Keegan Mallon scores long TD run to cap Mead’s comeback win over Shadle Park

Mead played a resilient game, bouncing back from its lone loss of the year while securing a momentum boost ahead of the postseason.

In doing so, the Panthers dealt a heartbreaking loss to Shadle Park, which had its playoff hopes dashed.

Mead scored touchdowns on its final two drives in the fourth quarter and held on for a 28-20 victory in a back-and-forth 4A/3A Greater Spokane League regular-season finale on Friday evening in wet conditions at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Heading into the game, the Panthers (8-1) had already clinched the No. 2 seed out of the GSL for the 4A postseason, but they were hoping to rebound from a tough loss to Gonzaga Prep the week prior.

“We got our hearts broken last week, so this (game) was more of a product of us being able to recover from that,” Mead coach Keith Stamps said. “I’m really proud of the way our kids fought tonight, the way they hung in there till the end.”

The Highlanders (4-5) ended their season on a four-game losing streak and fell a win short of the postseason.

Mead quarterback JJ Leman scrambled for the go-ahead touchdown with about 7 minutes remaining. The Panthers made a defensive stop on Shadle Park’s ensuing drive, then Mead tailback Keegan Mallon broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run with about 3 minutes to play.

The Highlanders advanced past midfield on their last-ditch, 2-minute possession, but the Panther defense forced a turnover on downs with under a minute remaining.

“I loved our composure,” Stamps said. “The funny thing is, last week we were up 21-20 with a few minutes to go and we couldn’t seal the deal. Tonight, we’re up 21-20 with a couple minutes to go, and I’m like, ‘Here we go again.’ Hopefully, that (finish) showed some growth from last week.”

The Panthers trailed 20-14 entering the fourth quarter as Shadle Park found success with its methodical rushing attack, chugging downfield with hard runs through steady rainfall. But Mead’s offense looked sharp on its first drive of the fourth quarter, a 5-minute possession that saw Mallon break out after an ineffective first three quarters.

Mallon gained approximately 30 yards on the drive and receiver Matt McShane snagged a 20-yard reception to set up Leman’s 8-yard TD run with 6:43 on the clock.

The Highlanders, facing a 21-20 deficit, had their next drive stall out near midfield, and Mallon burst through a wide gap for a touchdown run on Mead’s first play of the next possession to make it an 8-point game with less than 3 minutes remaining.

Shadle Park drove to the Mead 30-yard line with under a minute to play, but Highlanders quarterback Kaden Hooper was sacked on a fourth-and-5 to end the game.

Leman completed 13 of 17 passes for 168 yards to go with his 33 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground. Mallon was held to approximately 25 yards through three quarters, but he ended up with 80 yards on 10 carries and 39 yards on four receptions.

McShane brought in a 1-yard touchdown reception on fourth-and-goal to cap Mead’s first drive of the second half. He finished with 73 yards, including a 40-yard catch to kick start the same drive. Mead tight end Garrett Miller sparked the offense with a 39-yard reception in the second quarter, setting up Leman’s first TD run.

“The entire offensive group tonight, the way they hung in there was pretty cool,” Stamps said. “JJ Leman is our team leader, a captain, and he had composure tonight when things were struggling. Credit to Shadle’s defense on Keegan. It was tough sledding in there, but he kept plugging away.”

Hooper ran for 132 yards on 25 carries and completed 11 of 25 passes for 97 yards. He took a keeper 40 yards for a touchdown on the Highlanders’ opening drive of the game. Shadle Park tailback Nic Tilton totaled 100 rushing yards, and Jacob Boston had 87 receiving yards.

The Highlanders led 12-7 at the half. They outgained Mead 214-94 over the first two quarters, but committed two turnovers on downs in Mead territory during the first half. The Panthers opened the second half with a quick TD drive to take a 14-12 lead.

“We were pretty tight in the first half and I told the kids, ‘This is one of those nights where everything is kind of a struggle,’ ” Stamps said. “I’m proud of the way they kept fighting. We got things worked out on offense and, eventually, we got their quarterback under control a little bit – as much as you can, because he’s a really good player. But we got a couple of stops and a couple of scores.”