Ferris cross country peaks at right time

Ferris cross country coach Mike Hadway was asked to explain the Saxons’ rise from mid-pack Greater Spokane League team to champions of the eastern regional meet on Saturday.

“I guess I’m kind of speechless,” Hadway said.

The Saxons had won four straight State 4A championships from 2003-2006, a consecutive record second only to Mead among Greater Spokane League teams. Last year they failed to reach state, ending the school’s string at seven in a row.

Most of the team didn’t train over the summer and the Stanford Invitational early in the season, Hadway said, was the down point.

“We were at the bottom of the well,” he said.

Ferris was staring at the possibility of its worst dual season when the Saxons raced the season finale at Seimers Farm on Green Bluff. There, however, they swept Central Valley and Shadle Park to finish 5-5.

“Once they had a race that showed where they were running (to their capabilities),” Hadway said, “that was the start of it. They just grouped together. Once they took off, they kept going and going and going.”

If they were on their game, Hadway told his runners, they could qualify for regional. They did, and last weekend in Richland – in a stirring three-team race, as it turned out – Ferris prevailed over Eisenhower and Mead and advanced to state this weekend in Pasco.

“Eisenhower is like us,” Hadway said. “If you look at the Richland Invitational (on Oct. 11), comparing times (the Cadets) ran terrible. Phil English is a miracle man. And if you look at Mead’s times (last Saturday) you think maybe they had a bad day, but they improved their times. Everyone ran really fast. I guess we were running scared.”

Junior Adam Thorne was third overall in 15 minutes, 16 seconds. Perry Domini led a pack that included sophomore Tim Colliton, junior Justin Zimmerman and freshman Alex Kimsey, who timed between 15:51 and 15:56.

For the first time in two decades no GSL team will be favored to win state, but after Saturday, the league can’t be counted out. Mead will be mad after losing to Ferris for the first time this year and Hadway noted his four state champions never won a regional meet.

“They understand now,” Hadway said of his Saxons, “that winning is fun. Whoever’s on (Saturday) is going to win it.”

Prep football playoffs

The Ferris-Pasco state qualifying football game, originally scheduled for Saturday, has moved to Friday. The Saxons (8-1) and Bulldogs (7-2) will play at 8 p.m. at Joe Albi Stadium as the second game of a doubleheader.

Other state play-in games feature Central Valley (8-1) against Richland (7-1) in 4A, 5 p.m. at Fran Rish Stadium, followed at 8 by Mt. Spokane (5-4) versus Hanford (5-3) at Richland for a 3A berth. East Valley (5-3) hosts Shadle Park (3-6) at 7 p.m. for the second 3A state berth.

In season-ending crossover games between Greater Spokane League and Columbia Basin Big Nine League teams, Lewis and Clark (6-3) will host Kamiakin (4-5) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Albi instead of Friday as originally scheduled.

All others are on Friday.

Rogers (1-8) hosts West Valley-Yakima (1-7) at Albi, 5:30 p.m.; Mead (5-4) at Wenatchee (6-2), Gonzaga Prep (7-2) at Moses Lake (5-3) and University (2-7) at Sunnyside (2-6) are all at 7 p.m.

Replay – In The Spokesman-Review on Monday, the CV game time was wrong and it incorrectly indicated that LC was a state qualifier.

Freeman football rolls

If, as a coach, you don’t expect to compete for a league championship, Freeman football coach Jim Wood said, you need to find something else to do.

“I wouldn’t be coaching if I didn’t think we could challenge for a league title,” the Scotties’ fourth-year head man said.

On Thursday, Freeman wrapped up its third Northeast A League title during his tenure and will head a three-team contingent Saturday for games against Caribou Trail foes. The leagues play a triple header in Moses Lake on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. for state berths.

The Scotties (7-1) finished off their regular season with back-to-back wins, 47-6 over second-place Lakeside and 26-6 over third place Chewelah. Those were the only two touchdowns allowed in four league games. They gave up 84 points total, including 32 in their only loss, to Deer Park.

“We’ve been solid the whole year,” said Wood, who added there are always question marks prior to a season. “About half the lineup was new and no one is a superstar, but we all play together.”

Defensive ends Cody Gunn and Justin Harder have put pressure on opposing offenses, along with linebackers Chris Miller and Isaac Hamilton. Luke Mathews has thrown for more than 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for seven more. Back Tanner Laib is also over 1,000 yards rushing with 15 TDs.

“The line is giving them time and running lanes, all the things you need,” Wood said. “It hasn’t just been one or two guys, it’s a multitude.”

Lakeside is the only NEA team during the previous two seasons of crossover state qualifying games, winning two of the eight games against CBT teams.

“It’s time the NEA gets something done,” Wood said.

Playoffs continue

Soccer playoffs continue today and Wednesday for GSL girls and begin Wednesday for the Great Northern League.

Joe Albi Stadium is site of the Gonzaga Prep-Mead 4A district championship at 5 p.m. The winner stays home for Saturday regionals that qualify three teams to state, against the Columbia Basin Big Nine No. 3 team. The loser travels to CBBN No. 2.

On Wednesday, Mt. Spokane hosts Shadle Park and East Valley travels to West Valley-Yakima in the 3A regional semifinals. Two teams advance to state.

First-round GNL district matches are Clarkston at West Valley and Medical Lake at Deer Park today in loser-out competition. They advance against Cheney and Pullman on Thursday. The championship is noon at Plantes Ferry Park.

•Double-elimination GSL volleyball districts begin tonight with Central Valley at Mead and Gonzaga Prep at Lewis and Clark, both at 7.