Mike Vlahovich

Kicker Jake Miller accepted his share of blame in Central Valley’s 13-12 non-league loss to Post Falls. But he gets the lion’s share of credit in Friday’s huge 34-31 victory over Ferris. Not only did he kick what proved to be the winning field goal from 50 yards, but also he made a 45-yarder earlier in the game. Miller averaged 50 yards on five punts, including a 70-yarder that put Ferris in an early hole and a 55-yarder that left the Saxons with long field in its bid to rally in the game’s final minute.

On a night that further muddled things in the Greater Spokane League, Central Valley pulled out all the stops in its ongoing series of football thrillers with Ferris. Opportunism and one big play served CV well, but there was also all manner of trickery that enabled the Bears to pull off a 34-31 triumph that wasn’t decided until time ran out.

There was something for everyone when Ferris won the war and North Central’s Ben Johnston won the battle Wednesday to determine the Greater Spokane League boys cross country champion. Ferris’ Saxons were tested in the 26-29 victory, as Johnston outlegged Saxons ace Adam Thorne over the last half of the 3.1-mile race at Audubon Park, tying the course record of 15 minutes, 12 seconds. Johnston said the plan, “a mile and one-halfish” into the race, was to, “just stay with him and see what I could do. I stuck with him and was like, ‘All right, if I’m going to do this, I might as well go.’ ”

While chatting with Rick Giampietri at Albi Stadium last week, he talked about the nature of Central Valley’s football schedule, which began favorably and ends with successive murderous games against Ferris, Gonzaga Prep and Mead. He liked it, saying it will prove if the Bears deserve to be in the playoffs. Last year they proved not only they belonged, but also came within an eyelash of the State 4A semifinals, losing for the second time in stirring games with Ferris’ Saxons.

It is common for high school freshmen to have immediate impact in girls cross country. This year is no exception. The intent for one, Katie Knight – daughter of North Central boys coach Jon Knight – was to run below the radar.

For the better part of the football game, Cheney’s offense was stuck in neutral and found itself trailing visiting Colville by 11 points. The Blackhawks suddenly found another gear, scoring 29 points in the game’s final 9 minutes for a 39-28 triumph Friday night.

How do you quantify success? The issue about the accuracy of high school polls came up a couple of weeks back. I’m ambivalent about them, preferring to let the outcome on the field determine rankings.

Volleyball is at its season midpoint and Mead travels to Lewis and Clark tonight for the renewal of their recent Greater Spokane League rivalry, then joins many of the best area – plus state-ranked – high school teams, this weekend in Spokane’s annual Crossover Classic Tournament. Tourney director Stacey Ward was tearing her hair out filling the Crossover field after four teams dropped out.

Sometimes the soccer ball bounces right. And it bounced right more times for Mead than Lewis and Clark in the Panthers’ 3-1 victory in Friday’s match between Greater Spokane League unbeatens. Twice Mead had shots bang off the posts, only to bounce favorably and result in second-half goals that staked the victors to a 3-0 lead.

Gonzaga Prep junior back Bishop Sankey has rushed for more than 200 yards in each of four football games this season. Sankey must sit out Friday against Rogers after being ejected from the Bullpups’ non-league contest last week at Lake City.

Saving themselves for Saturday, Shadle Park’s girls cross country runners nonetheless showed why they are the Greater Spokane League favorites. Running in pairs, the Highlanders turned in a three-tiered romp over previously unbeaten Central Valley and Gonzaga Prep as well as University at Finch Arboretum on Wednesday to improve to 6-0.

For years West Valley track and cross country coach Jim McLachlan has wanted to put on an overland meet with college teams at Plantes Ferry Park. This is the year. Several area colleges will bring their men’s and women’s teams to this weekend’s 10th Runners Soul/Erik Anderson Invitational at the complex off Upriver Drive in Spokane Valley.

If anything has come out of the first three weeks of Greater Spokane League football, it is not to take any team for granted. University’s overtime win against Gonzaga Prep was a case in point. The Bullpups were on a high after defeating Ferris the previous week and University was coming off a disappointing loss at rival Central Valley.