Wins hard to come by for West Valley
West Valley’s overtime football loss in Pullman on Friday was the proverbial heartbreaker, a missed extra point after tying the game in regulation proving costly to the Eagles.
And a huge victory it would have been in a game between Great Northern League playoff hopefuls. Despite terrific offensive numbers, it’s been hard to get over the victory hump.
Parker Flynn had eight receptions for 179 yards and three touchdowns. In four games this season he has piled up 586 yards on 26 receptions (a 22.5 yard-per-game average) and six TDs. Included was a catch for the tying score in the fourth quarter after the host Greyhounds rallied from a 21-13 deficit to lead 27-21 on two Lance Keithley runs.
WV quarterback Bryan Peterson has thrown for 922 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s completed 53 of 95 passes and had only two interceptions.
But the Eagles are 0-1 in the GNL and 1-3 overall. They host Colville on Friday.
The Indians, a 48-15 winner over Medical Lake, and Clarkston, which beat Deer Park 46-19 in their GNL debuts, both join Pullman at 4-0 overall.
Health the key
A State 1B football quarterfinalist last year (losing in the epic 92-68 game to eventual state champion St. John-Endicott), Odessa has been impressive in four games this season.
Following Saturday’s 56-6 win over unbeaten Almira/Coulee-Hartline that ended in the third quarter, the Tigers have outscored their foes 186-12 and played into the fourth quarter only in their season opener.
A healthy Travis Todd is one reason. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound senior linebacker-receiver son of coach Bruce Todd has scored both offensively and defensively.
He and Jacob Schmidt, who rushed for 285 yards and five touchdowns because quarterback Ryan King bruised a nerve in his elbow and lost feeling in three fingers on his throwing hand, have been leaders of the attack. Schmidt has scored 11 touchdowns.
“I was nervous for the game,” said Bruce Todd. “Last year we beat them early and they beat us later on. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
Last year by season’s end, injuries had cost the team three starters, he said. Travis Todd tore his ACL in the playoff game against St. John-Endicott and the game ultimately got away.
“We’ve just got to stay healthy,” Bruce Todd said of Odessa’s chances this year. “And a little luck doesn’t hurt.”
Big win for Tigers
Lewis and Clark’s slowpitch softball program reached the district finals during its first three Greater Spokane League seasons and won the inaugural championship in 2002.
But nothing quite compared with last week’s 17-13 win over 2006 champ University, a team that had won 18 straight games since joining the league last year.
“I don’t know if we’re back in the limelight,” said coach Tara Groves, “but it was very thrilling. It’s nice for our kids to have a little success.”
LC entered this week with a 4-1 record, tied for second with the Titans. Central Valley, which beat the Tigers 11-9 in a back-and-forth game, was unbeaten at 5-0.
Tashi Eldore was 5 for 5 with a double and drove in five runs against U-Hi and five others had two hits.
The Titans and Tigers combined for 41 base hits.
Eldore was hitting .563, second to shortstop Kendall Pavey‘s .625, prior to LC’s Monday game against Rogers. Kristen Furulie was hitting .500 and Rachel Binger and Rachel Head were both at .430 to back the pitching of senior Kayla Horton.
“She’s one of the best in the league and can put the ball anywhere she wants to,” said Groves. “We proved we could compete and beat a really good team.”
The Titans, incidentally, host CV this afternoon.
Colville’s back
A state perennial volleyball qualifier from 1996 through 2004, Colville has gone missing the past couple years.
The Indians find themselves atop the Great Northern League standings after tripping 2005 state champion and 2006 third-place Pullman in three straight games. Colville shares the lead with West Valley, both at 4-0. The Eagles are in Pullman tonight.