Fri, Nov. 3 brought about one of the most intense games of the year for the MHS football team. For a shot to guarantee their place in the CHSAA 3A State Playoffs, the Mavericks squared off against the Riverdale Ridge Ravens.
With a chance to redeem the dream they fell just short of last year, the Mavericks were hungry to grind out a win and step closer to victory.
After winning the coin toss to begin the game, Riverdale elected to defer to the second half, giving the Mavericks the opportunity to strike first and open up an early lead. The Mead offense came out firing on all offensive cylinders with Ethan Elmore (‘27) and Cole Michaelis (‘24) in the lead, barreling their way down the field with run after run. With a minute and a half left in the first quarter, the Mavericks had reached field goal range, setting up senior kicker Jordan Lohr (‘24) for an easy opportunity to put three points on the board for the Mavs. Poised and ready, Lohr swung to boot the ball through the goal post. However, the ball did not make it through, as a Raven defender broke through the line and made a block on the field goal attempt, giving Riverdale possession of the ball on their own 20 yard line.
The Mavericks and Ravens would continue to trade possession of the ball throughout the first quarter with neither defense willing to give in and allow the other take control of the game. With 39 seconds left in the first quarter, the Ravens had driven down the field and aimed to score their first touchdown. However, the pass attempt that would have given them the lead was thwarted by Bryson Gissel (‘26), returning possession of the football to Mead.
The rest of the first half continued along the same trend: offenses trading blows, but the defense eventually winning out and forcing a change of possession. But late in the second quarter, looking to break into the score column, the Maverick offense elected to go for it on 4th and goal. With the run game being successful throughout the course of the night, the Mead offense chose to go with a run play, giving Elmore the chance to give his team the first lead of the night. Flanking out to the left side, Elmore gave it everything he had to barrel his way into the end zone. Unfortunately, the Ravens’ defense caught up and brought him down. With the ball in their possession and a minute and a half to play in the first half, the Ravens swiftly moved up the field, taking their offense all the way to the 40 yard line. With 39 seconds left to play in the half, the Ravens aimed to end it by scoring and taking the momentum out of Mead for the second half.
Instead, they would feed into the growing momentum that the Mavericks had accumulated. Cale Hansen (‘25) intercepted the pass attempt — sending the home crowd into an uproar of excitement.
The Mavericks opened up the second half with possession of the ball, but it began the same way the first half went: a short drive followed by a change in possession. After the Ravens had regained possession of the ball and driven back down the field, they were again in striking distance. Mead defense came up huge and shut the Ravens down, keeping the score tied at zero. The momentum from the first half had carried over, and the Mavericks were ready to make some magic happen. After another intense quarter, the Mavs had made it back up the field and into field goal range. With Lohr trotting out onto the field, he aimed to follow the defenses superb performance and give the Mavericks a place on the score column. From 30 yards out, Lohr completed the field goal attempt with 41 seconds left in the third quarter, moving the score to 3-0. Fueled by the progress made by the offense, the Mead defense returned to the field once again to snuff out any attempt at scoring by the Riverdale offense.
With four minutes left in the game, the Mavericks were looking to work their way down the field and deliver a touch down to stretch their lead. On 4th and 13, they decided to go for it. The Mavericks were looking for a pass completion to move their offense down the field further. However, the Raven defense had another idea: coming up with a massive pass deflection and stealing possession away from the Mavs. Riverdale Ridge took over on the Mead 30 yard line and primed to score and turn the tides of the game. Working the Ravens back, the defense for Mead was on the brink of completely shutting the Raven offense down. After a crucial pass deflection by Austin Ott (‘25) on 3rd and 12, the Ravens sent their kicker onto the field, aiming to tie the game at 3-3. After sinking the field goal attempt, the game tied at three with two minutes left in regulation. Mead offense knew they had one job: get into field goal range. Barreling their way down the field with the run game and coupled with an impressive pass completion to senior receiver Ty Olson (‘24), the Mavericks had reached the 36 yard line.
Lohr entered the field. With 15 seconds remaining in regulation, it was do or die. As Lohr lined up for the kick, the crowd fell silent. The air was still, dripping with tension. As Lohr made contact with the ball, the pin dropped.
Then chaos.
As the ball found its way between the goal posts, cheers erupted. The Mavericks stormed the field, celebrating and embracing one another at the accomplishment of this well fought victory. The Mavs were back in the playoffs, and they could not have been more proud and ecstatic at realizing they had a chance to meet their goal.
