Ritzville, Reardan Ready To Go At It

First, allow the coaches to tip their caps to each other.

Mike Lynch of Ritzville on Dan Graham of Reardan: “Dan does a great job with those kids. He has opened up their offense, making it more wide-open than Reardan teams of the past.”

Graham on Lynch and his Broncos: “They’re solid; he has them playing every bit as good as last year, if not better.”

Good. Now that the salutations are out of the way, Reardan and Ritzville can do what they do best: plow into each other.

Both teams carry 2-0 Northeast B-11 football records (and 3-0 overall) into Friday’s 7 p.m. game at Ritzville. Reardan won last year and kept the Broncos from a perfect league record. (Not counting, that is, forfeits imposed on Ritzville at the end of the year for using an ineligible player.)

Lynch expects linemen to decide the game. Graham hopes Lynch is wrong.

“We’re outmanned there pretty bad - that’s my feeling,” Graham said.

Lynch isn’t feeling too sorry for Reardan.

“Anytime you play as well for as long as they have, people will want a shot at you,” he said. “There’s a certain aura that comes with Reardan.”

There’s also a certain glow that comes from playing in Ritzville.

“We don’t like to play there,” Graham joked. “They don’t treat us too well.”

Trimester report card

One-third of the way through the football season, here are some of the top stories:

Biggest upset: Newport (1-2) beat eighth-ranked Colfax 21-15 in a Northeast A League game last Friday.

The Grizzlies stopped the Colfax option, intercepted two passes and took advantage of a poor snap at the Bulldogs 3 that translated into a 21-7 lead.

“By their book, they had 27 yards rushing,” said Newport coach Jim Murphy. “By ours, they had minus-7. But whatever, that’s mighty good against Colfax.”

Biggest surprises: After beating Liberty in a Kansas tie-breaker last Friday, Sprague-Harrington is 2-1 during its first season in the NEB-11.

“We have 24 players - when they’re all there,” said S-H coach Steve Frank, who notes that Falcons scrimmages usually draw 20 or less. “The only time we see 11 (players on the other side of the ball) is at games.”

S-H received a boost when senior Damien Putney, ruled ineligible to start the season, was cleared for the rest of the way. Putney ranked No. 5 statewide in yards gained last year.

By the way, Frank would like to clear up an inaccuracy about S-H’s game-tying TD in the fourth quarter Friday. David Hardt - not Putney - recovered a blocked punt in the end zone. Ryan Hattrup blocked the Lancers punt.

Second prize goes to Springdale, 2-0 in the NEB-11 after knocking off seventh-ranked Republic last Friday.

The Chargers were expected to drop off this year because their 24-man roster contains nine freshmen.

Biggest disappointment: Freeman (0-1, 0-3) was projected as a potential playoff contender.

The Scotties have played a tough schedule (St. Maries of Idaho, Tekoa-Oakesdale and Lakeside) and have had no luck. Injuries have sidelined running backs Nick Schuerman and Brandon Miller and a pair of defensive players. Another projected starter moved to Montana after a few practices.

“We haven’t been hitting on all pistons, but last week we were encouraged,” Freeman coach John Custer said of a 24-12 Northeast A loss to Lakeside.

Schuerman, one of the league’s elite players, may play this week against Kettle Falls.

Hirings

Former Rogers High and Whitworth basketball player Dan Smith is the new boys basketball coach at Reardan. Smith, an assistant at Reardan last year, replaces Andy Schultz.

Steve Jantz is new girls basketball coach at Wilbur-Creston, which is expected to vie for the state title. Jantz, formerly the W-C boys coach, replaces Mike Crowell.

, DataTimes