Football games start next week

Football players have spent the past two weeks surviving heat and two-a-day practices readying themselves for the start of the 2006-07 high school sports season.

Greater Spokane League debuts its new (old) 11-team look and East Valley gets first dibs playing on newly installed Field Turf at Joe Albi Stadium on Thursday.

The Knights, 9-3 last year and first-round 3A playoff loser to state champion Ferndale, open against speedy Rogers as they begin their quest for a third straight postseason appearance.

“We’re going to be fine,” coach

Adam Fisher

said. “These are seniors who have won 18 games and played in five playoffs, none bigger than last year.”

The expectation to play late in the year is there.

Playing a GSL game on the first day of the season hasn’t happened for a while and teams need to be ready. None have a bigger start than Central Valley, a 4A playoff team last year.

The Bears host annual playoff aspirant Lewis and Clark on Friday. And expected quarterback starter Luke Clift is still nursing the effects of knee surgery.

Whether he can play, said coach Rick Giampietri, “It’s got to be one of those deals where he can sprint well on Thursday and make a cut.”

University got lucky with a first-round bye and will be at Coeur d’Alene, where a young team can work out the kinks.

“We’ve got a tough opener, which is good,” said coach Mike Ganey. “The learning curve goes up after the first game.”

The following Friday is a GSL home-game opener against Shadle Park.

The new, and exciting, Great Northern League era begins for West Valley, but not before the team has three nonleague games.

The Eagles are at East Valley-Yakima next Friday and in Stevensville, Montana the following week.

“Our kids are excited about the opportunities that are ahead of them,” said coach Craig Whitney.

Watch for full football previews in next Thursday’s Valley Voice followed by preview of other sports.

Other fall sports began practicing Monday.

One change this fall is the addition of CV, EV and U-Hi to slow pitch softball making the GSL an eight-team league. First of 14 games are Sept. 14 with an end-of-season league playoff among the top six finishers.

Nonleague cross country begins Sept. 9 with the annual All-Valley meet. GSL soccer teams are scrambling to fill nonleague schedules now that league is just 10 matches, beginning Sept. 13.

Volleyball teams will have two nonleague outings against league foes before Sept. 12 counters begin.