Return Of Finley Boosts Inchelium

B football quarterfinals

Casey Finley’s fate had a big influence on the last Inchelium-Touchet playoff game.

For a different reason, Finley may greatly determine the latest playoff installment between Inchelium and Touchet.

Finley, a 1,000-yard rusher for Inchelium last year, missed most of this season when he broke his right hand in three places.

Inchelium co-coach Duane Gatlin said he expects Finley to return to the lineup when the Hornets (6-2) play Touchet (8-1) at Kennewick Saturday. The Associated Press ranks Touchet No. 3 and Inchelium No. 4 among B-8 teams.

Touchet beat Inchelium 40-0 in last year’s semifinal. Finley missed the game after dislocating his elbow during a quarterfinal win over St. John-Endicott.

If Finley plays he’ll take some load off Galen Desautel, a fellow senior. Desautel rushed for 1,426 yards and led the defense in tackles.

“He’s our workhorse, there’s no doubt about it,” Gatlin said. “He has no problem carrying the ball 25-30 times a game.”

Inchelium’s other Finley, senior quarterback J.D., is done for the year after recent knee surgery. The severity of Finley’s injury wasn’t apparent until late in the season.

Junior Jesse Schumacher, 45 pounds heavier than Finley, shifted from running back and filled in admirably at QB. Schumacher won two games with last-second touchdown passes to Rich Whitney.

Inchelium’s downfall has been numbers. The Hornets played three games with 13 players or less. Gatlin expects 18 to suit up Saturday.

Touchet graduated many of the skill-position players who won the state title two years ago and finished second last year. Senior Jake Bussell shifted from end to QB and threw for 1,000 yards.

LaCrosse-Washtucna (4-4) at Odessa (9-0) The Tigercats started 2-0 before a rash of injuries led to three consecutive losses. L-W qualified by beating Rosalia 66-58 to end the season, then winning a Kansas tiebreaker with Rosalia and St. John-Endicott.

“We had basically three different teams for the season,” said L-W coach Jeff Nelson. “We had a lot of kids playing where they had never played before.”

The Tigercats received a boost by recently moving senior Casey Rouleau from receiver to running back. Sophomore QB Greg Whitman threw for nearly 200 yards in one half against Inchelium before pulling a muscle. He appears healed.

Odessa coach Myron Kramer said L-W’s offensive misdirection poses a threat, but the Tigers have allowed just 14 points per game.

Odessa leaders are RB Lance Meise, 910 yards and eight TDs; Sean Moon, 456 receiving yards and eight TDs; QB Randy Carlson, 80 of 157 for 1,281 yards and 19 TDs; and Joel Hardung, 147 tackles.

Cusick (6-3) vs. Colton (5-3) at Colfax Cusick’s secret is no secret: Hand the ball to Justin Finley.

Finley rushed for 1,460 yards, averaged 10.3 yards per carry and scored 136 points. His numbers would have been bigger but coach Fred Vogel limited him to less than 10 carries in two of the Panthers’ less crucial matchups.

Cusick, last in the playoffs 11 years ago, sealed its fate by beating defending state champ Pateros.

Defensive back Tell Hamilton, defensive end Joe Akai, lineman Clint Birchall and kicker Daniel Hills are other Cusick mainstays.

Colton rides the legs of Nick Bates, who rushed for 1,091 yards and 17 TDs. Bates rotates between QB and tailback. The Wildcats’ games are shootouts; they averaged 38 ppg and allowed 30 ppg.

B-11 at Clarkston

Second-ranked Republic (10-0) has won its games by an average of around 45-10. Senior Mark Rickard should give ninth-ranked Asotin (8-1) trepidation both ways.

Rickard has 44 receptions for 926 yards and 13 TDs, boosting his career totals to 3,664 yards and 44 TDs. His 31 career interceptions are within two of the state record.

Tigers senior QB Jason Baldwin threw 31 TD passes and just five interceptions. His career marks are 325 of 557, 5,761 yards, 70 TDs.

Republic coach Don Beazizo said his team should have an edge at linebacker and in the secondary. He expects to pressure Asotin QB Jeremiah Faught, who has thrown for 965 yards but connected on less than 40 percent.

Senior RB Luke Appleford led the Panthers with 1,213 yards. Republic’s Danny Hargrave averaged 9.7 yards per carry.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Matchups Friday Cusick vs. Colton (at Colfax), 7:30 p.m. LaCrosse-Washtucna at Odessa, 7:30 p.m. Saturday Republic vs. Asotin (at Clarkston), 1:30 p.m. Inchelium vs. Touchet (at Kennewick), 1 p.m.