RICHLAND -- Athletes don't often get second chances.
But after Hanford kicker Will Bishop came up short on a 47-yard field goal attempt on the last play of regulation, he drilled a 36-yard field goal in overtime to give his team a 31-28 CBBN 3A win over Pasco at Fran Rish Stadium on Friday night.
"He hit the big one in crunch time to give his team a win," an elated Hanford coach Rob Oram said.
The Falcons actually appeared to have the game put away after taking a 28-14 lead on sophomore Isaac Benard's 16-yard touchdown run with 10:55 left in the fourth quarter. Benard carried the ball nine straight times for 60 yards on that drive.
But Pasco quarterback T.J. Avery led the Bulldogs back with two fourth quarter touchdown passes. Avery hit Lonnie Hurley, who made a diving catch in traffic, to tie the game with just 32.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the score.
"These kids don't give up," a downcast Pasco coach Dustin Lamb said. "But these slow starts are killing us. We have to come out faster. We give up too many points early."
Hanford went up 14-0 in the first quarter. Austin Forsyth hit Jake Oram with a perfect 34-yard TD pass with 8:17 left in the first. Then Benard scored from 24 yards out with 6:31 left.
Benard was a thorn in the side of the Pasco defense all night. The compact 190-pounder, filling in for starter Jalen DeVine, crashed and rumbled through the Pasco defense 35 times for 174 yards and three touchdowns.
"Actually we've got three pretty good tailbacks," Oram said. "You should see our third stringer. He's good too, but he has a broken arm."
Pasco got back in the game thanks to a big night from senior receiver Ethan Cantu. Cantu caught three passes on a 65-yard drive for Pasco's first score, capped off by a five-yard TD pass from Avery with 4:13 left in the first period.
Avery then hit Cantu with a 40-yard touchdown pass to tie the game with 10:32 left in the first half.
Benard scored on an 11-yard run to finish off Hanford's first possession of the second half. Then gave the Falcons a two touchdown lead with his 16-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Pasco started its comeback when sophomore Lozano Clifton Jr. turned a short pass from Avery into a 25-yard scoring play.
Pasco had the first possession in overtime, and Luis Murillo ran 17 yards to the Hanford 14 on the first play. But when Avery lofted a pass toward Cantu in the end zone, Jake Oram wrestled the ball away for an interception.
With ball on the 25 for Hanford's first possession in overtime, Benard ran for a first down to the Pasco 14. Three running plays from there netted nothing, so coach Oram called on Bishop, who made the 36-yard field goal easily.
"That was a hell of a pick by five (Jake Oram)," the Hanford coach said. "That was pretty big play in this game."
Avery had an excellent game for the Bulldogs. The senior quarterback completed 18 of 35 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns.
Cantu had nine catches for 150 yards for Pasco.
Hanford 31, Pasco 28
Pasco 6 8 0 14 0 -- 28
Hanford 14 0 7 7 3 -- 31
SCORING PLAYS
Han - Jake Oram 34 pass from Forsythe (Bishop kick)
Han - Benard 24 run (bishop kick)
Pas - Cantu 5 pass from Avery (kick blocked)
Pas - Cantu 40 pass from Avery (Murillo pass from Avery)
Han - Benard 11 run (Bishop kick)
Han - Bishop 16 run (Bishop kick)
Pas - Clifton 25 pass from Avery (Gibson kick)
Pas - Hurley 2 pass from Avery (Gibson kick)
Han - Bishop 36 FG
STATISTICS
Passing: P-Avery 18-35-276; H-Forsyth 7-17-124.
Rushing: P-Murillo 10-52, Avery 4-27, Hurley 7-29. H-Benard 35-174, Malik Jones 3-6, Austin Taylor 2-22, Forsyth 3 (minus 16).
Receiving: P Cantu 9-150, Murillo 3-36, Cruz 1-14, Clifton 3-42, Hurley 2-34. H-Oram 3-57, Lafon 2-37, Green 1-7, Taylor 1-23.
