Brayden Allen scores in second OT, Ridgeline edges Mead 20-17 in key GSL 3A game

Week 3 is a little early in the season to talk about an elimination game, but the stakes could not have been higher for Ridgeline, a budding program which feels like a playoff spot is for the taking.

Of course, Mead got a taste of the postseason last year. Though they lost much of their offensive leadership to graduation, the Panthers wanted to prove they were up to the task.

Ridgeline, in the program’s third season, entered play with one league loss – last week’s 28-20 decision to Mt. Spokane. Another loss would seriously dent the still-young Falcons’ shot at the program’s first postseason appearance.

It took longer than expected, but they defended their home turf and came away in the driver’s seat.

Junior Brayden Allen caught a 7-yard touchdown pass in the second overtime, and the Falcons (2-1, 2-1) beat the visiting Panthers (1-2, 1-1) 20-17 in a Greater Spokane League 4A/3A game with wide-ranging implications in the District 8 3A playoff race.

“I just saw the dude lining up across from me and I was like, ‘I know my quarterback can get it to me, and I knew I had him,’ ” Allen said. “I knew I could get off the ball. I knew I could get open and my quarterback trusted me and it’s all on him. He gave me a great ball and I went up and got it.”

Allen finished with 10 catches for 110 yards. His quarterback, junior Landon Garner, finished 20 of 35 for 211 yards and three touchdown passes.

Ridgeline forced a fumble on Mead’s first overtime possession, then held the Panthers to Gabriel Muller’s 28-yard field goal in the second.

“They grew up tonight and finished that ballgame,” Ridgeline coach Dave Myers said. “And that’s what we’ve talked about from the get-go. I couldn’t be more proud of them being able to come back – the two stops in overtime and help us pull this one out at the end.”

Ridgeline has come a long way in the program’s third season. The Falcons entered this season with two league wins.

“I think we are growing,” Allen said. “We definitely competed with (Mt. Spokane), which is definitely an achievement, and a stepping stone from my freshman year, going from 1-9 to 3-7 to now 2-1 right now, beating some pretty good teams. So, it definitely feels good and we’re definitely maturing for sure.”

“They have been through a lot,” Myers said. “We knew that this was going to be a year where we thought we could break out and make some noise. And our kids believed through two tough years, you know, so all credit to them.”

Late in the first quarter, Garner hit Allen on a fly pattern for 44 yards to the Mead 20. Two plays later, Garner found Tanner Hamblin on a post for a 13-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked, and Ridgeline led 6-0.

Cameron Mattingly took the kickoff out to midfield, then Jimmy Frahm carried 44 yards to the Ridgeline 9. The drive stalled, and Muller’s 37-yard field-goal attempt was wide left.

The teams traded turnovers midway through the second quarter. After a Mead punt, Ridgeline took the ball at its 9. A 10-play drive culminated with a screen pass to Kole LeGrant, who took it 34 yards for a TD with 1 minute, 47 seconds left in the half.

Lincoln Duggan plowed in for the 2-point conversion, and Ridgeline led 14-0 at halftime.

Mead got something going on its second drive of the second half, but a long pass attempt by Landon Thomas, who didn’t start the game at QB, was picked off by Landen Quesnell at the Ridgeline 13.

The Falcons went on a 22-play drive that went into the fourth quarter, but Garner’s fourth-and-goal swing pass to LeGrant was stopped at the Mead 2 for a turnover on downs.

Ridgeline had six goal-to-go plays, but the Panthers’ defense stood tall.

A three-and-out and short punt later, Ridgeline took over again at the Mead 26, but Garner was picked off by Cameron Mattingly at the 9.

Thomas connected to Matthew McShane for 30 yards, then to Mallon for 20. On first down from the Ridgeline 19, Thomas looked for McShane again, and the junior receiver grabbed a corner route in stride to halve the deficit with 8:24 to go.

Mead took the ball back with around 5 minutes left. Thomas hit Braden Powers down the middle for 44 yards to the Ridgeline 2. Two plays later, Frahm scooted around right end for the TD and the extra point tied it, sending the game to overtime.

“I think this game is one that we can build on toward those playoff aspirations and really reinforce their belief in themselves and the work that they’ve been doing,” Myers said.