It’s a chilly night at Edgar Brown Stadium, where the Pasco High School football team is facing the Hanford Falcons for their Senior Night and final home game. One year after the heated brawls and scuffles these two teams endured last season, we hope for a clean game with minimal penalties.
Hanford starts with the ball and drives down the field, but ultimately gets stopped by the Bulldogs’ defense around their 40-yard line, leading them to decide to punt. The Bulldogs gain possession and manage to make some progress through the air with Quarterback Salvador Olvera, along with Wide Receivers Makana O Ke Akua Garza and Max Valencia. Unfortunately, a costly penalty puts the Bulldogs in a bad position on third down, which quickly ends in a turnover on downs.
As the game moves into the second quarter, the Bulldogs are leading 12-0. However, Hanford is determined to score, and they do, making the game 12-6 midway through the second quarter.
After halftime, the Bulldogs emerge looking sharp on the ground with Senior Running Back Jayden Williams, who finishes the game with a total of 147 rushing yards. Junior Guard Zlatan Moreno commented, “At first, we didn’t execute the run like we wanted to, but toward the end, we started to pick it up and gave time for our running backs to find the hole and go.” One positive takeaway from the game was the defense. Sophomore Linebacker Joseph Cole stated, “Lowkey, I thought they were going to sling it at first, but they decided to run the rock, which helped us keep them under containment.” Hanford was held to just 60 yards on the ground in the first three quarters, but through the air, they scored a few touchdowns due to penalties and poor tackling by the Bulldogs.
As the fourth quarter begins, the score stands at 16-19, with the Bulldogs leading. Hanford quickly scores to take the lead at 23-19 with 8:00 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Bulldogs respond with a touchdown by Senior #1 Max Valencia, who catches a pass between two defenders in the end zone, bringing his total receiving yards to 156. The Bulldogs now lead 26-23 with 4:00 remaining.
The Bulldogs’ defense now needs to step up in the final moments of the game. Quick screens and some good passes, coupled with penalties, allow the Hanford Falcons to reach the 15-yard line with 1:00 left on the clock, putting the Bulldogs in a tough spot. Hanford’s Running Back #4, Sione Nuku, runs the ball to the outside, cuts through a tackle, and scores with just 30 seconds left in the game.
The atmosphere at Edgar Brown Stadium shifted when the referees signaled a Hanford touchdown. Senior Lineman Sawyer Hickam said, “In that moment, I was thinking, no way we lose our senior night this way after dealing with so much adversity and overcoming it.” Senior Running Back Jayden Williams was seen clapping after the touchdown, feeling hopeful and excited, knowing that the Falcons had left 30 seconds on the clock instead of downing the ball and running out the clock.
Max Valencia and Jayden Williams are lined up deep to receive the kick return, with the team ready to lay down some blocks. The ball is in the air, and it goes to Max Valencia at the 19-yard line. He breaks upfield behind Jayden Williams and finds his own lane. The crowd erupts as Max breaks outside and races along the sideline. Three Hanford players try to tackle him: one falls, and another attempts to pull him down, but momentum carries a Falcon out of bounds, allowing Max to score!
In a span of just 20 seconds, text messages, phone calls, and shouts of disbelief echoed through the stands from flabbergasted fans. The players cheer and celebrate after such a hard-fought contest. The seniors and their teammates share tears, knowing that their days of playing high school football are coming to an end.
Stats
– Senior QB Salvador Olvera: 14/21 completions, 215 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
– Senior RB Jayden Williams: 24 carries, 147 yards, 159 all-purpose yards, 1 touchdown
– Senior WR Max Valencia: 9 receptions, 156 yards, 237 all-purpose yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
– Sophomore LB Tello Valadez: 11 tackles, 1 interception
**Check out the video of Max Valencia’s 81-yard kick return!**
