Lee: Skyline looks unstoppable with Browne at QB

It didn’t live up to the hype. I’m here to tell you why, though. It’s not that CdA is 71-20 bad. It’s that Skyline is 71-20 good.

Skyline could be the best team I’ve seen in, well, ever. So what do I take from the game? I’d be shocked if any 4A team in Washington can give Skyline a game. The Spartans are that good.

Certainly it starts with quarterback Max Browne. At one point in the game Saturday the final score of the Stanford/USC game was announced and somebody said, “I bet Lane Kiffin (USC coach) could have used Max today.”

Browne has a stable of athletic wide receivers. Skyline has capable running backs and the offensive line provides ample time for Browne to carve up the defense.

So what it means is the other contenders for the State 4A title are actually battling for second. Skyline won’t be touched.

Mead is good, don’t get me wrong. But even Mead, with its speed and various weapons, doesn’t have a prayer against Skyline.

There’s nothing wrong with finishing second.

As for CdA, well this is a much more critical week in the development of the young Vikings. Remember they start 12 juniors, and the question is how they will respond when Highland of Pocatello, the traditional 5A Idaho power, visits Friday.

Skyline’s final statistics were impressive. The Spartans passed for 554 yards and rushed for 148. That’s 702.

In other football news:

• I continue to be impressed with Gonzaga Prep. The offense, led by quarterback Zach Bonneau and running back Griffin Hare, is outstanding. And the defense, especially the Joe Lenoue-led secondary, may be the most valuable part of the Bullpups’ early success.

That secondary is probably licking its lips this week. The Bullpups play host to pass-happy Shadle Park on Friday.

• Hard to say now which teams are the best after 3-0 Mead and G-Prep. I guess the best of the rest after three weeks are Ferris and Lewis and Clark. Central Valley and University would be next, followed by Shadle.

• University got its first win Saturday, outscoring Shadle. The Titans have emerged as the favorite among the 3A teams.

• Without a doubt, Lake City is much improved over last year when it had to win a Kansas Tiebreaker between Post Falls and Lewiston to qualify for the state playoffs for a 15th straight year.

The T-Wolves have a handful of offensive weapons and are led by sharp senior quarterback Bruce Shipley. The T-Wolves’ defense is stout, too.

LC plays host to Post Falls in a 5A Inland Empire League opener for both teams Friday. The Trojans are struggling to find their way. This isn’t a good week to face LC.

• How about the way East Valley, without senior running back Adam Talley, put a 35-14 drubbing on Post Falls last Friday? Pretty impressive, to say the least.

The night before, Talley quit the team, choosing a job over football.

EV coach Adam Fisher believes the adversity could galvanize his team. The Knights are off to a 3-0 start. They open Great Northern League play Friday at home against struggling Clarkston.

I suspect there was more involved here than a player deciding a job was more important than playing football. Especially considering the sport wasn’t the player’s first love.

If I were a coach, I wouldn’t want any of my players participating in club soccer on the weekend – like Talley does.