GSL openers feature four games against IEL

It’s a strange season- opening weekend for GSL football teams.

Seven of 10 teams are out of town. Stranger yet, there’s just two games at Albi Stadium on separate days.

Ready or not, Washington teams begin their seasons this weekend after Idaho teams got going last week.

Four Inland Empire League teams that started early take on GSL teams Friday. Lake City (0-1) faces Lewis and Clark at Albi; Coeur d’Alene (0-1) visits Central Valley; University treks to Sandpoint (1-0); and North Central, under new coach Tom Griggs, visits Lewiston (1-0).

Elsewhere Friday, Mt. Spokane goes to Yakima to meet West Valley; Gonzaga Prep is on the road at Richland; Rogers visits Eastmont; and Mead, under new coach Benji Sonnichsen, travels to Wenatchee.

On Saturday, Ferris meets Olympia at the University of Washington as part of the WIAA’s Emerald City Kickoff Classic, and Lakeside of Seattle takes on Shadle Park at Albi. Both games kick off at 1.

For the first time in 11 years, Coeur d’Alene was shut out when the Vikings fell 22-0 to Skyline of Idaho Falls at the Kibbie Dome last Friday.

CdA coach Shawn Amos didn’t mince words. He called the loss embarrassing and vowed his team would bounce back this week.

“Players and coaches have responded great,” Amos said. “We think we will make great strides this week. This is a great group of kids that cares a great deal. We are playing a lot of kids and last Friday, for many, it was their first varsity game. It may take us a couple weeks, but we will be pretty tough when it matters.”

CdA struggled the most on offense last week. The Viks had no semblance of a running game, their offensive line had breakdowns and the two quarterbacks didn’t go through all of their progressions. It all added up to a mess combined with 16 penalties.

Even if they were playing well, the Viks would face a severe challenge against CV.

“If we don’t get some offense, they’ll just road-grade us,” Amos said of the Bears.