Quick hits

Living the dream

The decision of Ferris football receiver Jared Karstetter to become a Washington State Cougars football player was the fulfillment of a goal.

“It’s always been a dream to play in the Pac-10,” the Saxons’ three-sport standout said.

Karstetter was last year’s Greater Spokane League basketball MVP, but he said he always liked football more “ever since I was a kid.” Karstetter has 133 pass receptions for 1,859 yards and 21 touchdowns overall. His 54 catches and 765 yards as a junior were third most for a single league season in both categories. He had the second-most yards, 1,464 over three GSL seasons.

He said the Cougars told him he would play an outside receiver.

Cunningham set for surgery

Jarek Cunningham was on crutches watching the Mt. Spokane’ girls soccer match Tuesday night, his left leg strapped into one of those fabric casts indicative of a knee injury.

The Wildcats’ standout shortstop, committed to play at Arizona State, has a torn ACL and will undergo surgery Nov. 15. He was injured during a fall basketball league game.

“I came down on it wrong on a layup,” Cunningham said. “No one was around me.”

Cunningham played basketball as a freshman and sophomore, but did not play last year because of winter baseball travel commitments. He was set to return and play point guard for the Wildcats.

The surgery and resulting rehabilitation will not only cost him the basketball season, but likely the baseball season. He said he could to be back playing by May, but probably not until summer.

“(Arizona State) said it happens so often it’s not a big deal and to take my time,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham is one of an exceptionally large number of GSL baseball players who will go on to Division I schools.

It’s a push

At the beginning of the season Great Northern League football coaches risked a guaranteed third berth to state – which the league gets every other year – and agreed to a play-in series against the CWAC.

Colville coach Randy Cornwell said he initially was against it, figuring the CWAC thought it would have the upper hand, but went along. Tuesday night the Indians whipped Selah to secure the berth it originally would have gained outright through league play and proved the worth of the GNL.

Pairings are set: Clarkston (9-1) travels to Prosser (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m.; Colville (9-2) is at Othello (7-3) and Ephrata (9-2) is at Pullman (10-0), both Saturday, 1 p.m.

First-round rematch

Lakeside is home Saturday for a first-round State 1A football rematch. The Eagles (9-1) host the Royal Knights (10-1), a team that brings back nine who played in that game.

Last year Royal won 31-7, pulling away late, but that was a year when the Eagles had reached state after finishing fourth in the Northeast A League. This year they play as league champs. Game time is 1 p.m.

Here we go again

Early in the year Lind-Ritzville (7-2) lost 14-6 at defending State 2B football champion Asotin on a fourth-quarter TD and two-point conversion. The teams meet again at 7 p.m. Friday in the first round of state, this time at Ritzville.

In other games, Northeast 2B League champ Reardan (8-1) opens at home against Kittitas (7-2), a team Lind-Ritzville beat 13-7 in the fourth quarter of their season opener. Davenport (4-6) goes to La Salle (6-4).

Eight-man rumble

It isn’t officially state tournament play, but this weekend’s 1B district 8-man football games may as well be.

Five games will decide five of the eight state qualifying teams. The last nine titlists and 28 of 34 overall have come from the survivors of these playoffs.

On Friday, Northeast No. 4 Columbia is at Southeast No. 2 Colton-Pullman Christian; Southeast No. 3 Tri-Cities Prep is at Northeast No. 3 Cusick; and Northeast No. 5 Pateros is at Southeast No. 1 Touchet, all 6 p.m. Southeast No. 5 LaCrosse-Washtucna is at Northeast No. 1 Odessa, 7 p.m. On Saturday, Southeast No. 4 Garfield-Palouse is at Northeast No. 2 Almira/Coulee-Hartline.

In case you missed it

Mead’s soccer team was eliminated in the final moments of 4A play, Mt. Spokane in 3A travels Saturday to play at West Valley-Yakima, 1 p.m. and three GNL teams reached the round of eight in 2A. Pullman hosts Burlington-Edison, 2 p.m. Saturday and West Valley is at Cheney, 1 p.m. Saturday.