University takes 59-7 win over North Central

For a fourth straight week, there was much for University football coach Rob Bartlett to like.

The standouts were numerous as University suffocated the North Central Indians 59-7 in a Greater Spokane League crossover game Thursday at Albi Stadium.

Seven Titans combined to rush for 251 yards and quarterback Logan O’Neil threw for 192. Treivon Tuggles returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.

It was a season high for points for the Titans (4-0), who averaged 35 in their first three games.

It was also another solid defensive effort by U-Hi, which has allowed 37 points.

North Central (1-3) had some moments, but they were few and far between under first-year coach Tom Griggs.

Perhaps the offensive player of the game was wide receiver Griffin Thorson, who caught eight passes for 159 yards, including a TD on his final reception, a 23-yarder. It was U-Hi’s first score of the third quarter, increasing its lead to 38-0.

Bartlett went liberally to his bench thereafter. Sophomore running back Malcolm Lohstreter, whose 57 yards on 11 carries all came in the second half, accounted for all of the Titans’ yards on their second possession of the third quarter. He capped the drive with a 4-yard TD run.

NC finally got on the scoreboard on the ensuing possession when running back Khanian Charlton scored from 7 yards out.

That’s when Tuggles returned the kick for a TD.

Lohstreter also made a big play on defense, intercepting a pass that set up U-Hi’s final scoring drive from NC’s 22. Five plays later, sophomore Hunter Gregerson scored on a 9-yard run.

To say U-Hi lived in Indians territory or near midfield in the first half is an understatement. The Titans turned two short-field opportunities into touchdowns and the final short-field possession into a 30-yard field goal from Adam Drassen with three seconds to go before halftime.

And U-Hi, which went into intermission with a 31-0 lead, could have led by much more.

After U-Hi opened a 14-0 lead on Gage Anderson’s 4-yard run and an 8-yard TD pass from O’Neil to Tanner Chase, NC had its best offensive series of the opening two quarters.

The Indians had the ball for 12 plays, moving to U-Hi’s 14. But then NC lost 8 yards before turning the ball over on downs.

U-Hi had 295 yards total offense to NC’s 100 in the first half. The Titans finished with 443 yards.