In case you missed it …
Hope springs eternal before the first games of a football season. After the first weekend, reality sets in.
Gonzaga Prep, Mead and East Valley did nothing to dispel the notion that they are again the Greater Spokane League favorites.
Theirs were among four convincing outcomes in six games featuring Greater Spokane League schools. In three of the six the winners each scored over the half-century mark.
East Valley scored 43 points in the first half of a 50-14 win over Rogers, their first season-opening victory in four years.
“It’s nice to be 1-0,” said coach Adam Fisher. “The last two years we started 0-2.”
Mead trailed early against Shadle Park, then ripped off 56 unanswered points, 42 by intermission, for a 56-7 win. Former Mt. Spokane player Matt Johnson, who shared quarterback, completed 5 of 6 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Last year he was 14 for 29 with 195 yards and one TD in six games with the Wildcats.
Gonzaga Prep’s unrelenting defense limited Mt. Spokane to 122 total yards in a 30-7 victory. The effort pleased coach Dave Carson, who credited the defensive front. His concern is the loss for an undetermined period of time of Luke Sicilia to a shoulder injury. He said the Bullpups were already thin at linebacker and fullback.
Another high-scoring game was University’s 53-27 loss in Coeur d’Alene. The good news? It was a non-league game.
It’s gotta be the shoes
Lewis and Clark’s Mathew Henry Proost, sporting bright orange shoes, burned Central Valley’s secondary for two long pass receptions, one for 34 yards and the other for 35 to set up both touchdowns in the Tigers’ 13-11 victory.
Was it the shoes? “It was the player,” said coach Tom Yearout.
The Tigers had several opportunities for pass interceptions in the week’s most thrilling GSL game. On one play, the ball bounced off a defender into CV receiver Sean Thompson’s hands. The Bears touchdown came when a Tiger defender went for the ball instead of playing it safe.
That only made for an interesting finish in which a 27-yard CV completion to LC’s 23 was nullified by a penalty and the visitors hung on.
Their reward? Friday night’s date against Mead, 8:30 p.m. at Joe Albi Stadium.
“I’m pretty sure I know what that’s going to be like,” said Yearout of the stern test.
Auspicious GNL Start
East Valley-Yakima – seven state 2A football playoffs in the last eight years. Final score at home against West Valley – Eagles 26, Red Devils 12.
Then there was Clarkston 50, 3A Washington, 8; Colville 26, Tonasket 0; Pullman 36, Steilacoom 7, all but Clarkston’s win on the road.
Pretty impressive and it looks like fans are in for one whale of an entertaining season when Great Northern League encounters begin in the fourth week.
Although WV and EV-Yakima ran nearly identical number of plays (58 WV, 56 EV), the Eagles had a 460-to-269 total offensive advantage.
Camron Bowman accounted for 219 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Bryan Peterson was an efficient 13 for 18 for 233 yards. With the score just 13-12, he had two second-half touchdown passes.
Linebacker Corey Lewis was in on 17 tackles (8 solo), Tim Pring had 11 (7) and Bowman 10 (8).
“We played sloppy and I was not real happy,” said coach Craig Whitney. “But we made the plays that needed to be made.”
Sometimes stats not enough
Freeman outgained Kettle Falls 216 yards to 66 in a Northeast A League football game, but lost 14-13 when Jakobi Bradeen recovered a fumble and ran 71 yards for a touchdown and Luke Fox converted a two-point conversion.
Score of the week
Prosser 69, Southridge 7.