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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Prep rallies, beats EV


Prep quarterback Max Manix took over the game in the second quarter. 
 (Holly Pickett / The Spokesman-Review)

Pssst! In case no one was paying attention, Gonzaga Prep’s No. 12 will run the football.

For a quarter, the East Valley Knights weren’t, and junior quarterback Max Manix shredded them for 189 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the second quarter to lead the Bullpups to a stunning 34-17 triumph.

Victory came just four days after Gonzaga’s season-opening 26-0 non-league win over Bellarmine Prep in Seattle.

The outcome left Gonzaga Prep coach Dave Carson speechless in the team’s post-game huddle.

“I was flabbergasted,” Carson said.

East Valley held the ball for 10 minutes of the first quarter, producing 51 yards on its game-opening drive, which was more than Prep had given up in the entire Bellarmine game.

The Knights kicked a field goal before quarter’s end and scored on the first play of the second period for a 10-0 lead.

After that, the Prep defense became its stubborn self, while the points on the offensive side came fast and furious, abetted by EV penalties and turnovers.

Prep ran just 16 plays and amassed 26 points by relying on Manix on the dive option keeper. He kept for 55 of the Bullpups’ initial 80-yard march. Included was a 44-yard dash capped by a pitch to Cory Piper.

Following a fumble recovery, Manix carried three times for 36 yards and his first score.

EV regained the lead when Ryan Campbell picked up a bouncing kickoff at the 2-yard line and ran untouched for the host team’s final score.

It took just over a minute for Manix to score again – this time on an 18-yard keeper – and, following an interception, he capped the scoring outburst with a 20-yard run that followed another 44-yard sprint.

He was touched on only one of his 10 rushes.

“It’s not me, man,” said Manix. “I just run through the holes, it’s all easy with open space. All you’ve got to do is run.”

“They kind of stuffed us and we started running the option,” he said. “It’s assignment football, they were committing nine to the box and once we got through there was no one but the backside safety.”

The Knights, who had a touchdown on their first drive called back, found moving the ball difficult thereafter, gaining just 66 yards from the second quarter into the fourth until a late ill-fated drive.

“It was like we hadn’t practiced the option all week,” said EV coach Adam Fisher. “Obviously they had a good thing going and it didn’t take rocket science to figure out you should stick with it.”

West Valley 21, Cheney 6

The Eagles won for the first time since the last week of the 2003 season and gave second-year coach Craig Whitney his first victory.

WV rushed for 201 yards, with Phillip Gannon gaining 106 on 12 carries. He scored in the first quarter and Camron Bowman in the second for a 14-0 halftime lead.

The Eagles lost in overtime to Mt. Spokane last week and limited the Blackhawks to 180 yards of offense in their second home game.

Ferris 10, University 7

Coming off a 42-point win on Monday, the Saxons found the going considerably tougher at U-Hi.

They needed Pat Burke’s 29-yard field goal with 2:41 to play in the game and an interception by C.J. Patrick to escape.

Ferris trailed 7-0 when Blake Kenworthy gathered in a deflected Danny Jordan pass that had bounced off a prone Ferris defender, to complete the 50-yard second-quarter scoring play.