Mead shuts down EV

Mead football rained on East Valley’s homecoming celebration Friday night, when what began as a track meet, then settled into a slugfest, got out of hand in the second half.

The score was just 14-7 at intermission, but the Panthers scored twice in each of the final two quarters in a dominant 41-7 Greater Spokane League football victory that improved them to 3-2 for the season.

Not only did quarterback Max Kayser shred the Knights’ secondary, passing for 250 yards and three touchdowns through three quarters, but the Panthers’ hard-running, backs-by-committee approach produced 215 more on the ground.

On defense, Mead was overwhelming, holding EV – which turned the ball over four times – to 126 total yards (half of that on one play) and just 35 plays.

The only downside for the visitors was two long injury delays that cost them junior linebacker Kyle Courtney to a possible stinger in the first half and receiver Matt Lynch to a leg injury in the second half after he had caught seven passes for 179 yards.

“That’s the toughest part of the game, but it’s just one of those things,” Mead coach Sean Carty said of the setbacks.

Kayser and Lynch hooked up almost immediately, on a 30-yard pass during their team’s initial series. The ball wound up at EV’s 30-yard line and later produced a 7-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.

The Knights (2-3, 2-3) struck back in a hurry, when Nick Bellomy sliced through a nice hole and dashed 63 yards to tie the game.

But Mead moved the ball on the ground, before a 40-yard Kayser completion to back Darien Hatch was prelude to his 11-yard touchdown strike to Ryane Laforte.

Turnovers and botched field goals resulted in a scoreless second quarter.

But the Panthers went to the ground for a long drive that culminated in Kayser’s second TD pass and he hit Lynch, who outreached defender Brad Dodd and legged it 77 yards for the third. The long catch and run offset a 70-yard punt by EV’s Ike Falk.

Mead scored again on Kayser’s run that completed a 50-yard drive following an interception.

“I think our game plan was just to execute on offense and do the basic stuff you need to get done whether it was through the air or on the ground,” said Kayser. “I’ve got to thank the offensive line and receivers. They all did their job and it makes me look good.”

The goal now, he said, is to win out and get help in a bid to return to the playoffs.

Carty praised the effort of his QB, pointing out that Kayser had never played the position before this year and has worked hard to learn without letting mistakes keep him down.

“He has a great heart and this is why he’s gotten better,” Carty said.

Mead’s rushing workhorse was Brandon Lynch, who carried the ball 20 times, but eight players touched the ball, including Hatch, who scored a rushing touchdown and also one had one through the air.

Carty said that since falling to 1-2 with a loss to Ferris, the team dedicated itself to the start of a new season and has been focused and practicing hard.

“I credit our kids for just wanting to win so bad,” he said. “We’re back to playing the way we like to play. We feel we’re doing the things we want to do.”

Lewis and Clark 48, Shadle Park 6: What a difference Taylor Eglet makes. The Tigers quarterback, out with a concussion the last two games, was 13 for 15 for 315 yards and three touchdowns. He hit Vaughn Kapiko on 64- and 81-yard strikes and found tight end Joe Zimmerman, also back from injury, for another score. Zach Robinson added 103 rushing yards and two scores as LC (3-2, 2-2) defeated the Highlanders (2-3, 2-3).

Central Valley 51, North Central 13: The Bears (5-0, 5-0) outgained the Indians (0-5, 0-5) by a margin of 9-to-1 in first-half yardage and led at one point 37-0 en route to their fifth straight victory. Quarterback Blake Bledsoe threw for 170 yards and three touchdowns, two to Greg Barnes. Taylor Price, Taylor Evans and Tyler Simmet divided up 210 yards. NC’s Justin Materne threw for 186 yards and two scores to Dylan Harris.

Ferris 21, Eastmont 12: In a non-league game in East Wenatchee, Derek Peterson passed for 148 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 103 in his first start and Aaron Roberts scored twice for the Saxons (5-0).