20th Atomic Bowl: Bombers Blow Out the Falcons - by Carter Upmeyer
In the 20th Atomic Bowl, the Richland Bombers improved their record to 18-2 with a winning effort against the Hanford Falcons, 48-0. In the 20 games they have played, Richland has outscored the Falcons 675-231, clearly demonstrating the offensive success Richland continues to have over the years.
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| Photo: Jason Aardal |
Every game this season raises the question of whether new head coach Josh Jelinek can fill the shoes of Mike Neidhold. So far, he has fit in well, securing 2 high-scoring MCC wins to start the year. With All-MCC, Hanford transfer wide receiver Preston Bryant playing his first game against his old team, I was curious about how the Bomber players thought Preston would perform. I spoke with wide receiver Colson Mackey, who said, “I am confident that he will ball out and play very well. When we need him, I know that he is capable of turning a game around, especially against the Falcons.” Preston lived up to his fellow receiver’s expectations at Fran Rish. He ended the game with 134 yards on 9 receptions despite battling an illness that added more challenges to an already difficult game for him. Due to his athleticism, he is a very reliable option for short passes and battling for yards after the reception, which he demonstrated well against the Falcons. After the first two games against lower-level competition, Jackson Woodard threw for 5 touchdowns and continues to fill his older brother's position by utilizing his very strong wide receiver core and getting into the end zone quickly and efficiently when the chance arise. It will be interesting to see how the sophomore quarterback performs in higher-intensity situations.
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| Photo: Jason Aardal |
The Bombers have a continuous reputation for winning the duel between the Bombers and Falcons, and this was clearly shown when the Bombers scored on their first drive very quickly. On this drive, they targeted Preston Bryant multiple times for substantial yardage. During the 7-play drive, Brody Bocek was the final target in the end zone, giving the Bombers an early lead after the PAT by Dylan Dunnum. Brody Bocek was the key target in the red zone in this game, ending with 4 total touchdowns. After the Bombers successfully moved down the field twice, ending in receiving touchdowns, the Bomber offense slowed down and had a quick 3-and-out. On the ensuing punt, the Falcons’ returner muffed the ball, and senior Donovan Gallegos recovered it on Hanford’s 40-yard line. After the recovery, senior wide receiver Colson Mackey scored his lone touchdown in the game with a six-yard reception, giving the Bombers a 35-0 lead going into the half. As the game progressed and the lead became more lopsided, running back Jake Brannon became a key player. He rushed for a touchdown at the start of the 2nd quarter on a 1-yard goal-line run and finished the game with 2 rushing touchdowns after his 35-yard rush for the final touchdown of the game.
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| Photo: Jason Aardal |
In the previous game against the Hermiston Bulldogs, the defense was key to the Bombers' success. However, against the Falcons, the defense was quieter but still effective. With the game-time decision to have Zach Rose out due to an injury, the defense missed a key defensive back. Despite this, the Bombers’ defense began the game with a 3-and-out, giving them a very good field position, which led to another receiving touchdown for Brody Bocek. A notable difference this year is the strength of the Bomber defense. After last week's strong performance, the defense has yet to allow a point through the first two games, led by hard-hitting linebackers Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane and Cannon Wikeum. Last year, the Bomber offense was strong enough to beat any team, but the defense allowed many yards and, more importantly, points which made it the weak spot of the team.
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| Photo: Jason Aardal |
On the other end, the Hanford Falcons had several promising drives that fell apart as they approached the red zone. Wide receiver Asa Perkes, brother of former Falcon Eli Perkes, was a difference-maker on the offensive side. The Bombers allowed 173 total receiving yards, with 69 of those yards completed by Perkes. However, the Falcons’ defense struggled to stop the Bomber offense. Before the game, I spoke with Coach Tate Meyer, who said, “The offense has been working all week, and our playbook adjusts to any scheme that Hanford plays.” This was evident as the Bombers were only stopped by the Falcons a few times. The biggest takeaways from this game are that star wide receiver Brody Bocek continues to be a force to reckon with offensively, the Bomber defense has shown two very successful performances through the first two weeks, and the new additions of Preston Bryant and Jackson Woodard will be exciting to watch as the season continues if they maintain their current level of play.
