Clash Of The Titans And Bears On Gridiron Always Thrilling
In the eyes of both football coaches, Friday’s game between Central Valley and University is the most important of the season.
“It is the biggest game we play all year,” said Bears coach Rick Giampietri. “It is the Valley rivalry and keeps one of us in playoff contention.”
Heading into the fourth week of Greater Spokane League play, the Bears are 1-2 and University is 0-2.
Eight of the league’s nine teams already have at least one loss. The top four GSL teams qualify for end-of-season playoffs.
“Everything is so even you have to win the turnover ratio or there’s no one that won’t beat you,” said Giampietri.
The Bears are a perfect example. In their two losses, to Gonzaga Prep and last Friday to Mead 17-0, they’ve had eight turnovers to their opponents’ two.
“We gained 190 yards in the fourth quarter and had no points,” said Giampietri.
Kicking and special teams have been good all year long, punt return was improved and the defense made fewer mistakes, he said.
“Offensively it’s just been the turnovers,” said Giampietri.
Chad Adamson was named starting quarterback and Nate Bartlett has moved to fullback.
University’s losses have been the result of untimely penalties, lending impact to Friday’s 7:30 p.m. game at CV.
Speaking of turnovers
As bad as mistakes have been for other teams, they weren’t worse than what befell East Valley last week.
The litany runs long. EV threw six interceptions, lost a fumble, had a bad punt snap, a special teams breakdown for a kickoff return touchdown, roughed the punter, had a pass interference penalty and muffed two kickoffs, which the Knights did recover, once in bad field position.
That explains the 39-10 loss to Clarkston, which scored 26 second-quarter points.
“I know we’re not a bad football team,” said coach Jim Clements. “But we’re not the kind of team whose style can put us in a situation where we have to throw every down.”
The Knights are at Riverside in hopes of regrouping.
Things don’t get easier for 0-3 West Valley, which played a non-league schedule no coach envied.
The Eagles host Colville, which beat defending champion Cheney to live up to their advance billing as a Frontier League favorite.
U-Hi soccer invades Albi
Joe Albi Stadium was made over this year to accomodate soccer as well as replace a worn-out turf.
University will play the inaugural match at 4 p.m. today against unbeaten Mead.
Originally the game was scheduled for Monday at Mead Junior High.
The high-scoring Titans entered the counting portion of the GSL season with a 4-1 record.
The team outscored its victims 23-3, losing 4-1 to the Panthers.
Titan runners second at Curtis
University’s boys and girls cross country teams finished second during last weekend’s Curtis Invitational in Tacoma.
The boys lost 349-347 with James Berry winning his flight in 15:56 and teammate Seth Mott fourth in 16:14.
“We really ran well but are still suffering without T.J. (Sulzle) and a healthy Mike Visintainer,” said coach Bob Barbero. “T.J. is working out without pain so things should get better.”
The girls finished second by three points to Mead for the second-time last week. However, they lost some ground by times and overall position.
Taraka Campbell, Jaime Miller and Kelly Kearsley finished between fifth and 10th in flight two. Katie List was second, Devon VanDyne third, Betsy Walter fifth and Robyn Cross eighth in flight one.
At the Farragut Invitational in Idaho, East Valley’s girls finished third, with Ann Marie Adams fourth and Cara Smith fifth. Korinda Godwin took eighth and Gonzaga Prep’s Jill Larson was 10th.
Central Valley’s Robby Warnock was third and Gonzaga Prep’s Kirk Larson sixth in the boys race.
At the Wenatchee Invitational, WV’s Clayton Holmes finished fifth and Jessica Riehle was second in their races.
, DataTimes