Friday Night (High)Lights: Regular season in the books, but some playoff spots still not accounted for
The regular season is in the books. Champions have been crowned. Playoff seeds (or tiebreakers) have been set.
Unfortunately, one team in the area saw its season end due to COVID-19 without a chance at a tiebreaker.
But plenty of others are ready to go for the “second season.”
Battle of wills
The teams that earned the top seed from the Greater Spokane League in 4A and 3A did battle on Friday for the league title, and the game did not disappoint.
Ryan McKenna rushed for 164 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns, and threw a 24-yard TD pass that ended up the difference maker, and Gonzaga Prep outlasted visiting Mt. Spokane 28-20 to stay undefeated and secure the 2021 GSL title.
The teams spent much of the first half daring each other to try to run it up the middle. Neither had a lot of success against the stout defensive lines – at least initially. Eventually G-Prep was able to soften up the Wildcats a bit, while Mt. Spokane decided to take the air.
Two series really made the difference. Mt. Spokane had first-and-goal at the 5 and had to settle for a field goal and one-point deficit as the Bullpups’ front seven made three plays for losses.
On the next drive, G-Prep went up 21-13 following a 19-play drive took 10:27 off the clock.
“They put together a nice drive there and, you know, kind of leaned on us,”Mt. Spokane coach Terry Cloer said. “Death by 1,000 paper cuts.”
Gonzaga Prep hosts Mid-Columbia Conference No. 3 Chiawana (5-4) in a Week 10 crossover. Mt. Spokane moves into the 32-team 3A bracket that won’t be decided until after Tuesday tiebreakers in other leagues.
‘Bet on yourself’
Mead first-year coach Keith Stamps said those words following the Panthers’ come-from-behind 21-17 win over Lewis and Clark to avoid a tiebreaker scenario and earn the second 3A berth to the 32-team bracket.
In fact, they avoided two tiebreakers.
The win (3-4 in league) kept them a game ahead of Ferris (3-5) in the loss column, but Mead also avoided facing University (4-4), as the Titans – who had a scheduled bye week anyway – found out earlier in the week their season would come to an end due to COVID protocols.
Junior quarterback Colby Danielson converted a fourth-and-33 at his 40-yard line in the final minute, then hit for the winning touchdown three plays later.
Already a talented passer, with a “normal” offseason of training Danielson is going to be a handful next season.
Lewis and Clark, which earned the GSL’s third 4A seed, faces MCC No. 4 Pasco in a play-in game at Union Stadium on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
2A
Shadle Park clinched the 2A title with a 30-27 win over Clarkston on a touchdown pass from Natreven Dickson to Malachi Troutt with just over 4 minutes to play. That’s the easy part.
The loss, coupled with West Valley’s 35-6 win over Rogers, sets up a three-way tiebreaker for the league’s second seed to the round of 16. Since COVID wiped out their earlier meeting, East Valley (3-2 in league) will face WV (2-2) in two 10-minute halves on Friday. The winner faces Clarkston (4-2) for the other spot later than night.
It may seem unusual that winning percentage isn’t factored in here, but the league decided before the season that games lost to COVID this season wouldn’t penalize a team and losses would determine league standings.
Northeast A
Lakeside capped its undefeated regular season with a 20-17 win over Freeman. Riverside shut out Medical Lake and Newport beat Colville to fill out the four NEA seeds to the Week 10 crossover with the Caribou Trail League.
Lakeside, Riverside and Freeman are all state-caliber teams this season. The crossover gives the league the opportunity to prove it deserves those slots.
Gem State update
As a result of their win in Monday’s three-way tiebreakers against Lewiston and Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene enjoyed a much-needed week off in the first round of Idaho’s state playoffs. Lewiston wasn’t as lucky, as their second-place finish meant a short week of preparation to host a playoff game.
It didn’t go well. Capital of Boise scored early and often in a 44-13 win to end Lewiston’s season and advance to s second-round game.Sandpoint showed why it earned the No. 1 4A seed with a 46-0 win over Mountain Home. Gerritt Cox scored four rushing touchdowns and could have had more if he had played in the second half.
The Bulldogs played an exhaustive regular season slate, with wins over three of the four IEL 5A teams, and it’s starting to pay off in the playoffs.
Sandpoint hosts Shelley and Coeur d’Alene hosts Eagle in quarterfinals next week.