Central Valley outlasts Shadle Park 35-34 in overtime to clinch postseason berth

Central Valley’s Beau Butner always finds a way to make a difference.

Friday it came in overtime when he blocked a point-after kick after Shadle Park took a 34-28 lead.

Then Central Valley scored in four plays, quarterback Tuff Ryan taking it the final 3 yards. Kicker Tyler Bissell secured the 35-34 victory with a well-struck kick that flew high and through the goal posts to put an exclamation point on a highly entertaining Greater Spokane League 3A game.

The Bears (6-2) secured their first postseason berth in three years. Shadle Park (4-4) is still alive, but it won’t be easy next week against Mead.

Shadle Park woke up at halftime and decided to plow the ball down the field.

Trailing 28-14, the Highlanders fought back to even the score at 28 on a 2-yard run from Nic Tilton with 5:43 remaining.

Both teams, which are in their first year in 3A, had a final possession but came up empty.

The Highlanders came out with a simple game plan in the final two quarters – run behind an offensive line that was dominating the point of attack.

It worked as the Highlanders shortened the game with time of possession. Shadle had the ball all but 1 minute, 20 seconds in the third quarter.

Shadle marched 83 yards on 20 plays, 18 on the ground, to pull within 28-21 on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Kaden Hooper to Tilton with 1:26 to go before the fourth quarter.

Tilton, playing at free safety on defense, intercepted a pass on CV’s next possession, setting up the Highlanders for the game-tying possession.

CV committed four turnovers, losing three fumbles.

The Highlanders rushed for 219 yards on 53 carries. Hooper led the way, finishing with 143 on 31 attempts.

Butner had a chance to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the season, but it will have to wait a week. He rushed for 86 yards on 20 carries and needs 5 yards more to reach 1,000.

Ryan completed 16 of 27 passes for 212 yards.

In the first half, Kamden Lanphere took his turn leading the Bears.

Lanphere had two receiving touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in the first half.

Shadle Park, which needs a win against 4A postseason-bound Mead next week, struck first at CV, taking advantage of a Chase Hendren fumble recovery.

Hooper scored from 2 yards out four plays later.

The Bears answered, driving 78 yards on eight plays. Lanphere hauled in his first TD catch, a 23-yard strike from Ryan, to knot the score at 7-7 with 4:15 to go in the first quarter.

CV took the lead at 14-7 in the second quarter when Butner took a snap in Wildcat for a 2-yard score.

Shadle faces Mead on Friday at ONE Spokane Stadium.

CV finishes the regular season against Lewis and Clark at ONE Spokane Stadium.