Greg Lee’s prep football rewind
The Gonzaga Prep football team clinched no worse than a share of its 42nd league championship, dating back to 1925.
The Bullpups’ 35-13 win over Central Valley on Friday gives them a 17th Greater Spokane League title.
Gonzaga Prep wasn’t celebrating those feats, though. The Bullpups won’t be satisfied just getting to the postseason.
“We want to take this team as far as we possibly can,” said senior running back Jake Tucker, who had his first big game since returning from an early knee injury. He finished with 112 yards and two touchdowns. “We’re going to do everything in our power to make that happen.”
Senior linebacker Jack Machtolf agreed.
“We’re going to work for whatever we can achieve,” Machtolf said. “We’ve faced a lot of good teams and it’s nice that we still have a zero in the loss column. We’ve just got to keep playing our best and see where that takes us. And the rest will take care of itself.”
G-Prep coach Dave McKenna isn’t looking any further than next week.
“We’ve got a great opponent (Lewis and Clark) and we’re going to focus on them,” he said, refusing to accept congratulations for anything. “We’re going to focus on next Friday and getting better. We’ve got to drop the ‘me.’ It’s about ‘we.’ ”
Jumbled mess
Four of the six 4A teams – LC, University, Mead and Ferris – are all tied at 1-2 with two weeks left. CV is 2-1.
G-Prep finishes with LC and Ferris. Another loss for either and they’re out of the hunt.
CV closes with Ferris and U-Hi. The Titans meet Mead this week. And Mead’s final game is against LC.
If CV wins out, it clinches the second of the three postseason berths.
U-Hi must bounce back after back-to-back losses.
It appears multiple teams could finish with two losses.
Head-to-head ties will be decided by head-to-head play. Ties involving three or more teams would constitute a Kansas tiebreaker.
In 3A, the title will be decided Friday when Mt. Spokane takes on Rogers.
Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint clinched Inland Empire League 5A and 4A titles Friday.
The respective runners-up earn playoff berths too.
Lewiston, which fell 56-28 at CdA two weeks ago, can secure the second 5A berth when it travels to Lake City this week. Lewiston handled Post Falls 42-14 and injury-depleted LC was shut out 34-0 by CdA. LC edged Post Falls 21-15 two weeks ago and would earn a playoff berth with a win over Lewiston.
The second 4A berth will be determined when Moscow visits Lakeland this week.
McKenna had to work
G-Prep defensive coordinator H.T. Higgins missed the first quarter because he was flying back from Oakland, California, after attending the funeral of his best friend.
That meant calling the schemes fell on McKenna’s shoulders.
“Thank God he made it back by the start of the second quarter,” McKenna said. “I never thought I’d say this, but it was really a pleasure to hear his voice. I haven’t called anything in eight years.”
Anyone sitting near a press box can’t help but hear Higgins.