Friday Night (High)lights: Gonzaga Prep claims top 4A Week 10 seed; league champion battles down to the wire

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the playoff situation in each of the three classifications of the Greater Spokane League is gaining some clarity.

The top 4A seed to the Week 10 playoffs has been decided and the league’s two bids to the State 3A “round of 32” are set. Meanwhile, there’s still plenty of intrigue at the 2A level with four teams contending for three spots.

The regular-season champion in both divisions, however, is still up for grabs with plenty of potential scenarios.

Across the state line, league champions were decided at the top two levels, with a 5A playoff spot on the line in the last week of the season.

Let’s go around the league (and elsewhere) and take a look at five things that stood out to us in Week 7.

Bullpups earn top seed

This week’s big game lived up to the hype.

Gonzaga Prep went up by two touchdowns late in the third quarter, but Central Valley fought back to tie it. The Bullpups marched right down the field to retake the lead, then made a fourth-down stand and clock-killing drive to seal the win.

G-Prep (6-1, 6-0) has been ranked by the state media poll all season, reaching No. 3 two weeks ago before falling a spot last week, despite its lopsided win in Week 6. Regardless, the win secures the GSL’s top seed to the Week 10 playoffs and a home game on Nov. 4 or 5 against the fourth-place team from the Big 9.

Lilomaiava Mikaele led a punishing ground attack, with 27 carries for 150 yards, and four players scored touchdowns for G-Prep.

On the other sideline, the Bears (3-4, 3-3) lost their fourth in a row, all by a touchdown or less.

CV remains tied with Lewis and Clark (3-4, 3-3) for the second 4A bid to Week 10, though it beat LC early and holds the tiebreaker. The second seed will host a Week 10 game while No. 3 must play in the Tuesday play-in game then travel to the Big 9 champ that weekend.

CV hosts Ferris next week and finishes at University. LC, which fell to Mead 37-14, hosts U-Hi and finishes at G-Prep.

League title hopes

Mt. Spokane (6-1, 5-0) survived a bit of a scare against Cheney (2-5, 2-5) in a 45-29 win to stay undefeated in league. The Wildcats play at G-Prep on Friday in a potential league-title game.

If the Bullpups win, they will secure the GSL regular-season championship. If Mt. Spokane wins, it would have to beat Mead (6-1, 5-1) in the regular-season finale in the Battle of the Bell.

Mead could claim a share of the trophy if G-Prep loses and the Panthers win the “Bell,” a game which could decide which team – if either – would host a 3A playoff game.

Plan approved

The league was finally able to announce an agreement last week with the Central Washington Athletic Conference on the Week 10 scenario – a mere two weeks ahead of time.

The GSL 2A champ receives an automatic bid to state, while second and third place will cross over with CWAC 1 and 2.

Shadle Park (5-2, 4-0) lost its nonleague matchup against Colville but remains undefeated in league and will host Clarkston (5-2, 4-1) in the de facto league title game Saturday at 1 p.m. at University HS.

Four to go

The Northeast A gets two automatic bids to state, while the third- and fourth-place teams face crossover games against the Caribou Trail League’s top two teams.

Lakeside (7-0, 4-0) – ranked No. 3 by the state media with a first-place vote last week – won to remain undefeated, setting up a showdown with Colville (6-1, 3-1) this week. The Crimson Hawks had an impressive win over 2A Shadle Park.

Freeman (5-2, 3-1) edged Riverside (3-4, 2-2) 18-13 as the Rams try to cling to the fourth seed with two games to go.

Gem state update

For the second year in a row, Post Falls beat Coeur d’Alene, a 21-6 home decision as James Bustamante carried 29 times for 164 and a third-quarter score.

Unlike last year, where the win forced a three-way tiebreaker – which eventually left the Trojans out of the 5A postseason – this year Post Falls doesn’t have to wait to find out its playoff eligibility.

The Trojans (6-2, 2-0) clinched a playoff spot and can secure their first overall league title in program history with a win over Lake City (2-6, 0-2) next week.

Meanwhile, the Vikings (4-4, 1-1) must travel to Lewiston (6-2, 1-1) to battle for the league’s second state bid.

One step down, Sandpoint’s lopsided 67-0 win over Moscow cemented the 4A league title and the automatic bid to state that comes with it.