 79 yards and a touchdown on 19 tough carries up the middle.

“Every week we run the option, so I know it’s going be O’Connell or me or one of the halfbacks,” Valentine said.

“Sometimes it’s hard to get up with injuries from previous weeks, but this is what we worked all summer for, all of high school for, to make the playoffs. You have to suck it up, put your head down and run hard.”

But the story was the defense, which limited Josh Jelmberg, who entered with 194 career receptions, to five catches for 38 yards.

“I only saw them on film, not up close,” Higgins said. “Our coaches who saw them said they have big-play capabilities and their skill people were very talented. I’m surprised they didn’t run more.

“We rushed three and dropped eight into coverage. We rolled the extra guy to (Jelmberg).”

Cornerback Tom Black picked off three passes. The first was a shoestring grab at the Richland 46 that put the Bullpups at the 31 following a penalty for the complaining by a Bombers’ assistant. That led to a 34-yard field goal by Dusty Bettesworth with 3:15 left in the first quarter.

O’Connell then had a 39-yard run in an eight-play, 71-yard drive he capped with a 15-yard sweep around left end to make it 10-0 early in the second quarter.

On the touchdown drive, the Bombers lost all-league two-way lineman Jason Hughes with a knee injury. The next time Prep had the ball, all-league defensive end Sam Martin, who replaced Hughes on offense, collided with backup linebacker Joey Chacon and both players left with concussions. Martin was knocked unconscious.

Late in the second quarter, Prep’s Damien Ramirez fumbled a punt the Bombers recovered on Prep’s 36, but on the next play Black picked off sophomore Aaron Harper for the second time.

“Our rush was nice,” Black said. “They made him scramble. I guess he can’t throw accurately when he’s scrambling and we made the plays.”

The Bullpups opened the third quarter with a 63-yard drive, capped by O’Connell’s 1-yard run.

Richland punted to midfield and the assistant coach was ejected for his second unsportsmanlike penalty because he thought Ramirez fumbled again. The Bullpups quickly went 34 yards for a score, which was Valentine’s 11-yard run.

In the fourth quarter, Prep’s Ramirez intercepted Ryan Moore’s pass and went 63 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown.

G-Prep 30, Richland 6

Richland 0 0 0 6 - 6

Gonzaga Prep 3 7 14 6 - 30

G-Bettesworth 34 field goal

G-O’Connell 15 run (Bettesworth kick)

G-O’Connell 1 run (Bettesworth kick)

G-Valentine 11 run (kick failed)

G-Ramirez 63 interception return (Bettesworth kick)

R-Moore 7 run (pass failed)

R G First downs 9 13 Rushes-yards 18-30 53-228 Passing yards 104 51 Return yards 16 76 Passes 11-25-4 2-5-1 Punts-avg. 5-33.2 2-29.5 Fumbles-lost 1-0 3-1 Penalties-yards 6-70 6-48

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Gonzaga Prep: O’Connell 26-124, Valentine 19-79, Schrope 2-13, Kendall 2-9, Hartnett 2-4, Pegg 1-2, Gibbons 1-(-3). Richland: Mitchell 7-41, Moore 4-23, Reed 2-2, A.Harper 5-(-36),

PASSING - Gonzaga Prep: O’Connell 2-5-1-51. Richland: Moore 6-16-2-68, A.Harper 5-9-2-36.

RECEIVING - Gonzaga Prep: Shogun 1-27, Hartnet 1-24. Richland: Jelmberg 5-38, May 2-22, Trevino 1-21, T.Harper 1-12, Simons 1-8, Metz 1-3.

Kamiakin 23, LC 7

The Braves held the Tigers (7-3) to 180 yards of offense and forced five turnovers.

Kamiakin defensive tackle Ben Forsyth picked up the final fumble of the game in the fourth quarter and ran 56 yards for the clinching touchdown.

Lewis and Clark 0 0 7 0 - 7

Kamiakin 0 13 3 7 - 23

K-Lake 34 pass from Maki (Maki kick)

K-Maki 26 field goal

K-Maki 44 field goal

L-Defour 13 pass from Lockridge (Mahar kick)

K-Maki 28 field goal

K-Forsyth 56 fumble return (kick failed)

L K First downs 9 14 Rushes-yards 31-59 48-175 Passing yards 84 131 Passes 6-15-2 8-19-1 Fumbles-lost 4-3 2-2 Penalties-yards 4-20 8-67

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Lewis and Clark - Flatt 13-47, Spurgetis 9-30, Coleman 3-16, Ross 2—1, Lockridge 4—13. Kamiakin - I. McMullen 15-92, Hughes 21-83, Genatone 4-6, Mengelos 1—1, Maki 4—3, Team 3—2.

PASSING - Lewis and Clark - Lockridge 6-15-2-84. Kamiakin - Maki 8-19-1-131.

RECEIVING - Lewis and Clark - Flatt 2-44, Defour 1-13, Wyatt 1-12, Love 1-8, Coleman 1-7. Kamiakin - Lake 3-80, I. McMullen 3-23, Hughes 1-18, Hays 1-10.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo