In one of the most thrilling first-round Class 6A playoff games, the visiting Dunlap Eagles were narrowly edged out by the Richards Bulldogs of Oak Lawn, who nailed a nail-biting 21-20 victory on Friday night. From the very first snap of the football, this game had fans on the edge and was one of the most thrilling contests the Bulldogs have been a part of this season.
During the first quarter, the Bulldogs were strong and leading by a commanding 14 points. However, Dunlap responded with a much stronger defense in the second quarter, scoring 12 points to close the margin. The game was shaping up as one of endurance at half-time, where there was an exchange of seemingly brutal blows between both teams in a keenly contested game.
As the third quarter rolled in, both sides’ defense came into play, and neither of them allowed the other to score a point, leaving the fans in anticipation as the final quarter was awaited.
But Richards quarterback Noah Escobedo, on one of his hotter streaks in the first half, found wide receiver Milan Mosley, who made a 27-yard gain that set up the Bulldogs for what could have been their pivotal score. Mitchell was a beast at running back, where he ran for 179 yards and scored all three of the Bulldogs’ touchdowns. Mitchell evenfelt responsible for failing to get into the end zone on what turned out to be a game-deciding two-point conversion: “It was all on me.”
Yet again, Anthony Sanchez did come in, salvaging the victory with a converted extra point that finally gave the Bulldogs a one-point lead that sealed the game once and for all.
The Bulldogs dug deep and proved their resilience through a number of disputed calls, two of which took away touchdowns for Mitchell. That win pits Richards against the Washington Panthers in the next round. A question for Bulldogs fans is whether this momentum-and maybe a little luck-will carry them even further in postseason action.
