Ferris clinches playoff berth

Everyone knows what Ben Goodwin can do when he’s behind center. But Ferris’s senior quarterback made his biggest impact with his foot.

Goodwin’s 64-yard punt with less than 2 minutes remaining pinned Lewis and Clark back on its 12 yard line and preserved the Saxons’ 24-21 victory Friday night at Albi Stadium. The win by Ferris (7-1) assures the defending state champions a return to the 4A postseason.

“It was a battle of field position and in the end it just – I know it’s cliché – came down to who wanted it more,” said Goodwin of his massive boot.

Lewis and Clark (6-2) next plays Central Valley with a third playoff spot at stake.

There’s no love lost when the South Hill rivals meet. This Greater Spokane League football game was no exception.

The hitting was fierce and ball carriers felt the sting of multiple hits.

It resulted in big plays through the air that led to most of the scoring. Goodwin’s 61-yard pass to Kole Lemer set up the first score. LC countered with a 41-yard pass from Jeff Livingston to Brennan Schon that led to a 7-7 tie.

Ultimately, turnovers did the Tigers in. Ammar Johnson lost a fumble at his 13 yard line and Ferris capitalized for a 14-7 halftime lead. LC then fell behind 24-14 on Clay Paull’s field goal that held up as the winner.

Sophomore defensive back Cole Karstetter, who missed the early part of the season with a broken arm came up big for Ferris. He knocked down a first-half Livingston pass and intercepted the Tigers’ QB twice, the second also staving off LC’s last chance to win.

“No. 1 (Schon) was really fast,” he said. Laying back in coverage, “I watched Jeff when he threw it and went and got it.”

“We found a way to win in the end,” said Saxons coach Jim Sharkey, citing field position as a big part of it. “It’s always a physical battle when we play them.”

Mt. Spokane 42, Rogers 6: The game pitted two of the GSL’s most versatile athletes against each other.

Advantage, Chase Naccarato.

The speedy Wildcats senior rushed for 145 yards, caught two passes for 93 yards and scored four times for Mt. Spokane (3-5).

His Rogers (0-8) counterpart, Luke Rogers, carried the ball 28 times for 79 yards, caught two passes for 51, completed a pass for 12 and scored the Pirates’ lone touchdown before leaving with an injured ankle late in the game.

Halfway through, Rogers had run nearly twice as many plays as Mt. Spokane, but the Wildcats outgained them 319 yards to 121 for a 28-0 lead. They finished with a 492 to 233 advantage.

Mt Spokane leads North Central by a game between teams bidding for the GSL’s second 3A playoff berth. They meet next week.