Pullman handles West Valley

Great Northern League football teams Pullman and West Valley had put up fancy preseason offensive numbers prior to their league get-together at WV.

But it was special teams and defense that decided the Pullman Greyhounds’ 34-13 triumph in the league’s showcase league opener Friday night.

Three Pullman touchdowns were set up by Jedidiah Adams following long punt returns (and no, he didn’t muff two of them on purpose to catch WV off guard). The back-breaker was a 40-yard score following the second muff that put his team ahead 27-13 with 8:46 left to play.

Until then it was anybody’s game.

Another TD was set up following JT Levenseller’s 40-yard interception return, plus a personal foul, as he proved just as valuable in the defensive backfield as at quarterback.

“Our special teams were special tonight,” said Pullman coach Bill Peterson. “Our offense was not great, but was efficient. I’m happy to be on top with the win.”

West Valley had stunned the visitors early when Bryan Peterson went long to Casey Sherrill for 51 yards and took the lead 2 minutes into the game.

But after Adams muffed his first punt – running back to retrieve it as the defense overran him then legging it 30 yards to midfield – the Greyhounds made good on two fourth-down conversions, Adams catching a 14-yard Levenseller pass for a tie before quarter’s end.

There followed the interception and personal foul that gave Levenseller a short field at the WV 14 which he exploited. Adams added a 41-yard punt return 1:32 before intermission and Pullman covered 35 yards in six plays.

Mike Meines set up the final Pullman touchdown with a 45-yard sprint up the middle.