Soggy shootout

The arm of Mt. Spokane quarterback Travis Ward betrayed him at times, but he atoned with his feet during a soggy Friday football shootout at University.

Ward had touchdown runs of 26 and 24 yards to rally the Wildcats (4-1 overall, 3-1 in the Greater Spokane League) to a 35-28 victory after two of his three interceptions had allowed the Titans back into the game.

U-Hi (3-2, 3-2) never really stopped Mt. Spokane’s offense, which had four scoring drives of 80 yards or longer. But the visitors did a pretty good job of stopping themselves and trailed 21-20 with 4 minutes, 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Then Ward brought the Wildcats back. He completed 3 of 4 passes and rushed three times. His 26-yarder and the ensuing two-point conversion made it 28-21 with a minute left in the period.

In the fourth quarter, Mt. Spokane had three successive rushes in excess of 20 yards – two by Ward, who polished off the five-play, 83-yard march with his 24-yard scamper with 9:20 left.

“My legs made up for it, definitely,” said Ward of the interceptions, one with no receiver around. “I was just not thinking when I was going through my progressions. I was throwing when I shouldn’t or needed to put a little more on it.”

Ward finished with 123 yards rushing on 13 carries. He also was 18 of 23 for 203 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Mt. Spokane used nearly half of the first quarter on its first drive. Ward had five completions, including one for 20 yards and a 16-yard scoring strike to Nate Blackham.

But he was later picked off by John Schmedding, who returned it to the 22-yard line. Five plays later, U-Hi tied the score.

The teams traded drives for a 14-14 tie at intermission.

Mt. Spokane regained the lead, 20-14, on Ward’s third touchdown pass, to Chip Propp, before his third interception set up a one-play, 25-yard burst by Jacob Fry.

After Ward’s two TDs put the team up 35-21 it was Mt. Spokane’s turn to get in on the interception act, with Evan Poynor picking off a pair.

But in the game’s final 1:41, Titans QB Tony Tabish and running back John Wright kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Tabish scored with 30 seconds left and U-Hi recovered the onside kick, but ran out of downs.

The Wildcats’ Colten Williams had another big game as well, rushing for 100 yards and catching eight passes for 78 yards and a score.

“We did try to spread it around a bit,” Wildcats coach Mike McLaughlin said. “Travis had a great game running the ball and made some nice throws. Colten had some big runs. Nate played well, the receivers played well. We played well offensively across the board.”

He gave credit to University’s defense for making the necessary stops and said he was impressed with the scrambling efforts of Tabish and hard running of Wright, who gained 104 yards.

“I’m just pleased we’re back where we want to be,” he said.