Prep Watch: GSL football jump starts with defense
Posted Sept. 9: Following the first week of the Greater Spokane League season I received an e-mail complaining that the offenses got too much ink and defenders deserved some but got none in Lewis and Clark’s last-ditch football victory over Central Valley.
Well, defense took center stage in the Tigers-Mead game where for three quarters the teams were unyielding, allowing scant yardage and just three points each in a game that needed a tie-breaker overtime to decide 17-10 in LC’s favor.
Coach Tom Yearout singled out senior Steve Johnson, No. 35, and junior Charles Taylor, No. 32, players with backs’ numbers, but who play defensive line and rightly so. If my stats were right, they led a surge that limited Mead to 10 yards rushing in the first half, seven more in the third quarter and a total of 67 for the game.
Mead was nearly as stingy (except for Alex Shaw who gained 53 in the first quarter and doubled it in the second half, most in the tiebreaker that started at the 25-yard line).
It was a total swarm by both sides, but herewith are just a few of the names that stood out to me from the defensive output masterpiece:
LC – Johnson, Taylor, Shaw, Carl Preikaitis and Chris Mastin, plus that memorable lick put on Panthers quarterback Glen Reser by Vaughn Kapiko in overtime.
Mead – James Allen, Mike Senescall, Dan Spitz, Todd Loncosty and Grant Deniston.
“Ferris (2-0) has scored 75 points and allowed one touchdown so far. LC (2-0) shares first place with them and the two meet Thursday in the South Hill showdown.
University also is 2-0, but had a tougher-than-expected time with Shadle Park (0-2), pulling out victory in the game’s final 15 seconds.
Friday night Gonzaga Prep (1-0 in league, 2-0 overall) is at Central Valley (1-1) in another key 4A matchup. The Bears beat Rogers (0-2), 36-13, scoring the first 36 points of the game.
And hats off to North Central (1-1) for its win over Mt. Spokane (0-2) in something of an upset. The Indians got 152 yards passing on four first-half completions by junior quarterback Justin Materne (118 of those to David Butler who broke free on an 85-yard catch run). Ryan Ettinger scored twice, on a pass reception and run for a 21-0 lead 25 seconds into the second quarter. Mt. Spokane pounded back, quarterback Connor Hailey finishing with 75 rushing yards and 118 through the air and Brandon Jared with 85 yards rushing and two touchdowns, but failed on a two-point conversion for a tie with 1:22 left to play.
NC is at EV (1-1) facing its second straight 3A foe. Shadle Park plays Rogers in a game between teams seeking their first victory. U-Hi draws Mt. Spokane and Mead has a league bye and will play at Coeur d’Alene on Friday.
Nelson nets headlines
Posted Sept. 11: Andrea Nelson‘s win over Bellarmine’s Nicole Cochran in the Bellarmine Prep Invitational cross country meet last weekend earned her headlines in the News-Tribune in Tacoma.
Nelson finished second ahead of Cochran last year in the State 4A cross county meet, but Cochran was the state 1,600 and 3,200 meet track champion.
Nelson beat her 11:18.67 to 11:19.33 in the two-mile race in Tacoma.