Mission accomplished: Bulldogs back in the playoffs
After Charley Adams (5) blocked a Plains punt, teammates Ross McPherson and Cedrick McDonald (24) pounced on the ball. (Scot Heisel/Lake County Leader)
First-year head coach Carson Oakland signals in a play to his offense. (Scot Heisel/Lake County Leader)
Kenny Ness carries the ball in the rain against Plains. (Scot Heisel/Lake County Leader)
ST. IGNATIUS — Kellen McClure tossed three touchdown passes in the first half, and the Mission Bulldogs pounced on winless Plains for a 64-0 regular season finale at home on Friday night.
Junior receiver Bryce Umphrey caught TD passes of 5 and 23 yards from McClure.
With 2:32 remaining in the first quarter, the Bulldogs (6-2) had run just four offensive plays and were already leading 32-0.
Jose O’Brien picked off a pass for Mission and returned it 32 yards for a score on the game’s third play.
The Horsemen were forced to punt on their second drive, a three-and-out, and Charley Adams broke through the line to block the punt. Ross McPherson fell on the ball for Mission.
On the Bulldogs’ first offensive play, Kellen McClure hit Umphrey on an easy slant route for a quick TD.
The Horsemen (0-6) turned the ball over on downs again with their next drive.
The Bulldogs got 17 yards on an option play, then McClure found Umphrey again on a seam route. A third consecutive successful conversion put Mission up 24-0.
Mission got the ball back quickly after a botched snap on another Plains punt, and Adams galloped up the middle for a 9-yard TD run.
Mission coach Carson Oakland pulled his first string in the second half, but the Bulldogs kept scoring. Freshman quarterback Isaac Umphrey showed some speed when he scrambled for a 51-yard rushing score in the rain.
Titan Mansell, also a freshman, had a wild run back and forth across the field to score on a 30-yard pick-6 in the fourth quarter.
Plains junior Levi Blood suffered what appeared to be a neck injury while making a tackle in the second half. Blood was placed on a stretcher and transported from the field by ambulance. He is one of two juniors on the Plains roster, which lists no seniors and eight freshmen.
The Bulldogs enter the 8-man playoffs this weekend as the No. 3 seed out of the West. They will visit Joliet/Fromberg, the No. 2 seed from the South, for a first-round game at noon Saturday.
Mission 64, Plains 0
MS — 32 - 6 - 14 - 12 — 64
PL — 0 — 0 — 0 — 0 — 0
First quarter
MS — Jose O’Brien 32 INT return (Ross McPherson pass from Bryce Umphrey) 10:14
MS — Umphrey 5 pass from Kellen McClure (Umphrey run) 7:53
MS —Umphrey 23 pass from McClure (Kenny Ness pass from Umphrey) 4:34
MS — Charley Adams 9 run (Adams run) 2:32
Second quarter
MS — Ness 25 pass from McClure (conv. failed) 3:39
Third quarter
MS — Isaac Umphrey 51 run (O’Brien run) 8:12
MS — Jack Keast 4 run (conv. failed) 1:30
Fourth quarter
MS — Titan Mansell 30 INT return (conv. failed) 10:38
MS — O’Brien 20 run (conv. failed) 4:08
