Mountain View escapes with 23-22 win over Prairie

BATTLE GROUND — Riley McCarthy doesn’t play a down on defense, but his heart couldn’t stop pounding on Mountain View’s stand on defense.

“I was having a heart attack on the sideline,” he said. “Whoever that ball was going, to, we had faith in them.

“No matter how stressful the situation is, I have faith in my guys.”

One guy in particular — freshman Kyle Chen — made the biggest play of his young high school career with a game-saving interception with 11 seconds left to seal the Thunder’s 23-22 victory Thursday night over Prairie.

The upstart Falcons, seeking their first 6-0 start in school history and facing the 3A Greater St. Helens League’s premiere team that no league opponent has beaten in three-plus seasons, had all the makings for a memorable game at District Stadium.

All the way down to the final series.

Before that, the game at District Stadium featured three lead changes, one second-half tie before Mountain View’s lead was 23-22 with 2 minutes to play.

By then, Prairie forced a turnover on downs to began its final possession at its own 25.

Big runs by quarterback AJ Dixson — plus a Mountain View defensive pass interfearance on fourth-and-long — set up Dixson’s long pass toward the end zone with 22 seconds on the clock.

That’s when Chen, playing man-to-man coverage, made the biggest play of his young high school career to help the Thunder improve to 5-1 overall (2-0 league). It was the Thunder’s second interception of the game.

Chen kept it simple: make a play.

“We had to do something,” the cornerback said. “It’s amazing knowing that I helped our team win a game like that. It’s an amazing feeling.”

For Prairie (5-1, 1-1), the past two weeks have been its stiffest tests to date. Last week, Prairie topped Kelso, 38-22, snapping a seven-game losing skid dating back to 2011 to the Hilanders.

Friday, against a team that’s owned the 3A GSHL the past three seasons, it attempted to do one better.

But turnovers — particularly fumbles — plagued both teams. They combined for five fumbles in the first half (three lost) and one by Prairie set up Mountain View’s go-ahead score entering halftime at 13-8.

Key moments

• Nickolas Lawhead’s 6-yard touchdown score pulled the Falcons within 23-22 with 9:32 left in the game, but the two-point conversion try — on a pass to the corner of the end zone — failed. That next drive, Prairie’s defense forced the turnover on downs.

• It was a Hail Mary play to end the first half that sparked Mountain View’s offense to the start the second half on a Jude Mullette field goal. The drive began recovering a Prairie fumble with 1:38 left in the first half, and after penalties and a 10-yard loss, the Thunder faced fourth-and-32. A play later, McCarthy found Austin Lee for the 34-yard touchdown to make it a 13-8 lead at halftime.

• Prairie trailed three times Thursday: 8-3, 13-8 and 23-22. When it tied the game at 16-all, the Falcons used a 13-play, 80-yard drive that took 6:24 off the clock in the third quarter. Big plays by Dustin Shelby and Nickolas Lawhead led to Devante Clayton’s 1-yard rushing score on fourth down.

Key players

Austin Lee, Mountain View: The Thunder receiver and defensive back had a 34-yard touchdown, an interception and a sack.

Nickolas Lawhead, Prairie: Lawhead had a season-high seven catches, including his 6-yard touchdown grab that pulled the Falcons within 23-22.

Quotable

“When we work together, anything is possible and we can go far,” Mountain View receiver/defensive back Austin Lee.

MOUNTAIN VIEW 23, PRAIRIE 22

Mtn. View 3 10 3 7—23

Prairie 0 8 8 6—22

First quarter

MV — Jude Mullette 27 FG

Second quarter

P — Dustin Shelby 79-yard fumble recovery (AJ Dixson run)

MV — Mullette 30 FG

MV — Austin Lee 34 pass from Riley McCarthy (Mullette kick)

Third quarter

MV — Jullette 33 FG

P — Devante Clayton 1 run (Clayton run)

Fourth quarter

MV — Colby Gross 7 pass from McCarthy (Jullette kick)

P — Nickolas Lawhead 6 pass from Dixson (pass failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Mountain View: Riley McCarthy 17-88, Alex Hoang 5-15, Va Ili 4-(minus-4), Zack Gable 14-63; Prairie: AJ Dixson 15-78, Dustin Shelby 5-92, Treyce Teague 1-(minus-4), Devante Clayton 4-14, Nickolas Lawhead 1-3.

PASSING — Mountain View: Riley McCarthy 8-14-0-145; Prairie: AJ Dixson 13-24-2-93

RECEIVING — Mountain View: Alex Drake 1-23, Davis Delmage 1-11, Alex Hoang 1-24, Dominic Stephens 1-3, Austin Lee 1-34, Malakiah Batties 2-43, Colby Gross 1-7. Prairie: Devante Clayton 1-11, Nickolas Lawhead 7-46, Ian Davis 2-10, Treyce Teague 1-4, Jimmie Barton 2-21.