Week 2 Prep Football Preview: Ferris faces Lake City in battle of up-and-comers

Week 1 saw the Greater Spokane League have early success against some tough nonleague opponents. This week we’ll see if the impressive debuts were for real or merely a hot start.

Game of the Week

Ferris (1-0) at Lake City (1-1), 7 p.m.: It’s surprising to see these teams in a “game of the week” this early in the season – they combined for nine wins last season with just three league wins between them, all for Ferris.

Last week, Ferris went to Moses Lake and hammered the Chiefs 40-7, dominating every facet of the game. Brent Jones and Jovan Ruffin both rushed for a pair of TDs, and Jones also hauled in a scoring pass from Jack Clavel, one of the few returning quarterbacks in the GSL this season.

Ferris third-year coach Tom Yearout won’t look ahead, but after the Saxons’ tough matchup next week against Central Valley at Albi Stadium, they could end up 5-1 overall once they get into the meat of their league schedule.

The Timberwolves and second-year coach Brian Fulp didn’t let a tough opening loss deter them in a 45-21 win over Lewis and Clark – and they’d like to avenge a 31-22 loss to the Saxons last season.

The T-wolves rushed for 181 yards and passed for another 315 against the Tigers as they built a 32-14 halftime lead. The combo of QB Chris Irvin and Logan Jeanselme was potent – they hooked up 10 times for 170 yards and four TDs. Jeanselme added 106 yards and a score on the ground.

DN: Lake City 35-28; SA: Ferris 35-28.

Best of the Rest

West Valley (1-0) vs Shadle Park (1-0), 4:45 p.m. at Albi Stadium: WV handled North Central 54-6 last week behind Malachi Clark, who rushed for 102 yards with three TDs. The Highlanders outlasted Lewiston on the road, building a 28-7 lead after three quarters and holding on 28-21. Ryan Schmidt threw two TD passes to Xavier Atkins and ran for one.

DN: WV 20-17; SA: WV 27-21.

Mead (1-0) at Coeur d’Alene (1-1), 7 p.m.: Mead doubled up Post Falls 43-21 with its high-powered offense as Ryan Blair threw for 383 yards and four touchdowns. The Vikings struggled with turnovers against Gonzaga Prep, coughing it up four times in the first half alone en route to a 24-0 intermission score.

DN: CdA 31-30; SA: Mead 31-30.

Post Falls (1-1) at University (0-1), 7 p.m.: U-Hi got traction against Sandpoint, rushing for 133 yards – Kobe Gilbert lugged it 28 times for 109 yards. But the Titans only found the end zone on an interception return in a 34-11 loss. The Trojans got 103 yards rushing from Eli Gondo while Derek Pearse had 270 yards passing with three TDs against Mead.

DN: PF 42-17; SA: U-Hi 26-21.

Lakeland (1-1) at East Valley (0-1), 7 p.m.: EV was roughed up by Deer Park 35-7, but a late touchdown run by Henry Stevens got them on the board. Lakeland, an Idaho 3A program, blanked Rogers 49-0.

DN: Lak 17-14; SA: Lak 21-7.

Deer Park (1-0) at St. Maries (2-0), 7p.m.: Deer Park is led by Matthew Jorgensen, who ran for two touchdowns against East Valley last week. The Idaho 2A Lumberjacks handled Medical Lake 32-2 as Eli Gibson rushed for 179 with two touchdowns.

DN: DP 24-20 SA: DP 28-14.

Saturday games

Garfield at Central Valley (1-0), 1 p.m.: The Bears had an impressive showing against Bellevue last week in the openers for both teams. Garfield will be another stiff out-of-area test for CV, which is ranked No. 9 in state 4A by the Associated Press.

Gonzaga Prep (1-0) at St. Ignatius (Calif.), 4p.m.: The Bullpups dominated Coeur d’Alene on both lines of scrimmage last week on their way to a convincing win. G-Prep is on its way to California this week, always a rough road trip.