LC gambles, upsets Ferris
Levi Taylor has a year left of high school football to duplicate the standout performance he showcased Friday night.
Good luck.
The Lewis and Clark junior’s two timely interceptions ultimately shook up the entire Greater Spokane League football playoff picture and helped the Tigers upset previously undefeated Ferris 15-14 at Joe Albi Stadium.
The victory couldn’t have been more opportunistic for LC, which remained alive for the league’s second seed in the regional playoffs. The Tigers (6-2, 5-2 GSL) must defeat Gonzaga Prep on Friday and couple that with a University victory over Ferris (7-1, 6-1) to secure a playoff bid.
Trailing 14-7 midway with 5 minutes remaining in the game, Taylor pulled the Tigers within a point with a 1-yard touchdown run. Rather than settling for an extra-point attempt that would have knotted the score, LC coach Tom Yearout elected to attempt a two-point conversion. The gamble paid off when quarterback Taylor Eglet located Vaughn Kapiko open in the end zone to put LC ahead 15-14.
Ferris drove to LC’s 32 two possessions later, however, and had a chance to steal away the victory. Instead, Taylor read Saxons quarterback Connor Halliday, stepped in front of his throw and intercepted his second pass of the game. His first interception came at the Tigers’ 5 in the first half and prevented Ferris from extending its lead to double digits and potentially putting the contest out of reach.
The Saxons jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Receiver Aaron Roberts hauled in a Halliday pass, weaved through several defenders into open space and outraced his pursuers for a 65-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Roberts finished the game with eight catches for 163 yards.
Ferris forced the Tigers to punt on the next possession, and LC punter Austin Ehlo failed to handle a low snap and put his knee on the ground at the Tigers’ 1. Roberts punched the ball into the end zone on the next play to extend the Saxons’ lead to 14-0.
Ehlo made amends for his earlier miscue when he reeled in Eglet’s 33-yard scoring strike to halve the Saxons’ lead to 14-7 just 4 minutes before halftime.
Eglet completed 19 of 35 passes for 276 yards and connected on passes with eight receivers. Eglet’s counterpart, Halliday, was 18 for 36 for 266 yards but had three costly interceptions.
Both teams had an inordinate number of penalties. Ferris was flagged for 10 penalties for 95 yards, and LC was charged with nine penalties for 70 yards.