GNL teams off to impressive start

How strong is the Great Northern League? Granted, these were non-league football games against teams from across a range of state enrollment classifications, but league teams scored nearly a clean sweep to open the season.

Seven of eight GNL teams won games and the only loss was West Valley’s 30-26 setback to visiting East Valley-Yakima, a top-16 State 2A finisher last year. It came on a fourth-quarter drive in which the winning touchdown was scored with 26 seconds remaining in the game.

The Eagles led 19-7 following a second-half opening drive and, after giving up 16 straight points, regained the advantage 26-23 on Tom Peterson‘s 17-yard sideline, tight-roping run midway through the fourth quarter.

Seven other teams won by an average victory margin of 24 points over teams from a variety of classifications.

Clarkston repeated last year’s victory over Washington, 33-7, this time on the road, Isaac Woodbury throwing for three touchdowns. Pullman beat Steilacoom 28-0, mainly on the ground, the Greyhounds with a 269-100 yardage edge.

Medical Lake routed Davenport 44-12, Joe Wilson scoring four touchdowns and 26 total points. Also, defensively tough Riverside upset Lakeland 14-10, a team that had thumped Bonner’s Ferry a week earlier in its opener; young Deer Park shut out Lake Roosevelt 32-0, Colville won easily over Tonasket 39-12 and Cheney beat Wapato 26-7, reversing last year’s 12-3 setback to that team.

Ward’s last go-round

Tonight’s first of two non-league Greater Spokane League volleyball matches this week marks the beginning of the final season as head coach at Ferris for Stacey Ward.

She announced her intention this fall to step down at the end of this year.

Ward, who helped turn the Saxons into a state championship winning program, is in her 18th season as head coach at Ferris.

She became head coach in 1990 and the Saxons have never finished lower than fifth in the GSL. From 1993 through 2001 they had five league titles (four straight between ‘96 and ‘99 when they lost only one league match) and were second three other times.

Included have been several state berths and six state trophies with the title in 1997 and seconds in ‘98 and 2001.

Ferris is at Mt. Spokane tonight and hosts East Valley on Thursday.

Matches of interest are Gonzaga Prep at Lewis and Clark tonight and the Tigers at Mead on Thursday, a rematch between last year’s top two state finishers.

While Ward’s long career is winding down, a couple others in the league are just beginning.

Rogers’ Rhett Lashbrook debuts tonight at home against East Valley and Mark Weis leads University at North Central.