Mt. Spokane takes big halftime lead on way to 38-14 victory

From start to finish, it was the most complete game this season for the Mt. Spokane football team.

The starting defense threw a shutout for three quarters and the offense, behind quarterback Mitchell Speer and fullback Dalton Dixon, did more than enough as the Wildcats handled the Ferris Saxons 38-14 in a Greater Spokane League crossover game Friday at Albi Stadium.

Mt. Spokane (4-1) did most of the damage in the first half, cruising to a 31-0 by halftime.

The Wildcats extended the lead to 38-0 when Dixon scored his third touchdown, a nimble 68-yard run, late in the third quarter.

Before the starters were pulled midway in the fourth, Dixon finished with 101 yards on 15 attempts.

Ferris (1-4), which edged Lewis and Clark 3-0 last week, finally scored its first touchdown in the Saxons’ 20th quarter. Running back Johnny Via took a shovel pass from quarterback Logan Bunker and ambled 15 yards with 3:25 remaining.

After forcing Mt. Spokane to punt on the ensuing possession, the Saxons doubled their pleasure. Three straight completed passes by Bunker, capped with a 27-yard hook-up with Desmond McKinnon, got Ferris into the end zone with 34 seconds to go.

Mt. Spokane scored on each of its first four possessions in the first half.

Dixon capped the first series with a 1-yard scoring plunge.

Cody McDonald put the Wildcats ahead 10-0 with a 30-yard field goal.

Dixon got his second touchdown on a 2-yard run, extending the lead to 17-0 early in the second quarter.

A Dylan Mead interception set up the fourth score. On the first play following the interception, quarterback Mitchell Speer hit Jacob Barnes on an 18-yard TD pass for a 24-0 lead with 9:26 to go before halftime.

Ferris put together a good burst, moving to Mt. Spokane’s 16-yard line before turning the ball over on downs.

Moments later, Dixon recovered a Ferris fumble, setting Mt. Spokane up at the Saxons 30.

The Wildcats wasted no time as Speer hit Mead on a 30-yard TD pass, increasing the lead to 31-0 with 3:49 to go before halftime.

Speer completed his first seven passes, finishing the first half 11 of 16 for 187 yards. He finished with 207 yards on 15 of 20.

Barnes had five receptions for 106 yards.

Via led Ferris. He rushed for 70 yards and had five catches for 28.

Mt. Spokane cornerback Jared Mehring had two interceptions.

Bunker finished with three interceptions but managed to throw for 254 yards and the two TD passes, completing 15 of 34.

Mt. Spokane faces district rival Mead (3-2) on Friday in the Battle of the Bell in the second game of a doubleheader with kickoff at 7:30.

In the opener, Ferris takes on Shadle Park (1-4) at 5.