Richland routs Central Valley 30-3, moves on to state quarterfinals

Richland High School senior Griffey March just might be the smallest player on the field in any game he plays, but he’ll be the first to tell you that when it comes to big games, size doesn’t really play a role.

He proved it during the Bombers’ 30-3 win over Central Valley in the first round of the Class 4A state football playoffs Friday at Lampson Stadium.

March, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound receiver/cornerback, made several plays that had immediate impacts against the Bears, who eliminated Chiawana last week in Spokane.

“I just play hard,” he said. “Size really doesn’t mean anything. I let my shoulder pads do the talking.”

In the first quarter, March made a strong punt return that would have given Richland outstanding field position if not for a block in the back penalty. In the second quarter, he laid a big hit on Central Valley’s Alec Doyle in the flat after a flare pass.

He scored Richland’s first offensive touchdown of the game in the third quarter, a 10-yard pass from Paxton Stevens to make it 23-3. In the final quarter, he prevented CV defensive back Jase Edwards from making an interception, wrestling the ball from his hands.

One play later, March hauled in his second touchdown pass of the game, a 37-yard run-and-catch that made it 30-3. He finished with seven catches for 136 yards.

It was a good finish for a Richland offense that didn’t score a touchdown until late in the third quarter.

“We just kept fighting. We got some big plays out of some big players,” March said. “This is a big step from our season last year. We’ve still got a lot to do.”

Bombers linebacker Brecken Galliher came up with perhaps the game’s biggest play, returning a tipped pass 21 yards for a touchdown on Central Valley’s first drive of the game, putting Richland up 7-0 just 4:25 into the game.

“Pick-6s are the best. The offense will be rolling down the field, and all of a sudden, the defense gets the ball and scores,” said Galliher, who credited defensive end and fellow senior Lakota Wills with tipping Tanner Sloan’s pass at the line of scrimmage.

“I saw him tip the ball, and I caught it,” Galliher said. “Hopefully during the basketball season when we’re playing together, we’ll do a little of that on the court, too.”

Nice legs

The kickers on each team had days to remember, at least for the ones who got to see Ryan Rehkow’s 57-yard field goal to close out the Bears’ first drive of the second quarter. He also boomed a couple of monster punts that hung in the air for a lifetime.

Rehkow is the brother of Austin Rehkow — the University of Idaho punter — who kicked a 67-yard field goal for Central Valley in 2012.

Richland kicker Ryan Wolski also had a fine day, connecting on field goals of 21, 25 and 32 yards when the Bombers’ offense stalled. He also hit three extra points for a total of 12 points.

Richland’s next opponent

The Bombers will visit today’s winner between Bellarmine Prep and Moses Lake next Friday or Saturday. A win in that game would send Richland to the state semifinals for the first time since they won their last state title in 1999.

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 11:03 PM with the headline "Richland routs Central Valley 30-3, moves on to state quarterfinals."