Then there were 2
What now is two will soon be one.
Unbeaten Gonzaga Prep bullied host University on Friday night, capitalizing on several miscues to hand the Titans their first loss in Greater Spokane League play with a 38-6 victory in a high school football game.
The Bullpups (4-0, 3-0 GSL) kept pace with first-place Ferris in the GSL standings and trail the Saxons by a half-game headed into next Friday’s anticipated matchup between the two undefeated schools at Joe Albi Stadium.
U-Hi (2-2, 2-1) had been the only other GSL team remaining undefeated in league play, but the Titans discovered there is room to grow before the team can consider itself in the league’s upper echelon. Two mistakes before halftime led to 14 points for G-Prep, and three fumbles in the second half permitted the Bullpups to blow the game open.
After teammate David Kries recovered a fumble at the Titans 19, G-Prep quarterback Max Manix found John McKenna open in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown pass two plays later for a 7-0 lead 7 minutes into the contest.
U-Hi appeared to have forced a punt on G-Prep’s next possession, but a personal foul whistled against a Titans player turned a fourth-and-13 situation into a first down at the Bullpups 47. Manix completed two passes and added a 10-yard run to put G-Prep in position for Johnny Jones’ 1-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead with 9 minutes remaining in the half.
G-Prep has made a habit of jumping out to big leads against opposition, its dominance in the first two quarters a big reason why the Bullpups have outscored opponents 153-34 this year.
“Most of our starters are back from last year, and we’ve been playing together for a while,” said McKenna, who caught two passes for 34 yards. “We’re playing as a team.”
U-Hi sliced the Bullpups’ advantage to 14-6 when receiver Ken Wood got behind the defense to secure a 69-yard touchdown pass from Dan Jordan. G-Prep blocked the point-after attempt.
Junior kicker Mat Barker gave the Bullpups a 17-6 lead in the third quarter with a 31-yard field goal. The Titans fumbled the ensuing kickoff, though, and handed the ball to G-Prep at the U-Hi 18. Manix weaved his way through the Titans defense on a 12-yard scamper two plays later to boost his team’s lead to 24-6 with 6:21 left in the third quarter.
Jones scored a second touchdown on a 2-yard plunge for a 31-6 lead late in the third quarter.
Manix rumbled for a 58-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to highlight a 20-carry, 167-yard night. But he struggled throwing the ball for a second consecutive week following his 3-for-9, 38-yard passing performance against Central Valley. Manix completed 6 of 17 for 74 yards.
Manix said he’s aware of what kind of performance will be necessary from him for the Bullpups to walk away from next week’s showdown against Ferris.
“We have to be able to throw the ball,” Manix said. “Teams have to respect our passing game so we can run. The last two games for me haven’t been the greatest, but we’ve come out of them with a W, and that’s all that matters.”
Mead 28, East Valley 24: The Panthers (2-2, 2-1), unable to close out games in the fourth quarter this season, did so against the Knights.
Glen Reser threw touchdowns to Luke Hattrup and Robbie Knuth to rally the Panthers to their “must” victory.
EV (2-2) had led 17-6 at intermission and was up 24-14 in the fourth quarter as Ryan Campbell rushed for 139 yards and had a 94-yard kickoff return for one of his three touchdowns.
Reser was 7 for 14 for 108 yards and Matt Johnson was 10 for 19 for 106. Between them Hattrup and Knuth had 10 catches.
Lewis and Clark 34, Mt. Spokane 24: The Wildcats (1-3) piled up nearly 440 yards of offense, including 210 rushing from Brandon Jared, but two early Tigers (3-1) touchdowns held up at Joe Albi Stadium.
Quarterback Taylor Eglet hit Pete Arneson and Alex Gauper on scoring passes for a 14-0 first-quarter lead. LC led 21-3 at halftime and weathered Mt. Spokane’s comeback thanks to Garrett Saiki’s second touchdowns, a 48-yard run. He finished with 99 rushing yards. Matt Henry-Proost, who was injured last week, was back to catch four passes for 100 yards for LC.
Central Valley 41, North Central 13: Shon Davis rushed 18 times for 199 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Luke Clift was 11 for 16 for 185 yards more and two scores as the host Bears (2-2) won easily over the Indians (0-4).
Ferris 35, Shadle Park 14: Jeff Minnerly threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns in the Saxons’ (4-0, 3-0) non-league win against the Highlanders (1-3, 1-2) at Albi Stadium. Minnerly connected twice for scores with Jared Karstetter. Karstetter had eight catches for 174 yards and threw a 57-yard TD strike as well.