Central Valley, Ferris coaches size up showdown

Central Valley has been improving weekly and Ferris keeps on winning.

The unbeaten football teams battle for first place in the Greater Spokane League at CV at 7 p.m. Friday. Both are 6-0 overall, 5-0 in league and the winner gets a boost in the decisive final three weeks that determine the postseason fate of the league’s five 4A schools.

Will it be a shootout or low-scoring possession type of game?

“Basically, it’s a matter of outscoring them,” said CV Bears coach Rick Giampietri, subscribing to the former.

But Saxons coach Jim Sharkey isn’t so sure.

“It could be, but when you talk that way sometimes it goes the other way,” he said. “A shootout would favor them. We’d like to keep it under control.”

Like any big game, Sharkey believes turnovers will be crucial. Both coaches concur that their best chance is if they keep the other team’s offense off the field.

Solving Ferris’ veteran defensive front four and avoiding big plays from the spread offense are critical, Giampietri said. He is impressed with their quarterbacks, running backs and receivers.

“We played our best football game last Friday,” Giampietri said of the 33-7 non-league victory at Post Falls. “We have been lucky and have no injuries. All I’ve asked them to do is be better every week and it’s panned out so far. If we continue to do that, we have a chance.”

Sharkey is wary of the Bears’ skill people, quarterback Blake Bledsoe in particular.

“A huge key for us is if we can contain Bledsoe,” he said. “He’s making every type of throw and the right decisions and he’s got a lot of kids around him.”

He said Ferris’ line play is getting better and the Saxons have been intercepting footballs at a “ridiculous rate.” They have 17 already. But they have had injury problems.

The victor will need but one win in its final two games to lock up a playoff berth. The loser could come back to the pack in a hurry considering other 4A matchups over the next three weeks.

Ferris-CV isn’t the only big game this week. Gonzaga Prep (5-1, 4-1) faces its stiffest GSL challenge in a while against Mead (4-2, 4-2) at 6:30 tonight at Albi Stadium. Mt. Spokane and East Valley play at 8 p.m. Friday for the 3A upper hand. Preceding them, Rogers will try to win for the first time since 2004 against winless North Central.