Possible tie threatens race for third-place berth
Football playoff picture
“Oct. 16: The postseason play-in picture is clearing for Greater Spokane League and Columbia Basin League 4A teams except perhaps at that pesky third-place position.
But while East Valley has the GSL’s 3A play-in berth locked up, there were doings in the CBL when Kennewick upset West Valley-Yakima leading to the prospect of a three-way tie for second place.
Gonzaga Prep and Ferris are in for GSL play-in games as hosts on Nov. 4. Pasco and Moses Lake took the necessary steps last weekend to secure the top two spots in the CBL (which would bring Moses Lake to Albi Stadium against the Saxons.
Technically speaking, three teams, University, Lewis and Clark and Central Valley are still eligible for third place in GSL 4A. Eisenhower, Richland and Walla Walla could tie for third in the CBL.
Suffice it to say, if Lewis and Clark beats Gonzaga Prep next week, it is third. If not, wins by Ferris (over CV) and East Valley (over U-Hi) would eliminate a three-way GSL tie possibility. The ball would then be out of the Tigers’ court. U-Hi would need only to beat CV to advance by league criteria, thanks to North Central’s comeback win over Rogers last Friday.
“Oct. 13: Coaches like to say, “They’re high school kids,” when trying to explain the unpredictability of a high school sports contest. Nowhere was that more evident than last Thursday night’s 35-14 Ferris win over University.
A week earlier the Saxons had come off an emotional loss to Gonzaga Prep and played flat against Mead, getting just enough done to win 10-7. The Jared Karstetter you saw in that game – several drops of easily catchable footballs – wasn’t the Karstetter of previous games, or last night against the Titans. He added seven more catches for 113 yards, including a tough grab of a ball even though he had been held, to his GSL lead. That gives him 39 grabs for 546 yards, and he scored his third league TD (those totals don’t include an eight-catch, 174-yard night with two TDs he had in a nonleague outing against Shadle Park). Then, the athletic 6-foot-3-inch junior made like a quarterback and launched a perfect 44-yard strike to set up a score. Most of that distance came from his arm.
Soccer’s final week
“Oct. 12: OK, so the GSL soccer picture hasn’t come into clearer focus. If anything, things are closer than ever before. Ferris’ loss to Shadle Park, stunning by its 2-0 margin, has turned the league into a five-team title race.
(Update: Entering the final week of the season after Mead beat Mt. Spokane in a shootout on Friday and Gonzaga Prep beat University, the Panthers and Saxons were tied for first, Wildcats and Bullpups were a point behind and Shadle was three points back).
This week it was Prep at Mt. Spokane and Ferris at U-Hi on Wednesday. Mt. Spokane goes against Ferris and Shadle Park is at EV in key season-ending matches.
Nothing is for sure. Stay tuned.