I’ve waited eight weeks for this.
There’s a new leader in the clubhouse. Although I was tied before, this is the first week that I’ve been the outright leader.
And I have Mt. Spokane to thank for it. For the second time I called for the 3A Wildcats to beat a 4A team and they topped Gonzaga Prep 45-35 in a track meet.
If I go 5-1 this week I’ll reach the coveted .700 mark overall.
It must be noted that KHQ/SWX sports director Sam Adams took the swapping of positions gracefully.
At least four of the six games on the menu this week could go either way. We don’t collaborate about our picks before hand. As it turned out we don’t have any differences this week. So I’ll be the leader going into the postseason.
Last week: Adams 4-2 (32-16 overall), Lee 5-1 (33-15)
Lewiston at Lake City
(Tonight, 7)
Lee: LC 40-27. I’ve never seen LC coach Van Troxel more fired up how poorly his team – and admittedly, how poorly he and his coaches – performed last week in the 44-13 loss to Coeur d’Alene. Barring a big upset by Post Falls against CdA, LC’s string of 16 straight playoff appearances is over. The T-Wolves should bounce back.
Adams: LC 38-31. Big letdown for the Timberwolves. They got blown out on their home field by rival CdA. How are the T-Wolves going to rebound? Lewiston might give LC a run for the money, but you can’t ignore the weapons LC has on offense.
Colville at Cheney
(Friday, 7 p.m.)
Lee: Cheney 27-25. Both teams are clinging to slim playoff hopes, but playoff hopes they are nonetheless. The Blackhawks take care of business at home and hope for a little help.
Adams: Cheney 24-17. Colville is coming off a stunning 24-20 loss to Deer Park. Cheney has turned things around at just the right time, stringing together a couple of wins including an overtime thriller at West Valley.
West Valley at Pullman
(Friday, 7 p.m.)
Lee: Pullman 33-26. Two weeks ago WV knocked off East Valley and last week Pullman got spanked at EV. So conventional wisdom says that WV gets a big road win over the Greyhounds. Nothing conventional here, not in the wild Great Northern League.
Adams: Pullman 35-28. Pullman has had a series of close calls, beating Moscow 42-40 and Cheney 29-26. Last week was not close against EV (52-36). This is gut check time for the Greyhounds, and they’ll find a way to get right back in the crazy GNL title chase.
Lakeland at Sandpoint
(Friday, 7 p.m.)
Lee: Lakeland 29-13. Plain and simple Lakeland is the better team. But Sandpoint gave itself hope with a big road win over Clarkston last week. Lakeland will survive a tight first half before pulling away.
Adams: Lakeland 35-21. The Bulldogs have put together a pair of two-game win streaks – something that hasn’t been done in quite some time. That being said, Lakeland has been bringing the wood on defense of late, holding its last two opponents to a combined 20 points.
University vs. North Central
(Friday, Albi, 7:30 p.m.)
Lee: U-Hi 42-21. You get to the final week and you can do a comparative score check. Both teams’ wins were against Rogers. The Titans won handily while NC had to eke out its victory. U-Hi will qualify for the postseason for a fourth straight year.
Adams: U-Hi 42-21. It may be a matchup of 1-7 teams but it matters to these guys. Most important someone is going to get a win. It’s hard to believe we’re one year removed from U-Hi’s unlikely playoff run. Though they aren’t going to recapture the magic from 2012, the Titans will remember what it’s like to win.
Central Valley at Gonzaga Prep
(Friday, 7 p.m.)
Lee: CV 32-30. This might come down to pure endurance. Both teams have the usual nicks, bumps and bruises at this point. Last year CV knocked off the league champion Bullpups in an otherwise meaningless game. There’s nothing meaningless Friday. CV is playing the best right now.
Adams: CV 33-27. It’s like déjà vu all over again. CV and G-Prep close out the GSL season in a matchup that will determine who goes to the postseason. Last year, CV was coming off the ‘Game of the Century’ victory against Shadle Park. This time both CV and G-Prep are licking their wounds after disappointing losses. I think the hangover effect might linger longer than the Bullpups would like.
