Sports notebook: Bears fall to Saxons
So near, yet so far.
Central Valley High School’s football team gave a spirited effort, leading unbeaten Ferris 13-7 at halftime, but the Bears were ultimately denied a share of the Greater Spokane League lead.
Three successive third-quarter turnovers doomed CV (6-2, 5-2) to a 24-13 loss Thursday night.
“It kind of took us out of the game plan we wanted,” said coach Rick Giampietri of the miscues. “We wanted to pound at them a little bit and hit them on the outside a little bit. I thought we had them on their heels.”
The Bears pounded Ferris inside with Taylor Price (63 yards) and Tyler Cochran (27). They added 114 through the air, including a Blake Bledsoe to William Davis connection for 48 yards that set up Price’s second-quarter touchdown.
CV’s defense came after the penalty impaired Saxons from a variety of sources, including the omnipresent Cochran, ends Jake Neumann and Pat Mealey, lineman Nick Boucher and safeties J.C. Agen and Greg Barnes.
But three lost fumbles and an interception hurt CV’s cause and the Saxons converted some long first downs in the second half to score three times during their comeback.
“If we get a stop there we’re in pretty good shape,” said Giampietri, “and we have a chance.”
The Bears need victory over rival University (4-3, 3-3) next week to assure at least a share of third place and possible tiebreaker with Mead for the Greater Spokane League’s final play-in game for state against the champion of the Columbia Basin League.
Eagles fate in hands
West Valley’s Great Northern League football 2A state play-in fate rests in its own hands.
The Eagles stunned Cheney 49-20 last week and needed a win over Riverside last night and again next week against Deer Park to assure a top-four finish in league.
“(Last) Friday was big. The kids played well, the coaches had a great plan, and fortunately we got some breaks,” said coach Craig Whitney.
Andy Vennum had a 78-yard interception return for a touchdown, caught a 33-yard pass from Bryan Peterson – one of four Peterson touchdown passes – and scored on the ground during the win.
Peterson threw for 261 yards, giving him 1,653 for the season and 16 TDs. Parker Flynn had five catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
Titan softball repeats
University’s slowpitch softball team repeated its district championship, but Central Valley proved a team to reckon with.
In a classic game, the Titans prevailed 10-9 in nine innings. They led 4-0 after an inning, the Bears caught up by the third frame and twice led by two runs in the top of an inning, only to have U-Hi catch up.
CV scored twice for a 9-7 lead in the eighth, the Titans tied in the bottom of the inning and won it in the ninth. Both teams had 18 hits.
Four Bears, Becky White, Brietta Buechler, Alyssa Erickson and Hailey Saxby, who homered, had three hits each. Eleven different Titans hit safely, including Shaina Marvel, also with three.
U-Hi is now 31-1 in two years of slowpitch competition.
Ali Warren hit .674, Rikki Schiermeister .553, Lexi Obenchain .543, Bre Warren .536, Amanda Hickman .531 and Marvel .514 during league play
Postseason next
Teams and runners in a variety of sports are gearing up for the start of post-season net week.
Volleyball: University defeated East Valley on Thursday to finish 6-4 and in fourth place in the GSL. The Titans, who rebounded for first-year coach Mark Weis following a down year, host Central Valley Tuesday in the first round of the double-elimination District 8 4A tournament. It continues Wednesday then moves to Mt. Spokane Saturday to determine four regional teams … The Knights (5-5) play North Central next Saturday in a loser-out/winner to regional 3A … West Valley (11-1) went five games to defeat Pullman and reverse an earlier setback. The Eagles play in Colville on Tuesday for the Great Northern League regular season championship.