Playoff picture coming into focus
In case you missed it, the state qualifying game pairings for Greater Spokane League and Northeast A League teams have been set. Playoff teams have been determined in the Great Northern League and Class B post-season pairings are nearly set.
Lewis and Clark filled the GSL field thanks, in a bit of irony, to Central Valley. Bears coach Rick Giampietri was an assistant at LC in the 1970s and early 1980s.
CV beat University 20-17 on Friday, thanks to a late-game interception by sophomore Brad Whitley, to give the Tigers a playoff reprieve a night after a dispiriting 26-7 loss to league champion Gonzaga Prep.
Third-seeded LC travels to Columbia Basin League champion Pasco Friday night to open the 4A state qualifying series. On Saturday, Gonzaga Prep will be home against CBL No. 3 Eisenhower and Ferris plays CBL runner-up Moses Lake at Albi Stadium.
“East Valley, which beat fellow 3A playoff-bound Camas 21-17 in a non-league game, must wait to determine its opponent for its GSL/CBL state qualifier.
Kennewick (5-4), Southridge (4-5) and West Valley-Yakima (6-3) all tied for second place. One team will be eliminated in Tuesday’s Kansas tiebreaker at Sunnyside. The winner travels to EV Saturday at 1 p.m. CBL 3A champion Kamiakin hosts the tiebreaker runner-up.
The remainder of the leagues’ teams (except 3A last-place finisher Sunnyside) play against each other in season-ending non-league games on Friday.
Northeast A League
Freeman convincingly made sure there was no three-way league tie. The Scotties (8-1) scored 24 points in the third-quarter for a 45-14 win over Colfax as Chris Davis rushed 35 times for 335 yards and five touchdowns in the game (four rushing, one passing).
It means that Freeman (8-1) hosts Omak (5-4) in the NEA/Caribou Trail League state qualifying series. NEA No. 2 Kettle Falls (7-2) is home against Cashmere (5-4); Colfax (6-3) travels to the Caribou’s hottest team, Okanogan (7-2); and Lakeside (4-5) is at Caribou champion Cascade-Leavenworth (7-2).
In non-league season enders, Newport (0-9) hosts Brewster (2-6) and Chewelah (2-7) is at Tonasket (5-4).
Great Northern League
One league game remains, but unbeaten Colville (9-0) secured the championship and top playoff seed by beating Cheney 41-14. Defending state champion Pullman (8-1) returns to the 2A playoffs after beating Clarkston 28-14 in their second-place showdown.
Class B Leagues
Barring upsets in this week’s finals, Reardan (8-0), Davenport (8-1) and Lind-Ritzville (6-2) are the Northeast 2B state qualifiers…Asotin, Dayton or DeSales will be the two Southeast 2B state teams…LaCrosse-Washtucna’s 34-28 shocker over Southeast 1B unbeaten St. John-Endicott put the four-time defending state champion Tigercats (5-3 in league) back in the playoff hunt. They play Touchet this week to join the Eagles, Tri-Cities Prep, Colton-Pullman Christian and most likely Prescott as the fifth entrant from the SEB for state preliminary round games against the Northeast 1B League…League champion Almira/Coulee-Hartline, Odessa, Columbia, Pateros and Curlew are the NEB qualifiers.
State cross country
Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco is the site Saturday for state cross country meets. Shadle Park freshman Andrea Nelson will be among the girls 4A favorites. Eight GSL 4A and 3A boys or girls teams, including the favored Mead and Ferris boys who were involved in a thrilling 41-42 Panthers regional victory, will be there. So, too are four teams each from the Great Northern and Northeast A Leagues, five District 7 B teams and three from District 9.
Regional volleyball
Next weekend all classifications will be involved in state qualifying tournaments. Among them are District 8 4A and 3A champions Mead and Mt. Spokane, last year’s 2A and 1A state champions Pullman and Colfax as well as state 2A placer Lakeside (now 1A).
Mead soccer awaits
District 8 4A champion Mead awaits Tuesday’s winner between Richland and Pasco for a state seeding foe next Saturday. The loser of that CBL playoff will play the winner of Tuesday’s Ferris-Shadle Park match at Albi Stadium for a Saturday state qualifying contest.