Shadle Shuffles Gsl Gabriel, Revised Lineup Help Highlanders Upset North Central In Stunning Opener

Well, that didn’t take long.

In just the second game of the first weekend of Greater Spokane League football season, running back Steve Gabriel and tight end-turned-quarterback Brett Wideman turned the league upset down, leading Shadle Park to a 31-13 upset of North Central at Albi Stadium.

The Highlanders, picked last in the 11-team league, ended a 10-game losing streak by ending the four-game winning streak of North Central, an expected contender.

“As an athlete, you have to rank yourself No. 1, you can’t even think you’re No. 11,” said Gabriel, who rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. “I can see why after last year, but we didn’t believe it. We were 0-0. We totally wiped out last season, it wasn’t even a memory.”

Combined with league-favorite Mt. Spokane’s 23-22 escape at Central Valley, the league appears to be as unpredictable as its coaches predicted.

In other games Friday night, East Valley made its GSL debut at home, losing to Rogers 22-18; Lewis and Clark defeated its South Hill rival Ferris 18-10 to complete the Albi double-header that drew 6,075; and Gonzaga Prep defeated Bellarmine Prep 20-10 in a non-league game in Tacoma.

But it all started with Shadle Park, which had Wideman, a tight end until two days before the game, at quarterback when projected starter Chad Egger came down with mononucleosis and his backup was out for reasons coach Mark Hester would not disclose. “He’s just been QB’ing for two days,” Egger said proudly.

In fact, Hester signaled in plays to the tight end and a guard.

“I didn’t know what I was doing out there,” Wideman said, slapping Egger on the back. “This guy’s the quarterback. He’s sick. I’m just filling in.”

Then he pointed at the scoreboard. “I saw that (score) last night. That’s all I saw,” he said, noting he predicted a win. “I knew what had to be done and we all did it.”

Shadle Park 31, North Central 13

With its experienced offensive line, the Indians took the opening kickoff and used more than 8 minutes to get to the Highlanders’ 2. Then the Indians missed a field goal. Two plays later, Gabriel broke loose for a 71-yard scoring run.

The Highlanders got a field goal 6 seconds before halftime to lead 17-7 and on the first play of the third quarter, Gabriel went 65 yards to break the game open.

“They just beat us up front off the ball,” NC coach Wes Hobbs said. “Too many mistakes.”

After Gabriel’s first TD, Travis Morris blocked an NC punt, setting the Highlanders up at the 2 for an easy score.

Wideman threw two passes, completions of 10 and minus-6 yards. The Highlanders rushed for 328 yards on 50 attempts.

“Brett Wideman is a great athlete; he came through,” Gabriel said. “He only fumbled one snap.”

NC had 341 yards, 191 passing, but only had three first downs in the second half.

“It was the work we put in the last few weeks and through the summer,” said Wideman, who doubled as free safety.

NC quarterback Steve Hare threw two TD passes to Chris Geurts, who had five catches for 108 yards.

Lewis and Clark 18, Ferris 10

The Tigers also thrust an untested quarterback into action and Kevin Edwards distinguished himself.

Made the starter after Billy Etter was injured last weekend, Edwards avoided mistakes and completed all three of his passes, including an 8-yarder to John Langan just before halftime that put LC up 12-10.

“I was a little scared,” he admitted. “I wish Billy was back there.”

Then he nodded at teammate Erik Coleman and said, “You ought to be interviewing that guy right there.”

Coleman rushed for 172 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. He made some nifty runs that helped keep the Tigers in the game after Ferris took 3-0 and 10-6 leads.

“I wish we would have passed more at the end,” Edwards said. “But we have a good O-line and good tailbacks. We just let them do the work. I was so used to defense. I was going to be a cornerback. You turn all soft, you run away from tackles. ”

The Tigers pounded out 243 yards on the ground and the Saxons had 198.

Jonathan Hook added a late score on fourth down as the Tigers were trying to run out the clock.

Mt. Spokane 23, Central Valley 22

Quarterback Jake Swanson scored on a 5-yard run to cap a fourth-quarter rally that lifted the Wildcats past the Bears.

Earlier, teammate Josh Wilson had scored on an 8-yard run after CV had taken a 22-10 lead.

The Bears shocked the potent Wildcats by taking a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. In his first start, Jeff Liepman threw a 6-yard scoring pass to Will Murphy and Rafael Mitchell scored on a 55-yard run. Mitchell went for 180 yards on 19 carries as the Bears started the post-Tyree Clowe era by grinding out 267 yards.

Rogers 22, East Valley 18

The Pirates ruined the Knights’ debut when Nick Scott hit Thomas Gest with a 20-yard scoring pass with 5:13 to play.

EV marched back to the Rogers 19 but a clipping penalty ended the threat. The Knights got one last chance with 2 minutes left, but turned the ball over on downs.

Big plays highlighted the game with Rogers leading 7-0 as Stephan Reed returned a fumble 44 yards. EV answered with a 22-yard scoring run by Aaron Herath.

EV took the lead when quarterback Jesse Nicholson returned the second half kickoff 86 yards.

Herath, who led the Frontier League in rushing last year, had 129 yards.

Scott completed 9 of 13 passes for 116.

Gonzaga Prep 20, Bellarmine 10

Jeff Brusick scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lift the Bullpups over the Lions.

Brusick grabbed an 11-yard pass from Freeman transfer Kelly Custer and then sealed the win with a 20-yard TD run.

Brusick, who had 171 yards on 31 carries, had the only score in the first half with a 43-yard run.