Natreven Dickerson scores short touchdown in OT, Shadle Park holds off Pullman 30-24

PULLMAN – While it’s still not quite official as to how many teams out of the Greater Spokane League 2A division will qualify for the Week 10 playoffs, what is certain is that the league champion will qualify – whether it hosts a game or receives a bye.

With that as background, Shadle Park traveled to Pullman on Thursday with both teams undefeated in league – the Highlanders at 3-0 and the Greyhounds at 2-0.

Shadle had not lost a road league game since before the pandemic while Pullman was undefeated in league at home at Hobbs Field since 2017. Something had to break.

It took overtime to decide.

Shadle Park got the ball first in OT and quarterback Natreven Dickerson sliced his way through the middle of the Pullman defense for the go-ahead score on third-and-4 in the extra session, and the Highlanders defense held to beat the Greyhounds 30-24 in an “instant classic.”

Pullman blocked the extra point, though, to keep hope alive. The Greyhounds faced fourth-and-3 at the Shadle 6, but Caleb Northcroft’s pass fell incomplete, and the Highlanders held on.

“They were more physical than they looked on film,” Shadle Park coach Jim Mace said. “And I think they’re just getting healthier and more confident over there and hats off to them.

“Our O-line has been pretty physical, and they pushed us around a little bit in that second half. But we still have some guys that can make some big plays and we just keep depending on those guys.”

Dickerson had 106 yards on 14 carries while Beckett Ensminger carried 23 times for 130 yards.

Jordan Dever, who left the game briefly with injury, had 13 catches for 158 yards with a TD.

“I came into this a little cocky, I’m not gonna lie,” Dever said. “They gave me a really good competition today with the way they overloaded me. They definitely studied their film.”

“Coming into the season, I kind of knew that Pullman would be one of our biggest challenges, besides Clarkston,” Dickerson said. “They definitely came with everything that they had, like I expected them to.”

Pullman used a group attack, with Caleb Northroft and Tanner Barbour taking turns at QB. Northcroft finished 13 of 19 for 124 yards with two TD passes – one to Barbour, who rushed for 42 yards and made six catches for 44 yards.

“It was a great game for the fans. I don’t know if my heart rate was very good,” Pullman coach David Cofer said. “But no, it was a great battle back and forth.

“I thought both teams played extremely well. You know, you can’t really point to anybody making mistakes. It was more guys stepping up and making plays on both sides.”

Shadle Park started its second drive at its 37. Dickerson took one off-tackle for 23 yards, then Ensminger ripped off one for 21 yards. On second-and-3 at the 7, Dickerson faked to Ensminger and took himself into the end zone for an early 7-0 lead.

Shadle tried a short kickoff to avoid returner Tanner Barbour, but Pullman recovered at its 46. The Greyhounds moved to the Shadle 30, then Caleb Northcroft hit Champ Powaukee on a crossing pattern at the 10. The junior receiver broke a tackle and got into the end zone to tie it at 7-7.

Marco Aguirre picked off Dickerson and took it the SP 32, but the Highlanders defense forced a turnover on downs.

They took advantage, as Dickerson hit Dever in stride on a 57-yard touchdown catch-and-run for a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Cofer put Barbour behind center for the next drive and the senior busted off a 24-yard run and connected with Powaukee for a third-down conversion.

At first-and-goal at the 8, Barbour handed to Terran Page, who burst through the line for a touchdown to tie it at 14 with 3:27 left in the half.

“We needed to change up,” Cofer said of the QB switch. “We kind of hit a stalemate, you know, in our offense and so we’ve been working on that for about three weeks.”

Ensminger fumbled at the Shadle 48 and defensive back Gavin Brown fell on for the Greyhounds. But the Highlanders’ defense again came up big and stopped Barbour a yard short on fourth-and-3 at the Shadle 27 with 54 seconds left in the half.

Shadle was moving with the ball on its first drive of the third quarter, but linebacker Joe Kraft picked off a swing pass at the Shadle 39. Page took handoffs for 19 and 11 yards to the Shadle 9.

Pullman went backward and on fourth-and-goal from the 32, Barbour tried to go to the end zone, and Shadle was called for pass interference. With a second attempt at fourth down, Carlens Dollin drilled a 27-yard field goal for a 17-14 lead with 2:13 left in the quarter.

The Highlanders drove 16 plays – in which they fumbled twice but recovered both – to the Pullman 9. On third-and-goal, Dickerson found Ensminger on an out route in the right corner for a score and a 21-17 lead with just more than 8 minutes left.

On fourth-and-1 at the Pullman 36, Dollin lined up to punt, but the all-league soccer player from France tucked it in and picked up 5 yards for the first down. The Greyhounds picked up another first down on a pass interference to the Shadle 39.

On second-and-10 from the 16, Northcroft rolled to his right and hit Barbour at the goal line for a TD and 24-21 lead with 3:12 to go.

Shadle got the ball back and drove to the Pullman 20. Dickerson was forced to scramble and made a short gain but was hit out of bounds for a first down. At first-and-goal at the 5 with 5 seconds left, Mace asked junior kicker Memphis Lake for a 22-yard field goal to tie it, and he hit.