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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fall season matchups worth watching

It’s all about to get very, very serious.

The 2016-17 school year is underway in all area school districts and the fall sports season is officially in full swing.

West Valley opens the always gritty Great Northern League girls soccer season Thursday at Clarkston to begin a brutal three-games-in-six-days schedule. WV plays Saturday at Gonzaga Prep, which lost in the Class 4A semifinals a year ago, and at home Tuesday against University.

The Eagles finished tied with East Valley a year ago, but it was the Knights and Clarkston who advanced to the state Class 2A playoffs.

East Valley beat Prosser 6-0 in the first round while Clarkston fell 1-0 at Ellensburg and the Knights lost 3-1 in the second round on the Bulldogs’ home field.

East Valley plays a tune-up game against Shadle Park tonight at Spokane Falls Community College and opens up the GNL season at home Tuesday against Pullman.

Central Valley plays today at Sandpoint.

Volleyball

The volleyball season gets underway with a round of league matches.

Central Valley reached the state Class 4A tournament a year ago in its first year under head coach Laurie Quigley.

The Bears open the season tonight at Mt. Spokane and face Mead in a Greater Spokane League showdown Tuesday at CV.

University, which also reached the state Class 4A tourney a year ago, plays host to North Central on Friday night and travels to Rogers Tuesday.

West Valley opens the GNL season Thursday in Clarkston and plays Mt. Spokane in a nonleague battle Wednesday.

East Valley gets the league season underway Tuesday when the Knights play host to Pullman, then travel to Lewis and Clark for a nonleague match Wednesday and to Clarkston for a GNL showdown Thursday.

Cross country

Cross country gets its annual preview Saturday with the Highlander Invite at Shadle Park. West Valley, East Valley and Central Valley all will send boys and girls squads to race.

Football

University goes after its second straight victory of the Adam Daniels era when the Titans travel to Post Falls on Friday night.

Post Falls (1-1) took a pummeling from Mead last week at Roos Field in Cheney, 41-3, while the Titans pulled out a 13-10 win at Sandpoint on a pair of second-half touchdown passes from Zack Sherick to Josh Brantley.

The game will be the first home game for Post Falls since the passing of former head coach Jeff Hinz, who died July 21 after a three-year battle with cancer.

Central Valley, which lost its opener at Coeur d’Alene 48-11, will look to get its first victory under new head coach Ryan Butner when it plays host to Lake City.

The Timberwolves pounded Lewis and Clark last week, 51-6, to even their season record at 1-1.

West Valley looks to win its second straight game to start the season when it plays host to Colville.

The Eagles beat Shadle Park in their season opener at Joe Albi Stadium, 29-20. Colville won its opener, holding off Lakeland, 7-6.

East Valley lost its opener, 14-6, to North Central and will head to Rathdrum to get on track against Lakeland.

Freeman shut out Timberlake in its season opener in Priest Lake, and the Scotties look to go to 2-0 when they play host to Bonners Ferry, which dropped its season opener to Lakeside, 42-28.