Saxons Break Trend In Win Over G-Prep

Junior Craig King had this message for the Ferris Saxons on Friday before he led them onto the field for their football showdown with Gonzaga Prep:

“Let’s get after it tonight, guys,” he hollered from the front of the line. “This is PREP!”

The Saxons listened. Their defense was stellar, and they came up with the big plays when they had to in the 14-10 Greater Spokane League win, the first Ferris victory over the Bullpups since 1991.

“It was awesome,” said senior linebacker Jeff McCormick, who made his first start of the season. “We were ready for it. Everybody acted as a team, and everybody was conscientious of what their job was and got it done. This was something we needed.”

The Saxons (1-1), who had lost to Lewis and Clark 18-10 in their season opener, play Shorecrest in an 8 p.m. nonleague game Friday at University High School.

LC’s streak snapped

Lewis and Clark had its 10-game Greater Spokane League winning streak snapped with a 24-21 loss at University.

The Tigers let the Titans, who had lost 11 straight games to LC, rally from a 14-0 deficit.

After trading punts to open the game, LC marched for a touchdown. But after Kevin Edwards handed the ball to Erik Coleman for a 6-yard TD sweep around left end, Edwards went down with a back injury.

Brian Lee, who was working at wide receiver, moved to quarterback. He guided the Tigers on a short touchdown drive, even hitting Jon Nelson for a 2-point conversion to make it 14-0.

However, the Titans, who scored just 20 points in losing their five previous games with LC, went on a long drive to close within 7 points five seconds before halftime.

U-Hi turned the second half kickoff into a field goal. Then Lee was drilled on a blitz. His pass went awry and was picked off by Chris Gross, who went 25-yards for the go-ahead score.

Edwards then replaced Lee.

“We lost some momentum, obviously, in the second quarter,” LC coach John Hook said. “It hurt playing two different quarterbacks. They were both hurt.”

University kept LC in check in the second half until Edwards directed a late scoring drive, hitting John Langan for a 28-yard TD.

LC had one final possession but couldn’t move the ball.

“We’re a young team, and University is playing with confidence,” Hook said. “They’re a talented team. Physically they’re a good football team.

“They played with poise.”

The defending league champions try to get back on track against Rogers at 5:45 p.m. Friday at Albi.

New soccer system at LC

New Lewis and Clark soccer coach Harlan Slind admits his system is hard to get used to.

He couldn’t even explain how it works.

But he’s pleased with how the Tigers are grasping the new ideas. LC won four of five nonleague games and opened the GSL season against Shadle Park on Wednesday.

The No. 1 thing, Slind said, is discipline.

“You have to see it,” he said of his setup. “You have to be in it for a while. It has some wrinkles to it.”

It’s a 4-4-2 formation, meaning there are four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards.

“Good teams can penetrate you, but if you know how to play and if you know how to not give up goals, you’re fine,” Slind said. “If we can keep everyone from not scoring, all we have to do is score one, and we win.”

Junior Sarah Bot says the team is adjusting to its new coach. Bot admitted she wasn’t sure what this season would be like. But things have gone better than she expected.

“We’re really good at working the ball around, and we’re starting to know how each other plays and who can do what,” said Bot, who plays center midfielder. “We have a good defense and offense, and we’re more balanced this season.”