Following losses, EV coach looks to ‘correct several issues’

The start of East Valley’s football season has a déjÀ vu feeling about it. At least Knights supporters hope so.

The Knights have begun with losses to Coeur d’Alene and Gonzaga Prep.

“Last year we started in the same boat,” said coach Adam Fisher, “and here we are again.”

Thereafter, EV lost only one other time until its season ended in the State 3A playoff quarterfinals.

About the only differences were the victory margins. EV’s games with Coeur d’Alene ended 35-14 in 2004 and 34-20 this year.

The Knights lost to the 4A semifinalist Bullpups 19-9 last year and 34-17 last week.

“I didn’t expect us to be here, but that’s where we are,” said Fisher, following the loss to a team that had to replace much of its lineup. “We need to correct several issues.”

Foremost was an inability to defend Gonzaga Prep’s running quarterback Matt Manix. His role was relatively simple, fake a dive handoff and keep the ball for long and largely uncontested gains.

“It was like we hadn’t practiced against the option all week,” said Fisher. “We just blew assignments.”

Corrections were made, but not before EV had given up 26 second-quarter points, 18 of them on touchdowns by Manix.

The Knights were without two-way starting tackle Austin Wardsworth, sidelined by an ankle sprain. That forced Tyler Jolley to tackle from tight end, and he missed a quarter with an ankle injury as well. Running back Tanner Hamilton went out with a leg injury before halftime and missed the rest of the game

Gonzaga had only five yards of first-quarter offense, but rushed for 243 in the second quarter, including 184 by Manix.

“That was definitely not the excuse for the outcome,” said Fisher. “We didn’t execute on defense. Offensively we shot ourselves in the foot. There were lots of mistakes on both sides of the ball that needed to be corrected. We’ll get there.”

This week East Valley is at Central Valley, and like last year this meeting is important for both teams. The Knight win last year was the springboard to EV’s 9-4 season. CV needs a victory to get untracked in the Greater Spokane League, something that never happened a year ago.

West Valley defeated Cheney 21-7 for coach Craig Whitney‘s first head coaching victory. It ended an 11-game Greater Spokane League losing streak and was just the fourth win for the Eagles since joining the league in 2002.

The others were against Rogers (twice) and North Central. And it was WV’s first victory over Cheney since October 2000. The Eagles host Lewis and Clark on Friday.

University, which was on the verge of a major upset before losing 10-7 to Ferris last week, hosts unbeaten Mead in another big Valley game.

Freshman runner shines

University girls cross country team returned its entire lineup from last year’s state qualifier.

Saturday’s All-Valley cross country meet at Liberty Lake County Park offered indications, however, that the status quo will likely be altered.

Freshman Stevie Gildehaus finished second in her race in 20 minutes, 19 seconds, and was the third fastest among Valley runners behind West Valley’s Larsen Agee (19:46) and East Valley’s Jo E. Mayer (19:53). Both are seniors.

Three runners from Idaho turned in the day’s fastest times, between 18:54 and 19:13, but, said new U-Hi coach Chrissy Francek, Gildehaus’ time was the best-ever at Liberty Lake by a U-Hi freshman.

“We didn’t lose anyone, and we have three Bowdish girls who are pretty strong,” Francek said. “The fact we have the freshmen and a lot of experienced girls, I think we can run with anyone.”

U-Hi had 11 girls who ran 22:40 or faster and six finished under 22 minutes on the hilly 3-mile course, including juniors Karen Owens and Rachel Fridye, who were at 20:58 and 21:02.

“I was really pleased with the way the girls performed,” said Francek. “I think our pack is even stronger than last year’s.”

Every Valley team had solid efforts from at least four runners during the race and appears improved.

During boys’ races, EV’s Nick Atwood ran the fastest time of 15:45, winning over WV’s Marc Smith by more than a minute in the senior race.

Central Valley’s Sean Coyle beat EV’s Tyler Thatcher 16:39 to 16:51 among juniors, CV sophomore Jayson Taylor beat WV’s Josh Gardner 16:40 to 17:05, and U-Hi freshman Anthony Brown beat Eagle Michael White 17:21 to 17:30 in their race.

The Bears’ top eight runners were separated by 49 seconds, between 16:39 and 17:28. WV’s top six were separated by 40 seconds, between 16:51 and 17:31. U-Hi’s top seven were separated by just 36 seconds between 17:12 and 17:48.