Ferris, G-Prep remain unbeaten
Gonzaga Prep was explosive early, Ferris unyielding, and when Friday night’s football doubleheader before 5,557 at Albi Stadium was over, both had held on and were 3-0 in the Greater Spokane League.
G-Prep took advantage of mistakes in the Mt. Spokane punting game to build an early lead and stymie the Wildcats 21-7 in the nightcap.
Earlier, the Saxons stopped Mead’s usually potent offense in a 24-13 win.
Last year, Mead rolled over the Saxons 49-21 en route to the GSL title, but this was a different chapter – a chapter written by a Ferris defense that had a statement to make.
“We had something to prove after last year,” said Ferris defensive end Cameron Elisara, who had three sacks despite getting double-teamed most of the night. “We knew if we lost tonight people would say we hadn’t done anything. We won and now people will be taking us seriously.”
They should, although the Panthers were without Skylar Jessen, who rushed for 326 yards (seventh best all-time in the GSL) and scored five touchdowns against the Saxons last year. Jessen rolled his right ankle in last week’s 38-12 win over University and was in street clothes Friday.
“It’s a whole different team than last year so I don’t think (last year’s Mead win) meant that much, except to the kids who are back,” Ferris coach Clarence Hough said. “We got thumped pretty good, and honestly, our kids were hoping Skylar would play, because they had something to prove. Our defense stepped up tonight and played like monsters.”
Especially in the first half.
The Saxons held Mead to minus-10 yards total offense in the first quarter and 39 yards at the intermission. By then, Caleb Rath had teamed with Byron Stevens for a 9-yard TD pass, Kyle Yonago had kicked a 22-yard field goal and Steve Stockton had returned an interception 14 yards for another score for Ferris.
Sandwiched in was Mead’s lone first-half score, a 4-yard run by Eric Regalado, playing in Jessen’s spot. The Saxons’ only turnover, a poor option pitch by Rath recovered by Paul Senescall, set up the Panthers at the 4.
Mead picked up the pace after halftime behind Andy DeFelice’s passing (he was 8 of 15 overall for 108 yards after completing just one in the first half) and Regalado’s 2-yard TD run. But the Panthers hurt themselves all night with penalties, being flagged 12 times for 101 yards.
Ferris worked to kill the clock after halftime, with Rath and Ryan Murphy finishing with 21 and 24 carries, respectively. Murphy had a game-high 104 rushing yards.
The passing game was secondary, with Rath, who had thrown for 380 yards in the first two wins, netting only 77, although he was 7 of 7.
The win boosted Ferris’ record to 3-0 in the GSL for the first time since 1988, while Mead dropped to 1-2 in league, 1-3 overall.
Gonzaga Prep 21, Mt. Spokane 7
When Billy Karwacki hit Brandon Kennedy for an 80-yard TD pass early in the second quarter, it marked the fourth time this year they had hooked up.
But this one was special as Karwacki threw off his back foot and still the ball carried some 55 yards in the air, hitting Kennedy in stride at the Mt. Spokane 35. From there, Kennedy shook off a tackle and took it to the end zone.
Although there were another 34 minutes to play, that was the end of the scoring.
The Bullpups’ (4-0 overall, 3-0 in the GSL) first two scores had come following a blocked punt and a botched punt snap, both giving Prep possession inside the Wildcats’ 20-yard line.
“That was the game right there,” G-Prep coach Dave Carson said of the two punt plays. “Special teams won the game. We were lucky enough to get a short field twice and we took advantage. After that, our offense kept shooting itself in the foot.”
The loss dropped Mt. Spokane to 0-3 in league play (1-3 overall) for only the second time in the school’s history.