Stunning Grid Victories Give Blackhawks New Momentum
Head coach Tom Oswald said that when the Cheney Blackhawks really get ready to play football, they can hang with just about anybody in the Frontier League.
They were ready last Friday night, when they beat league-leading Clarkston 38-28.
Nick Reynolds, a soccer-style placekicker and tight end, kicked three field goals and caught a touchdown pass. Gino Williams, a senior cornerback and running back, intercepted two passes, returning one for a score.
Fullback John Patterson scored on a twelve-yard run, and running back Shawn Hundley, who missed early-season games with an injury, carried the football nine times for 137 yards.
The Blackhawks have three games left this season to improve on their 4-2 record. The contests include Friday night’s game at Riverside at 7:30 p.m.
Tiger harriers focus on regionals
Lewis and Clark High girls cross-country coach Wes Marburger, who won’t graduate a single one of his top seven runners this year, is very optimistic about the future.
But he’s also not looking beyond this year’s regionals, on Nov. 2, where Marburger expects his runners to challenge for state berths.
Jamie Borgan, a junior, was sixth at the Richland Invitational a week ago against some of the state’s best. Two freshmen runners, Emily Fuller and Mindy Noble, have broken the 20-minute barrier.
“That was their goal at the beginning of the season,” Marburger said. “Freshman are great because they bring in a lot of enthusiasm to the team.”
Jamie Rosenquist, a sophomore, has also run under 20 minutes even though she missed the first half of the season, and freshman Corey Mullan is poised to break the 20-minute mark as the regular season ends.
At this point, Marburger said, it’s necessary for the girls to focus on the mental aspect of running to improve their times.
“Right now, we are focusing on hanging in there when it gets tough,” he said.
“The girls run at a level most people would give in or quit at. They are challenging the pain. They push it even harder.”
LC boy runners counting on depth
Regarding the LC boys cross-country team, Coach Chris Morlan said looks can be deceiving.
Though the team is 1-5, the guys beat Ferris at the early-season Farragut Invitational before three of their top runners went out with injuries.
Senior Nate Nelson, junior Nick Vollmer, and sophomore Noel Vaughn will be back at regionals next weekend at Richland, and Morlan says it could be interesting.
“Nobody in the GSL really knows what our strengths are yet,” he said. “Hopefully regionals will be a surprise.”
In addition to Nelson, Vollmer, and Vaughn, two sophomores - Joey Neuman and Nick Wart - are also breaking the 17-minute mark at the 5K distance, Morlan said.
“We haven’t got that fast front runner,” Morlan said. “But we do have a lot of depth.”
Medical Lake team bounces back
The fortunes of the Medical Lake football team, which opened the season with a 1-3 record, appear to be on the rise after it clobbered Deer Park 45-0 two weeks ago and defeated Freeman last week 27-3.
Aaron Carr, a senior running back, ran for more than 100 yards in each game, while senior defensive end Shawn Salisbury was involved in seven tackles against Freeman.
“Our seniors have really stepped it up,” said Coach John Giannandrea, who commented that the team’s focus in Friday night’s home game against Newport will be to reduce its penalties.
The Cardinals were flagged for 120 yards of penalties against Freeman.
Medical Lake’s offense, led by quarterback Jason Delp, have already eliminated most of the turnover problems that plagued it early on in the season, Giannandrea said.
In fact, the turnover ratio has of been lopsided in Medical Lake’s favor of late. Giannandria said fans are still talking about senior lineman Nate Hyer’s 20-yard fumble return against Freeman as well as defensive back Nick Stangel’s interception. Despite a cast on his arm, Stangel picked off a Scottie pass and ran it back 60 yards.
LC grid team rested, ready
After a week off, the Lewis and Clark football team plays undefeated Mead Friday at 8:30 p.m.
A win for the second-place Tigers (4-1), whose quarterback, Brian Agnew, suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Shadle two weeks ago, would keep move them in the Greater Spokane League title chase.