CV scrambles to address fans’ playoff worries

The e-mails came quickly from Ferris when it was announced that the State 4A football quarterfinal would be played at Central Valley.

Why, they wondered, wouldn’t it be better to play at Albi Stadium where seating and parking is abundant and the artificial turf is weather-proof?

The first game between the Saxons and CV’s Bears, wrote one, was “a disaster for spectators.” People didn’t get into the game until the second quarter, and others left in frustration.

Another writer, without kids at either school, questioned the wisdom of placing the game at a site with limited facilities that would discourage interested outsiders.

CV is taking steps to ease the problem. CV activities coordinator Butch Walter said the school will add more than 500 seats by putting extra bleachers on the visitors’ side and relocating school bands. Portable toilets will be brought in and an extra ticket window opened.

You can’t blame either side for wanting the game at differing locales. The Saxons figure, by virtue of their earlier victory over CV, they deserve the home site. There’s merit to their logistics argument.

Bears boosters, by virtue of playing and winning twice on the road to secure the No. 1 seed on their part of the bracket – a departure from years past, incidentally – feel they deserve to play at home.

Walter said the best advice is to get there early for the rematch.

More rematches

When Colfax (10-0) travels to Kennewick for a State 2B quarterfinal game against DeSales (8-3) at 7 p.m. Friday at Lampson Stadium, it also will be a rematch between regular-season foes.

“As the sun comes up in the morning, DeSales will be in the postseason,” Colfax coach Mike Morgan said.

That’s why Morgan chanced playing the defending state champs early this year, in a 20-10 win.

“If we get the dog whipped out of us, at least it’s a measuring stick,” he said of the earlier matchup.

Morgan’s fear is he may have poked an angry dog. DeSales also lost to La Salle in its opener, but reversed that (27-10) last week.

“There’s a revenge factor, certainly and we’ve got to be concerned about that,” Morgan said. “We’re a different club.”

Colfax tailback Joe Cammack has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing and lineman-turned-fullback Ethan Smith is close. Sophomore quarterback Alex Teade has figured out the nuances of the triple option.

Pullman (9-2) also faces a familiar foe at 1 p.m. Saturday in its State 2A game. The Greyhounds play Burlington-Edison (10-1) for the second straight year, eager to turn around last year’s 28-6 loss.

The game is part of a doubleheader at Gonzaga Prep. Freeman (9-1) follows at 4 p.m. against defending state champion Royal (11-0).

Odessa back again

Odessa, runner-up in State 1B last year, graduated only a handful of seniors, but they were vital in the run to last year’s second-place finish.

“We’re not as big as we were and don’t have the depth we had,” Tigers coach Bruce Todd said. “I knew we had possibilities, but a lot depended upon how they responded.”

Following an opening-game loss to league champion Cusick, the Tigers (9-1) have won out and face LaCrosse-Washtucna (10-0) at 4 p.m. Friday at Lampson.

Returning quarterback Ryan King and speedy receiver Alex Bruya, returning lineman Andy Reid and senior running back Alex Null have been crucial for Odessa.

King has passed for more than 1,200 yards – with three games of more than 200 – and 22 touchdowns. He’s rushed for a dozen more TDs. Bruya, 6-foot-1, had three times topped 100 yards in receiving, including 214 in a shootout win over Columbia. Null has had rushing games of 233 and 205 yards.

“We’ve put it in the air knowing teams can’t keep up with Bruya,” Todd said. “If they double-cover him, someone else is open.”

L-W is bigger and loves to grind things out on the ground.

Also in State 1B play, Tri-Cities Prep (9-1) plays Cusick (11-0) at 7 p.m. Friday in Newport.