New Plymouth falls to WIC foe Melba in barnburner
By Scott Ford
Argus Observer
Sunday, September 28, 2008 12:15 AM PDT
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| Scott Ford | Argus Observer
New Plymouth’s Jaime Garcia (1) looks for open field during the Pilgrims 35-42 loss to Melba Friday in Western Idaho Conference action. |
Melba—Just like a week earlier, trailing late and needing a final scoring drive for a possible win, the Pilgrims went to work from deep at their own end of the field.
On the second play of the drive, Brady Harris found Justin Johnson on the sidelines for the completion and Johnson rumbled down to the Melba 15 yard line before being brought down.
First-and-10 at the Mustang 15-yardline and 1:45 on the clock.
First down — incomplete pass.
Second down — incomplete pass.
Third down — incomplete pass.
Time out Melba.
“I told the defense we needed just one more play,” Melba head coach Cory Dickard said. “I knew they were tired, so we showed a blitz, hoping Harris would bite, and he did.”
Fourth down — Harris from the shot gun, looks left, sees Kyle King in the flats, throws, and at the last possible second, a Melba defender knocks the pass away, giving the ball back to the Mustangs for a couple of kneel downs and a hard-fought barn-burning 42-35 win in Western Idaho Conference action Friday in Melba.
On paper, the Pilgrims won this game, but in reality, five intercpetions, a kick off returned for a score, and the Melba Mustangs hung on for the win.
The Pilgrims tallied 616 yards of total offense, to Melba’s 174, but turnonvers proved to be the difference in the game.
Melba picked off New Plymouth quarterback Harris five times, two of which were returned for scores. One an 80-yard mistake and the other a 24-yard error.
Harris ended the night with 511 yards of passing offense and five touchdowns, and his favorite reciever was Justin Johnson who caught 16 of Harris’ 29 completions on 49 attempts and Johnson racked up 303 yards and two touchdowns.
“Our toughest opponent was us,” co-head coach Bicker Therien said. “ We cannont give up that many turnovers and expect to win ball games.”
The Pilgrims scored the first points of the game on a 22-yard Omar Garcia field goal early in the first quarter for the 3-0 lead.
But then it was all Melba for the remainder of the opening quarter of play.
The Mustangs found paydirt three times for a 21-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
The first came on a 15 yard scamper by Melba’s Blake Love.
The second score, Melba’s Bryce Crossley grinded out a 12-yard run to the end zone then the big play and Melba’s third score of the opening frame came on an 80-yard interception by Love.
New Plymouth didn’t quit and in the second quarter came storming back with 12 points.
Harris hooked up with Seth Bodas on the first score of the second quarter for an eight-yard touchdown to make the score 21-9, with the missed point after kick.
Late in the second quarter, Harris hit Johnson for a 25-yard score.
The Pilgrims tried to pick up two on the extra point but failed, and the score at the break was 21-15.
To kick off the third frame, Melba’s defense struck again as it picked off Harris and returned the pigskin 24 yards for the Mustang’s defense second score of the game and expanding the Melba lead to 28-15.
Back came the Pilgrims.
New Plymouth marched down the field and Harris ended the drive with a 13-yard toss and catch to Jaime Garcia to put the Pilgrims right back into the thick of things as they trailed 28-22.
On the ensuing kick off, Melba upped the ante with an 83-yard return to boost its lead to 15 points, 35-22.
With the game quickly winding down, the Pilgrims were running out of time, and with one quarter left to play, Melba boosted its lead to 42-22 with a 36 yard touchdown pass.
New Plymouth kept its cool and answered back with a pair of touchdowns in the final quarter.
The first came on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Harris to King, then Harris added another touchdown with a 14-yard strike to Johnson to bring the score to 42-35 and five minutes left to play.
The Pilgrim defense stepped up and held the Mustangs and forced a punt.
New Plymouth will host Cole Valley at 7 p.m. Friday, while Melba will travel to Marsing.
