NC holds off Rogers
For a game featuring teams with but one win between them, Thursday night’s North Central-Rogers Greater Spokane League contest at Albi Stadium carried plenty of weight.
The Pirates were attempting to exorcise a GSL losing streak that had reached 30 games. The Indians had grander dreams.
Led by fullback Anthony Elbert’s season-high 116 yards, NC extended the Pirates’ losing streak to 31 with a 21-12 triumph and put itself within sight of a postseason playoff game.
“This was gigantic,” said Elbert. “It’s the biggest win in NC history.”
Exaggeration, maybe, but he was deadly serious.
The Indians (2-5 overall, 2-4 in the GSL) gave themselves a realistic chance to be the league’s second entrant into the GSL-Columbia Basin playoff series that determines two of three berths into the State 3A tournament.
Entering the game, Elbert had gained 48 yards in five previous outings. Against Rogers he was a key performer, racing 67 yards late in the first quarter to set up NC’s first score and wipe out the Pirates’ 6-0 lead.
After intermission, he packed the football five times and caught one pass for a total of 45 yards on a drive that covered 56 yards and produced the game’s final touchdown.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Elbert said. “They just gave me the ball and I did what I could.”
The loss was a bitter pill for Rogers (0-6, 0-6), which had made it look easy while rolling 75 yards on the ground during the game’s first possession. During the drive, Rogers turned to power back Marcus Babcock, who ripped off runs of 18 and 20 yards to set up his 3-yard TD with 7 minutes, 52 seconds to play.
After falling behind 14-6 as a result of NC’s David Butler scoring early in the second quarter, the Pirates’ Babcock was at it again. He had runs of 14 and 16 yards, the latter for the score less than two minutes later. He finished with 114 yards on 14 attempts.
The Indians scored their third touchdown, and Butler’s second, after recovering an onside kick to start the third quarter. NC maintained ball control thereafter, helped when Rogers fumbled away two opportunities.
“In games like this,” said NC coach Grady Emmerson, “you hope both teams walk away with some accomplishment and hopefully play a game for four quarters where kids get to see the excitement. I understand the situation they’re in, but it was one of those things where somebody has to win.”
That somebody was NC.
Emmerson said that Elbert, who also is an Indians linebacker, has not carried the ball much this season because opposing teams have chosen to plug the middle with their defenses, making it difficult for the fullback to run.
“The fullback is supposed to bust big plays, but it’s been tough to run inside,” he said. “Whatever the reason tonight, the defense they were in we kept running it. They were blitzing inside and we rode Anthony’s back.”
The last postseason game for NC was 30 years ago with Ryne Sandberg at quarterback, although the Indians would have qualified a couple of times in the early 1990s under the expanded regional format that began in 1996. So to make it this year would be significant.
“We preach that records don’t matter – we know we’re in a tough league,” said Emmerson. “I know we’re not guaranteed, but this puts us in a good position. We’re just trying to do what we can and hopefully we can make it.”
Central Valley 42, Shadle Park 12: Following a slow start, the host Bears (6-1, 5-1) tuned up for next week’s showdown game with first-place Ferris with a huge second quarter.
CV scored 34 points that included a 25-yard pass reception by Tyler Cochran and culminated in his 62-yard run for two scores. He finished with 123 yards on four attempts. Taylor Price gained 120 yards and scored twice, including a 42-yard dash.
The Bears rolled up 400 yards on the ground. They finished with 515 yards of total offense to 123 for the Highlanders (1-6, 1-5).