Bullpups run over Tigers
Ferris whips U-Hi to secure top seed
The proof is in the pudding next week when the Greater Spokane League squares off with the Columbia Basin Big Nine in crossover football games. But some teams, Gonzaga Prep in particular, could argue the GSL deserves added State 4A playoff opportunities.
The Bullpups manhandled Lewis and Clark 28-7 in their league finale Friday night at Albi Stadium, but this year only two from the GSL get that playoff opportunity. Those two representatives are Ferris, which earned a share of its second straight league title by belting University 45-14 at U-Hi, and co-champion Central Valley (both 8-1 overall and 7-1 in league) this year.
Ferris hosts the winner of today’s Pasco vs. Kamiakin game, next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Albi.
CV travels to Richland. The game is tentatively set as part of a Friday doubleheader that includes Mt. Spokane against Hanford.
First-year G-Prep coach Dave McKenna wasn’t saying he believed his was a top-two league team.
“Ferris and Central Valley beat us,” he said following Friday night’s victory that leaves G-Prep third in league with a 6-2 record, 7-2 overall. “But honestly, we’re a damn good football team and LC is phenomenal, too. I think we’re one of the top teams (in state), we don’t get to go and we deserve to go.”
John Lampert rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns as G-Prep piled up 325 yards on the ground. Offsetting the bullish go-to fullback were quarterback option pitches from quarterback David Stockton to Tyler Heaton that kept the Tigers off-balance and enabled the Bullpups to maintain ball possession for the bulk of the game.
It didn’t begin that way. In the first half it looked like LC would have its way, particularly on the perimeters against G-Preps’s defense. The Tigers moved the ball easily on their first drive, though bogging down inside the Bullpups’ 30.
On their second series, however, they picked up double-digit yards on three plays, including Levi Taylor’s 46-yard sideline snake dance, winding his way through openings to the goal and a 7-0 lead.
Then G-Prep’s trademark offense, brilliant in its seeming simplicity, began to work its magic as it has the last few weeks of the season. But first it took a major break that turned the game around.
After grinding away the last 5 minutes of the first quarter, Stockton threw an interception at the LC 4-yard line. The defense stiffened and a blocked punt set up G-Prep inside the 10. Lampert scored his first touchdown on the second play.
The next time he touched the ball he broke a 49-yarder up the middle that led to touchdown No. 2 and a 14-7 lead at half. It was more of the same after intermission. G-Prep covered 74 yards in 10 plays, with five rushes for Lampert and the third TD and two key pitch plays to Heaton that covered 36 yards. Heaton, filling in for injured Bishop Sankey, gained 74 yards on eight attempts.
G-Prep struck one more time, on a 31-yard pass from Stockton to Jack Wilson following a fumble recovery.
G-Prep’s offense feeds off fullback Lampert, with a quarterback keep or pitch added in. Teams that focus on trying to stop each facet throughout the season became susceptible through the air, regardless of how sparingly Stockton threw.
“It’s just a straight read,” said Prep’s diminutive senior QB of his decision making, which got better each week. “We take what they give and the pitch was one we liked.”
Stockton, listed at 5-foot-9, 155 pounds, also gave props to offensive linemen Joe Morrison, James Heusner, Matthew Trudeau, Brendan Sullivan, Anthony Luna and Chris Barry.
“They are a great line,” he said. “I wish we had another team in the playoffs, I think we could make a run. But it’s not going to happen.”
Ferris 45, University 14: The Saxons wrapped up their second straight league championship and top seed to the state-qualifying round. Aaron Roberts rushed for three touchdowns, but it was a three-pronged ground game that stymied the host Titans (2-7, 2-7). Kevin Wright gained 79, Steven Horning 89 and quarterback Connor Halliday 84 of Ferris’ 287 ground yards. Halliday had a 44-yard touchdown run and also passed for 195 yards and a score to Garrett Saiki. Saiki caught four passes for 118 yards. Ferris scored 21 third-quarter points.
Mt. Spokane 34, Rogers 0: Colten Williams scored the final four touchdowns of the game in the Wildcats’ (5-4, 4-4) season-ending victory over the Pirates (1-8, 2-7) in the Albi opener. Williams compiled 173 yards of all-purpose offense, rushing 11 times for 70 yards and three scores and catching seven passes for 103 yards and another score. The Wildcats scored twice in each of the first two quarters for a 27-0 halftime lead. Rogers had only 126 total yards.