Herald-Sun correspondent
DURHAM -- Jordan coach Mike Briggs wanted his team to come together on the final night of the regular season to leave no doubt about which team deserved to go to the playoffs.
In response, the Falcons posted a 27-24 come-from-behind victory over Riverside on Friday during senior night festivities.
"There is nothing like it going to the playoffs, especially like we just did," said Briggs, whose team finishes the regular season 6-5, 3-3 PAC-6. "After a three-game losing streak, they showed a lot of heart and desire. Looking up at the scoreboard midway throught the third quarter and being down 24-14, it could have gone either way. It's nice going into the playoffs with some momentum."
Jordan quarterback Tony Mangili gave the Falcons their first lead since the first half with a 5-yard run, making the score 27-24 with 6:01 left in the game.
Then the Jordan defense did its part. With the clock winding down, Riverside moved the ball into Jordan territory, needing a touchdown to win.
Faced with a fourth-and-9 from the 33, Riverside quarterback Andrew Evans found a seemingly open man over the middle, but Jordan's Keaton Brown -- who had an interception earlier in the game -- streaked in to break up the pass.
"I had another guy covered, and I thought we had everyone covered on the play," Brown said. "Then I saw one guy open in the middle. Somehow I had enough momentum to make a break on the play."
The first half was all about momentum with each team taking its turn. Riverside struck first, however.
After a long return by Riverside's Demario Giles to inside the Jordan 10 on the opening kickoff, the Pirates needed two plays to take a 7-0 lead just 58 seconds into the game when Evans found Peter Ratcliff for the 11-yard scoring play.
Jordan moved the ball efficiently on its first possession but fumbled the ball away. The Falcons' defense responded, forcing a three and out.
Jordan bounced back with a 46-yard touchdown catch by T.J. Thorpe from Mangili to complete a six-play drive.
Riverside reclaimed the lead on its next possession when Carson Sterling hit a 44-yard field goal.
But the Pirates' lead lasted just 17 seconds. Jordan's Thorpe scored his second touchdown of the game, taking the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a 14-10 lead with 10:00 left in the first half.
The two teams continued to exchange blows and the lead. Evans helped his team respond with a 6-yard touchdown run up the middle that completed a six-play, 57-yard drive and gave the Pirates a 17-14 lead.
Giles picked off a Mangili pass on Jordan's first possession of the second half, and the Pirates added to their lead. Chauncey Burgess needed just two plays to cover 53 yards, scoring on a 4-yard plunge to give Riverside a 24-14 lead with 8:19 left in the third quarter.
Burgess finished the game with 173 yards on 21 carries, but Jordan clogged up his running lanes late in the game.
Jordan's David Clarke blocked a Riverside punt to set the Falcons up at the Pirates 19. Mangili found Wyatt Love wide open over the middle two plays later -- the first play of the fourth quarter -- as the Falcons cut the Riverside lead to 24-20 after a missed extra point.
Jordan 27, Riverside 24
Riverside 7 10 7 0--24
Jordan 7 7 0 13--27
SCORING SUMMARY
R--Peter Ratcliff 11 pass from Andrew Evans (Carson Sterling kick), 11:02.
J--T.J. Thorpe 46 pass from Tony Mangili (Rex Downey kick), 4:12.
R--Sterling 44 field goal, 10:17.
J--Thorpe 82 kickoff return (Downey kick), 10:00.
R--Evans 6 rush (Sterling kick), 6:18.
R--Chauncey Burgess 4 rush (Sterling kick), 8:19.
J--Wyatt Love 10 pass from Mangili (kick failed), 11:54.
J--Mangili 5 rush (Downey kick), 6:01.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Riverside (Burgess 21-173, Evans 8-39, Phillip Jones 6-7); Jordan (Charles Williams 14-68, Afam Nwogalanya 8-48, Mangili 5-18, Nate Evans 1-7, Josh Williams 1-3).
PASSING--Riverside (Evans 3-12-51-1), Jordan (Mangili 7-12-88-1, Dequan Scott 1-1-45-0).
RECEIVING--Riverside (Khourtne Whitted 1-23, Steven Greer 1-12, Peter Ratcliff 1-11), Jordan (Thorpe 3-61, Wyatt Love 1-19, Bradley Sherrod 3-5, Nwogalanya 1-(-3)).
Records--Riverside 4-7, 2-4; Jordan 6-5, 3-3.
