Dave Trimmer

Colton's Nick Bates drags Rosalia's Scott DeGon while carrying the Wildcats' offense. Photo by Torsten Kjellstrand/The Spokesman-Review

Pullman quarterback Aaron Linehan performs his job on the run as Medical Lake's Jaryl Varona gives chase. Photo by Torsten Kjellstrand/The Spokesman-Review

Aaron Linehan is a valuable asset to the Pullman Greyhounds. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

1. Puyallup QB Luke Huard is a master at keeping the opposition on the run. Photo by Fredrick D. Joe/Special to The Spokesman-Review 2. Huard

2A No. 10 Medical Lake (10-1) vs. No. 5 Pullman (10-1), Albi Stadium, today, 7:30 p.m.: Yes, the game is a rematch, but that isn't all bad. "I'm just glad we're still in it to play," Medical Lake coach John Giannandrea said. "Pullman is a great team with good coaches and some outstanding, talented people." Don't expect a repeat of the first game.

Rick Giampietri loves working with kids. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Oswald

Central Valley's Chad Adamson celebrates scoring Bears' first touchdown on a 30-yard bootleg in 16-7 state 4A quarterfinal victory Saturday in Kennewick. Tri-City Herald photo

2A football Pullman may have the most explosive 2A offense in the state but it was the Greyhounds' defense that put a bite on the Kodiaks of Cascade-Leavenworth. The No. 5 Greyhounds controlled No. 2 Cascade Friday night in the Apple Bowl for a 24-14 win in the quarterfinals of the State 2A football playoffs. Pullman (10-1) plays the winner of today's Medical Lake-East Valley (Yakima) game in the semifinals next weekend. "Nothing was clicking," Cascade quarterback Brandon Klump said. "That's by far the fastest team I've ever played. They got a good start and we never bounced back." Pullman coach Doug Christie said, "I was surprised too. I knew (the defense was) capable. We've had to do that in our league against big teams, shut down the run. I thought this team might even be better than the teams we played with their running game and their size. Our guys just did a great job, especially in the first half." Pullman, which averaged 47 points a game, cashed in on a Cascade turnover and got a pair of Aaron Linehan-to-Nate Brown touchdown passes for a 21-0 lead at the half. One drive was set up when the defense stopped the Kodiaks on downs at the Greyhounds' 11, thanks to two big stops by D.J. Hammond. Linehan completed 13 of 23 passes for 226 yards with Brown catching nine balls for 163 yards. The Greyhounds also had 139 yards rushing. "Me and Linnie, that's us right there. That's our passing game," Brown said. "We just hook up when we need to. We worked all summer for it. They were playing off big time. They didn't have very good DB's. Our line held up good. Linnie was able to pass." The Greyhounds turned the ball over on the first play of the second half and the Kodiaks responded. Micah Rieke took a handoff on an inside reverse and went 71 yards for the Kodiaks' first score. Cascade, which averaged 43 points a game while running up a 10-0 record, went 80 yards on seven runs on its next possession to make it 21-14. "From what we'd seen, we knew they had only had to come back a couple of times," Hammond said. "We knew the second half was going to be real tough, we knew they weren't going to roll over. We thought it would be a real close game and it was. They never let up." The Greyhounds' defense, despite a handful of injuries, regrouped and a 27-yard field goal by Brown midway through the fourth quarter sealed it. The Kodiaks rushed for 323 yards but 104 were by Rieke on four inside reverses. However, they only completed 4 of 11 passes for 62 yards. "Our D picked it up in the first half and then held on in the second half," Brown said. "Little guys from the Palouse taking it to the big boys. We wanted it more, that's all." Pullman 24, Cascade 14 Pullman 7 14 0 3 - 24 Cascade 0 0 14 0 - 14 P - Sheridan 7 run (Brown kick) P - Brown 38 pass from Linehan (Brown kick) P - Brown 3 pass from Linehan (Brown kick) C - Rieke 71 run (Klump kick) C - Anderson 4 run (Klump kick) P - Brown 27 field goal

Garret Graham (40) carries a big share of Central Valley's playoff hopes. Photo by Torsten Kjellstrand/The Spokesman-Review

Prep football preview Facing a passing attack that has produced almost 3,000 yards, Tony Adams can hardly wait. "I'm ready," Reardan High's two-way lineman said. "I'm really excited. I think if we do the job right, we shouldn't have to be nervous." Yes, facing DeSales quarterback Brian Lindgren and his stable of receivers can be nerve-wracking, but it's also a defensive lineman's dream.

A4 football It wasn't supposed to end this way. Kamiakin did something no other team could do, bringing an end to Gonzaga Prep's season and coach Don Anderson's career with a 10-0 victory at Albi Stadium Saturday in the State 4A football playoffs. Kamiakin's 10th-ranked Braves (9-2) had a huge advantage in field position and cashed in on a break to hand the seventh-ranked Bullpups (9-2) their first shutout in 60 games in an old-fashioned defensive struggle.

State soccer A kick, a flick and the Mead Panthers are rolling to state. Natalie Kehl scored in the second overtime to lift Mead to a 1-0 win over Ferris at Albi Stadium Saturday. The Panthers (18-1) advance to the Final Four of the State 4A girls soccer playoffs next weekend, facing Columbia River (14-2-2) at 6 p.m. Friday at Federal Way Stadium. "Morgan Bennett had an indirect kick to me, and I flicked it to the near post," Stacy Drollinger said.

Mr. Robinson's neighborhood was anything but friendly. Josh Robinson rushed for 212 yards and six touchdowns, caught a touchdown pass and keyed the crucial defensive stop as No. 2 Colfax rolled over No. 4 Cle Elum 56-34 in the first round of the State 1A football playoffs Friday night.

Spokane gets the defense and Kennewick gets the offense. When the top two teams from the Greater Spokane League meet their counterparts from the Big Nine in the State 4A football playoffs today, the pairings just happen to match the teams who rely most on their defense at Albi Stadium and two offensive powers at Kennewick. GSL champion Gonzaga Prep (9-1) faces Big Nine runner-up Kamiakin (8-2) at Albi at 2 p.m. Central Valley (9-1), which shared the GSL title with Prep but lost to the Bullpups, meets Big Nine champion Pasco (10-0) at 1 p.m. at Lampson Staidum.

When Jacob Keck earned all-state honors after his sophomore year he just worked harder. When he had to change positions after his junior year he just worked harder. With the second-ranked Colfax Bulldogs entering the State 1A football playoffs for the first time since 1991, he isn't letting up.

Gonzaga Prep quarterback Kevin O'Connell runs for the first of two touchdowns en route to a 124-yard rushing performance. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

There is really no nice way to put this - in the previous five years, the Big Nine has served the Greater Spokane a large slice of humble pie when it comes to football playoffs. More precisely, the Big Nine has handed the GSL its lunch 10 times in 12 first-round games the last five years.

1. CV's Tyree Clowe bolts toward 224 yards and a scoring record. Photo by Torsten Kjellstrand/The Spokesman-Review 2. Central Valley running back David Burnett has ample room to run as his offensive line clears a path through the Lewis and Clark defense. Photo by Torsten Kjellstrand/The Spokesman-Review

Vince Moore (left) and brother Brandon have enjoyed teaming up for the Medical Lake Cardinals. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review

Rhett Soliday

The future is now for the Reardan Indians. Students at Reardan, traditionally a Class B athletic power, were informed Monday they would be moving to 1A at the start of the winter sports season. The decision was made Friday by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association executive board after Reardan reported a mistake in its enrollment count last fall. "Reardan has a very rich tradition of athletics. It's going to be very difficult when they throw up the ball at the State B basketball tournament and we're not there," first-year superintendent Rob Clark said Monday night, confirming the move. "It happened sooner than we expected, but it was inevitable."

The third time would be a charm, guaranteed. But who would be charmed? Would it be University, which lost to Ferris the past two years in the loser-out, winner-to-state girls soccer game? Or Ferris, which lost to the Titans in their two previous meetings this year? They met Monday evening at U-Hi and, not surprisingly, it took overtime to decide. Christine Rehwald got her foot on the ball during a scramble following a corner kick and nudged it inside the left post to give Ferris a 2-1 victory over the Titans. Ferris now plays at Mead, the Greater Spokane League champion, Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. in a seeding game. The winner will play at home Saturday against the Big Nine runner-up, and the loser will visit the Big Nine champion in the first round of the State 4A playoffs. Megan Cummings set up the winning goal in two ways. She dribbled past two U-Hi players before kicking the ball off a U-Hi defender and past the goal line and setting up the corner kick. Then she sent the ball deep into the box from the right corner.

Chewelah's Ryan Walters outlegs Medical Lake's Brandon Moore. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review