Bullpups to take on Wolves, who boast familiar name
There’s a distinct Eastlake connection to Gonzaga Prep when the Wolves come to Spokane Saturday for a State 4A football quarterfinal game against the Bullpups.
Junior running back Taylor Lappano is son of Prep graduate Tim Lappano, a Bullpups Hall of Fame member who remains ninth among single season Greater Spokane League rushers with 1,299 yards, a figure he compiled in 1974 to be No. 1 at the time.
While Taylor, who rushed for 364 yards and had 76 yards receiving, is busy against his dad’s alma mater, Dad will be busy in Pullman. Tim is offensive coordinator at Washington.
In case you missed it, Gonzaga advanced to Saturday’s game with a wild Friday night 32-26 overtime victory against Moses Lake. The Bullpups trailed 26-10 at half, but maintained life when the Chiefs missed three extra points on a miserable rainy and windy night. Smothering defense stonewalled Moses Lake’s offense in the second half of the comeback victory.
Eastlake (9-2) is a passing team and one of three from the KingCo League still playing this week. The others are Bothell and last year’s state second-place finisher Woodinville, a 14-0 winner over previously unbeaten Tahoma.
Colville rambles on
Colville continues to chase a 40-year legacy after winning its school record 11th straight game. A team in the early 1960s finished unbeaten before there were state playoffs and nearly was unscored upon.
The Indians led 21-0 after a quarter in a 38-12 thumping of Othello and six different players scored.
Next up on Saturday, is Tumwater (10-1), which waxed Steilacoom 55-7 (Pullman beat Steilacoom 36-7 in its season opener).
Tumwater’s only loss came against 4A playoff qualifier Olympia and the team beat 3A playoff team Timberline in non-league games.
Reardan in biggie
Davenport and Reardan are on the road this week for the second round of the State 2B football playoffs, none bigger than the Indians’ trip to Yakima against La Salle.
They have been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in state all season and this could be for the state championship.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” said Reardan coach Eric Nikkola. “But this is a big game. Whoever wins this is definitely one of the top teams in state.”
Reardan is 10-0, La Salle 11-0 and both will rely on the legs of their two-back offense to see who moves on.
Davenport (10-1) will be at Asotin (7-3), a team that has won seven in a row including 14-13 over Ritzville on Friday in its state opener.
Dominance rests here
The strength of state volleyball teams in Eastern Washington, including Spokane, relative to the rest of the state was akin to the dominance by local cross country teams the weekend before.
The Mead dynasty won its fourth straight state 4A championship with a new-look team, beating fellow Greater Spokane League foe Lewis and Clark for the title. And the seventh best GSL team, Shadle Park, was eighth-best in state.
Defending state 2A champion Pullman ran into a loaded reclassification tournament, but still finished third.
The Northeast A League, like the GSL, had the top two teams and three placers. Colfax won its third straight title and eighth overall in 11 finals appearances, over Lakeside. Chewelah reached the semifinals before settling for sixth.
Wilbur-Creston (second), Davenport (third) and Lind-Ritzville (eighth) in from the Bi-County League won trophies in 2B.
And in 1B, Sprague-Harrington, Curlew, Tekoa-Oakesdale, Inchelium, Northport and LaCrosse-Washtucna were first-through-sixth.
In good company
Mead’s girls soccer team, taking a shoot-out page from the Panthers boys book last spring, is headed to the State 4A semifinals.
Mead’s boys won four shootout victories to qualify for the state final four last spring. New girls coach Jason Johnson copied the formula.
The Panthers girls have played in four straight shootouts, winning three. Saturday they shocked unbeaten Richland 3-2 to advance.
Joining Mead at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood Friday is Cheney, which is making its first 2A semifinal. Cheney plays at noon, Mead at 8 p.m.