Prep roundup: Ryan Lafferty, Bode Gardner score big for Mt. Spokane boys in win over Mead; Teryn Gardner leads Mead girls over Wildcats

It might be tough to start league play facing your archrival in front of a full gym in an annual rivalry game. But Mt. Spokane’s rugged nonleague schedule prepared it for nights like these.

Ryan Lafferty scored 24 points, Bode Gardner added 23 and the Wildcats (9-2) handled an early scare and pulled away from visiting Mead 72-55 on Friday in the Greater Spokane League opener for both teams.

“It makes it fun,” Mt. Spokane coach David Wagenblast said of having the rivalry game up first. “We had a great crowd tonight and I hope we continue to have a great crowd because that’s what makes high school basketball special.”

Wildcats forward Andrew Rayment missed the game with a thumb injury.

“Our guys did a really nice job of finding each other,” Wagenblast said. “Gardner has really come along … he has showed he can really be an impact player for us.”

Nash Dunham led Mead with 21 points.

Mt. Spokane scored the first seven points , but Mead (6-5) scored the next nine to make it a game early. Midway through the second quarter, Gardner threw down a two-handed slam and was fouled. He converted the three-point play and the Wildcats led 38-26 at halftime.

Mt. Spokane put together a 12-5 run at the start of the third quarter, and a 3-pointer from the top of the key near the end of the quarter put the Wildcats up by 21.

Boys basketball GSL 4A/3A

Ridgeline 80, Central Valley 63: Caden Andreas scored 28 points, Easton Amend added 19 and Brayden Allen had 12 and the visiting Falcons (10-1, 1-0) beat the Bears (1-9, 0-1) . Cameron Walls scored 12 points, and Branson Olson and Hunter Bernhart scored 11 apiece for Central Valley.

North Central 65, Lewis and Clark 48: Elijah Williams scored 18 points and hit five 3-pointers, Jacori Ervin added 15 and the Wolfpack (9-1, 1-0) beat the visiting Tigers (7-4, 1-0). Paulo Murray scored 14 points to lead LC.

Nonleague

Ferris 68, Coeur d’Alene 60: Dylan Skaife scored 24 points and the Saxons (4-7) beat the visiting Vikings (4-2). Cannon Dean scored 20 points with six 3-pointers for Ferris. Caden Symons scored 23 points to lead CdA.

Girls basketball

GSL 4A/3A

Mead 71, Mt. Spokane 32: Teryn Gardner scored 24 points and the visiting Panthers (9-1) beat the Wildcats (2-9).

Sophomores Gracie Wenkheimer and Addison Wells Morrison contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively, for Mead.

“The league knows, people know, we’re not just a one-player team,” Mead coach Quantae Anderson said. “We have scorers that are starters, we have scorers off the bench. Gracie’s shooting has been huge for us.”

Mead jumped out to a 20-3 lead in the first quarter and never looked back.

“Any time you can make a team use three timeouts in a quarter, especially the first quarter, I’m happy with that,” Anderson said.

Sloane Gardner paced Mt. Spokane with 13 points.

Lewis and Clark 55, North Central 39: Olivia Baird scored 20 points and hit five 3-pointers, Sadie Pierce added 12 points and the visiting Tigers (7-4) beat the Wolfpack (1-10). Shalene Ervin scored 15 points to lead NC.

Gonzaga Prep 63, University 37: Aylah Cornwall scored 24 points, Olivia McIntyre added 23 and the visiting Bullpups (8-3, 1-0) beat the Titans (5-5 0-1). Keely Handran scored 12 points for the Titans.