From heartbreak to redemption, Mead grabs final-minute victory over Central Valley
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - After coming so close to knocking off reigning Greater Spokane League champion Gonzaga Prep last week, the Mead Panthers were down in the dumps.
And second-year coach Keith Stamps could feel all of that emotion from his players during this week's practices.
"There was a little (Gonzaga) Prep hangover Monday and Tuesday," Stamps said. "The trick was to try and get them to go all-in again this week ."
Well, the Panthers did just that - and in time to finish a late-game deal.
Mead drove 81 yards in the final two minutes for the game-winning touchdown to stun host Central Valley, 21-17, at CP Hanson Field.
Colby Danielson threw the game winner on a 17-yard touchdown strike to Keenan Kuntz with 52 seconds to go.
And Stamps said he went right to the same call on his play sheet as he tried on the final red-zone play against Gonzaga Prep in that 28-21 loss.
"I felt like last week we were this close to hooking up to win a game with it - so why not win a game with it this week?" Stamps said.
The game was back and forth all night with five lead changes - with the Bears getting it started in the second half on Dylan Gravelle's 53-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Harkin to grab a 10-7 lead.
And then something unfortunate happened to Brandon Thomas, the standout linebacker and team captain who has worked his way back from a leg amputation after battling a rare form of cancer called osteosarcoma.
As he was running, his carbon fiber prosthetic right leg snapped in half.
"That dude uses so much force in that foot," Central Valley coach Ryan Butner said.
Thomas went right to the injury tent so a team of athletic trainers, his father and brother could remove the old prosthesis and install a new one.
"I was just frustrated, because I was like, 'Dang, I am letting my team down,'" Thomas said.
Thomas missed a whole quarter of action before returning on the team's final drive, which happened to be the game-winning Kuntz catch.
