U-Hi can’t stop LC runners

Any average armchair coach could look down in the second half and know exactly what Lewis and Clark was going to run offensively.

Either the fullback was going up the middle or the halfback was going outside.

When the Tigers went outside with a rejuvenated Ethen Robinson, University didn’t have a chance. The senior carried 20 times for a season-high 210 yards and three touchdowns in Lewis and Clark’s 28-13 second-half comeback win over the host Titans (3-5, 3-4).

LC’s rushing attack was keyed by an offensive line that, according to head coach Tom Yearout, had not controlled the line of scrimmage all season.

“I think we did a better job up front and No. 22 (Robinson) ran with some energy,” Yearout said. “You probably could guess what was coming, but you have to be able to run the football in high school and tonight we did that with some consistency.”

In addition to Robinson, fullbacks Tyler Nanny and Alex Shaw combined for 81 yards on 15 carries while clearing the way for Robinson on sweeps to the outside.

Robinson broke a 71-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give LC (5-2, 5-2) a 7-3 lead, and the Titans came back with a 24-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Danny Jordan to tight end Clint Moquist, who broke several tackles on his way into the end zone.

U-Hi opened the second half with a field goal, but that would be the last Titans score, as they turned the ball over four times in the second half (six overall).

On LC’s second possession of the second half, the Tigers went 65 yards in 12 plays, including a rare pass on fourth-and-6 when Michael Kugler hit Matt Proost for 13 yards, one of four Tigers completions. Robinson finished the drive with a 1-yard score.

The offensive line, Robinson and the fullbacks continued to blow the Titans off the line of scrimmage the rest of the way.

With a one-point lead, Shaw recovered a fumble in Tigers territory, and LC went on a seven-play, 75-yard drive, which Nanny finished with a 6-yard touchdown run. Robinson set that up by breaking a 27-yarder on a stretch play left, when he found a little opening behind Nanny and accelerated into the secondary.

After another U-Hi fumble, LC had to go only 40 yards, with Robinson polishing off the Titans. From the 12-yard line, U-Hi got penetration and had Robinson stacked up in the backfield, but he escaped and strolled into the end zone.

“I kind of had to bounce back. I didn’t do my fair share in the Mead game,” said Robinson, who had only 47 yards in a 26-0 loss to the undefeated Panthers. “It’s a lot of motivation because if I’m going to be a good player I have to step up in the big games, so I kind of had to overdo it a bit.”

Robinson had averaged only 4.4 yards a carry this season, while playing with turf toe and a shoulder injury. He picked up 1,156 yards and scored 16 touchdowns last year for the Tigers, third in the league in rushing yardage and second in scoring.

“My legs are kind of back,” Robinson said, and he’ll need them as the Tigers finish the season with games against Gonzaga Prep and Ferris. “My fullbacks did a hell of a job of taking the first person all night, so it wasn’t too hard. I just made moves and ran hard and fast.”

U-Hi sophomore running back Tyler Carlson, who only had 17 carries in six GSL games coming in, ran 28 times for 112 yards to lead the Titans offensively.

Central Valley 28, Mt. Spokane 3

Tyler Demars and Zach Evans combined to rush for 228 yards as the Bears (6-2, 5-2) defeated visiting Mt. Spokane (3-5, 2-5).

For CV, it’s the first time the school has beaten the Wildcats since 2000, breaking a four-game losing streak. This win is the Bears’ fifth straight after a 1-2 start.

Brad Johnson caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Cameron Ebat for CV, and Johnson picked up Patrick Mealey’s blocked punt and raced 50 yards for another score.

CV outgained Mt. Spokane 289-89 on the ground, but the Wildcats picked up 139 passing yards from the combination of Kyle Redmon and Matt Johnson.

Mead 42, North Central 21

Fourth-ranked Mead (8-0, 7-0) raced out to a 21-0 lead, and coasted behind 317 yards and three touchdowns through the air from quarterback Andrew DeFelice at Joe Albi Stadium.

DeFelice scored the Panthers’ first touchdown on a 26-yard run, and threw a touchdown to Nick Proen and two to Andy Mattingly.

Mattingly also returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown.

NC (1-7, 1-6) was led by running back Shane Thomas, who carried 31 times for 175 yards and a touchdown.

Ferris 41, Clarkston 6

Anthony Zachery blew up against the Bantams, carrying the ball only 10 times but picking up 251 yards and four touchdowns at Albi.

Zachery had touchdown runs of 32, 82, 59 and 28, and quarterback Caleb Rath added 146 yards on the ground for the Saxons (6-2, 5-2), including 51- and 73-yard runs for touchdowns.

Ferris averaged 12 yards a carry, including three 50-plus rushing scores against the Bantams (2-6, 2-5).

East Valley 35, West Valley 21

The Knights, ranked ninth in 3A, beat West Valley behind 194 yards and three touchdowns from Scott Campbell at East Valley.

Campbell scored in the second quarter to give EV (6-2, 6-1) a 14-7 lead, then found the end zone twice in the third quarter on runs of 40 and 72 yards to put the game out of reach.

West Valley’s Bryan Peterson set a GSL record with 56 pass attempts, breaking Jim Dorr’s record of 51, which Peterson also tied last week. Dorr set the record in 1977 at Rogers.

Peterson completed 22 of those passes for the Eagles (2-6, 2-5) and racked up 301 yards through the air. WV was outgained 283 to minus-39 on the ground.

Gonzaga Prep 43, Rogers 8

Gonzaga Prep led 36-0 at the half as the 10th-ranked Bullpups (7-1, 6-1) routed visiting Rogers (0-8, 0-7).

G-Prep’s Conner Hare and Max Manix both carried for 100 yards in the win.

Hare rushed eight times for 101 yards and three touchdowns, and Manix added 100 yards on five carries. As a team, the Bullpups rushed for 354 yards on 44 attempts.