Mead Wins On Lungo’s Long Goal Winning Kick Beats Lc After Strange Night Of Goings-On

Maybe it was the chill in the air that was confusing, or maybe nobody can read a calendar.

Whatever the reason for the strange goings-on at Albi Stadium on Thursday night, Dustin Lungo’s clutch 43-yard field goal with 4 seconds left lifted Mead to a dramatic 16-14 victory over Lewis and Clark in a Greater Spokane League football game.

After reviewing the strange events that included 18 penalties for 181 yards, nine turnovers and disappearing downs, Mead coach Mike McLaughlin said, “If I didn’t know better, I would have thought it was Halloween or there was a full moon.”

And, why not.

Lungo’s field goal was set up when LC quarterback Paul Mencke was intercepted by Rich Cullen on third-and-3 from the LC 26 with 1:02 left.

Mead scrambled from the 43 back to the LC 26 without spiking the ball - a new and approved practice in high school football - before calling its last timeout to set up Lungo. A perfect snap from Merrill Alley and a perfect hold by Steven Lovell preceded Lungo’s perfect kick from the left hashmark.

“Right when I kicked it, I felt it was in,” Lungo said. “I kind of struggled early in the year so it was nice.”

Lungo didn’t get a chance to tie the game less than 3 minutes earlier because McLaughlin opted to go for a two-point conversion after the Panthers scored with 2:56 left, cutting LC’s lead to 14-13.

“There was no question we’d go for two,” McLaughlin said. “Honestly, if we didn’t get it, we thought there was enough time to go for a field goal.”

Then, instead of an onside kick after Jamie Salgado knocked down Jason Lewis’ PAT pass, the Panthers kicked deep.

LC coach John Hook didn’t point any fingers after the worst thing that could have happened to his team happened.

“They made the big play when they needed to,” he said. “They had a guy that made a great play.”

In the first game of the double-header, Joe Ascolese scored three touchdowns to lead the Gonzaga Prep Bullpups to a 49-7 victory over McNally Composite High School of Edmonton, Alberta.

, DataTimes