Saxons Put Offense In Gear, Run Right Over Rogers 31-8

Ferris consistently has the best defense in the Greater Spokane League.

The Saxons added offense Thursday night.

Conor Finnerty expertly directed Ferris to a 31-8 victory over Rogers before a Saxons homecoming crowd of 2,019 at Albi Stadium.

“It was the offensive line,” Finnerty said. “They’re big and strong and they pushed Rogers around all night.”

The Saxons rushed for 351 yards, led by Jake Doctor with 140, including a game-finishing 72-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Finnerty added 98 yards on 14 keepers, including a 21-yard scoring run around left end.

The junior quarterback only threw seven passes but he completed five, all to Marcus Clift for 108 yards, with TD plays of 6 and 28 yards.

“(Offensive coordinator) Don Anderson is one of the greatest coaches who has ever taught me,” Finnerty said. “He’s brilliant. I don’t know where he comes up with some of that stuff.”

Ferris (3-2, 2-2) kept the ball on the ground in building a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. On the Saxons’ fourth possession, Finnerty hit Clift for 53 yards, setting up the 6-yard score, a slant from the right.

Rogers (1-4, 1-4) finally mounted a drive, but once the Pirates got inside the Ferris 20, Jason Wedel had a big sack and a receiver dropped a potential TD on fourth down. It was one of a half-dozen drops by the Pirates.

“That’s from not concentrating,” Rogers coach Dave Pomante said. “It’s been happening all year. That’s not the only thing, it happens all over the field. We broke down on offense, defense and special teams, too.”

Ferris used that opportunity to march quickly down the field, capped by a deep flag of 28 yards to Clift, who made a nice catch over the defender in the right corner of the end zone.

Then, when Rogers battled back, Aaron Sedler intercepted a pass in the end zone just before the half, preserving the 17-0 lead.

“We knew they were one of the best passing teams in the league,” Sedler said. “We have a lot of confidence in our defense. We’re No. 1 in defense and we wanted to prove it wasn’t a fluke.”

Sedler credited a second year under defensive coordinator H.T. Higgins.

“Now we have a feeling for what he wants,” Sedler said. “The defense is actually complex. You have confidence in the player next to you. Each person does their bit.”

Defensively, the Saxons held Rogers to 48 yards rushing an limited Nick Scott to 16 completions in 34 attempts for 179 yards and a late third-quarter touchdown.

By then, it was 24-0 on Finnerty’s TD run and after the Pirates scored, Doctor went around left end, thanks to a devastating block from tight end Dujan Jones.

“We’re starting to come around,” Ferris coach Clarence Hough said. “The guys were down after losing last week. They responded in the right way, the didn’t point fingers.”

Ferris 31, Rogers 8

Rogers 0 0 8 0 - 8

Ferris 3 14 7 7 - 31

F-Krise 23 Field goal ( ) F-Clift 6 Pass from Finnerty (Krise kick) F-Clift 28 Pass from Finnerty (Krise kick) F-Finnerty 21 Run (Krise kick) R-Reed 12 Pass from Scott (Scott run) F-Ja. Doctor 72 Run (Price kick)

R F First downs 17 14 Rushes-yards 15-48 40-351 Passing yards 179 108 Return yards 12 36 Passes 16-34-2 5-7-0 Punts-avg. 3-37 2-27.5 Fumbles-lost 3-1 0-0 Penalties-yards 1-10 4-27

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - Rogers: C. Parratt 15-48, J. Parratt 4-12, Jackson 4-2, Scott 5—5, Ferris: Ja. Doctor 13-140, Finnerty 14-98, Sedler 6-75, Mundahl 4-31, Wiles 2-8, Parker 1—1,

PASSING - Rogers: Scott 16-34-2-179, Ferris: Finnerty 5-7-0-108,

RECEIVING - Rogers: J. Parratt 5-72, Reed 4-43, Brown 3-23, Johnson 1-15, Winterroth 2-15, Smith 1-11, Ferris: Clift 5-108.

Lewis and Clark 54, Central Valley 7

This rematch of last year’s championship game didn’t count in the standings, but the repercussions are huge.

Erik Coleman rushed for 219 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers (3-2, 2-2). Jonathan Hook ran for 129 and two scores.

Hook also returned a blocked fieldgoal attempt 65 yards for a touchdown, which is also how the Bears (2-3, 2-2) scored.

And, to add insult to injury, CV failed to complete a pass in 20 attempts - except for an interception by the Tigers.

Overall, LC, which led 20-7 and 40-7 at the end of the first two quarters, rushed for 405 yards. The Tigers only passed three times, making one completion for 7 yards. CV had 104 yards on 36 rushes.

Lewis and Clark 20 20 7 7 - 54

Central Valley 7 0 0 0 - 7

L-Hook 2 Run (Leuis kick) L-Erik.Coleman 6 Run (kick failed) L-Erik.Coleman 19 Run (Leuis kick) C-Balmes 55 blocked field goal return (Johnson kick) L-Mahar 1 Run (Leuis kick) L-Hook 82 Run (Leuis kick) L-Hook 65 blocked field goal return (kick failed) L-Erik.Coleman 53 Run (Leuis kick) L-Erin.Coleman 1 Run (Leuis kick)