GSL football: Clarkston knocks North Central from potential postseason berth; Rogers downs Deer Park to clinch playoffs

In football, as in life, you take your wins where you can get them.

Clarkston entered play on Friday without a win this season, but the Bantams made their 107-mile bus trip worth it.

Dray Torpey caught two touchdown passes from Kendry Gimlin and the Bantams used a ball-control offense to down North Central 21-7 at ONE Spokane Stadium. In the process, the Bantams (1-8, 1-5) kept the Wolfpack (4-5, 2-4) from qualifying for a potential postseason position.

Torpey finished with seven catches for 79 yards. Gimlin completed 23 of 32 passes for 210 yards and three TDs. The Bantams defense limited NC to 84 total yards.

Clarkston came into Friday’s game with a point differential of minus-100 in league play.

North Central didn’t win a league game last season, but the Wolfpack – who had won three of their last four – had a simple mission on Friday: beat the winless Bantams at home to force a three-way tiebreaker on Monday for the Greater Spokane League’s third and fourth berths to the postseason.

But Clarkston had other plans, using drives of 16, 12 and 14 plays to produce touchdowns and keep the Wolfpack offense off the field.

Now both teams will play a nonleague matchup in Week 10, while Pullman (4-5, 3-3) and Rogers (5-4, 3-3) will join West Valley (8-1, 6-0) and East Valley (5-4, 4-2) in the Round of 32.

Clarkston received the opening kick at its 25 and methodically went the length of the field, going 75 yards in 16 plays running 8 minutes, 8 seconds off the clock. On fourth-and-goal at the 8, Gimlin hit Torpey on an out route for a touchdown and 7-0 lead.

NC went three-and-out and the Bantams moved back into NC territory, but Kamden Rancourt picked off Gimlin at the 29. The Wolfpack couldn’t generate any offense on two subsequent possessions though, and Clarkston’s Jason Rinard picked off NC QB Akiylon Washington and returned it to the Bantams 38.

Clarkston put together its second long scoring drive of the half, going 62 yards in 12 plays, culminated by Gimlin’s 11-yard TD pass to Rinard to make it 14-0 at the half.

The third quarter was scoreless but early in the fourth NC recovered a fumble at the Clarkston 15. On the next play Washington connected with Nick Elliott on a fade route to trim the deficit to 14-7.

But Clarkston took it at its 31 and walked right up the field, going 69 yards over 14 plays, and Gimlin hit Torpey on fourth-and-goal from the 21 for the clinching score.

Rogers 14, Deer Park 7: Malikye Fletcher II carried 21 times for 83 yards with a touchdown the Pirates (5-4, 3-3) beat the Stags (3-6, 2-4) in a GSL 2A clash at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Rogers clinched the GSL’s fourth seed to the State 2A Round of 32, while Deer Park was eliminated from postseason play and will face a Week 10 nonleague game.

Brandon Lee Sanchez added a 20-yard touchdown run for Rogers.

Deer Park scored with 26 seconds left on a 5-yard pass from Ian Olietti to Kole Miller. The Pirates recovered the ensuing onside kick to secure the win.

Pullman 32, Riverside 29: Connor Stewart went 13 of 21 for 176 yards with three touchdown passes and the Greyhounds (3-5, 3-3) outlasted the visiting Rams (2-7) in a nonleague game.

Braden Barnett made four catches for 65 yards with TD catches of 27 and 14 yards in the first quarter.

Mead 52, Shadle Park 6: the Panthers (6-3) beat the Highlanders (1-8) in a GSL 4A/3A game at Union Stadium.

Mead finished in second place among GSL 4A teams and qualified for the State Round of 32.

Cross country

St. George’s senior Regan Thomas cruised to an easy win in the District 6 2B/1B championships at Colfax Golf Club at 18:00.9, 36 seconds ahead of second place finisher Amber Eppel of Chewelah.

Chewelah took the team title on a tiebreaker over St George’s, both earning 74 points. Freeman was third with 111 points.

Chewelah’s Emmitt Warren VIII won the 2B boys race in 15:15.50, leading the Cougars to the team title.

Wesley Hendrickson of Valley Christian won the 1B boys race in 16:04.1. VC took the team title with 42 points.