Mason Stinson hauls in late interception, Cheney holds off Mt. Spokane to secure GSL 3A top seed to state playoffs

The game of the year had to wait until the last week of the season. With the top Greater Spokane League 3A classification seed to the playoffs at stake, two one-loss teams met to decide things. 

The result met the drama.

Cheney’s Mason Stinson – the league’s leading receiver – intercepted a Mt. Spokane pass at the Blackhawks’ 4-yard-line with 55 seconds left in the game and Cheney edged the Wildcats 14-9 to secure the league’s No. 1 seed to the Week 10 Round of 32.

The Blackhawks (8-1) won just two league games last season and finished 3-7. 

Cheney defensive back Andrew Houndonougbo intercepted two passes – one on a 2-point conversion attempt – and returned a kickoff 100 yards for what ended up the deciding score. 

“He’s one of the best players on both sides of the ball,” Cheney coach John Graham said of Stinson. “Great kid, great student. He’s a great football player.”

Mt. Spokane (7-2) secured the second seed, and both teams advance straight to the playoffs. Week 10 matchups will be set by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association seeding committees on Sunday.

It was defensive struggle from both sides, with just two offensive touchdowns in the game.

“Two great teams, defensive battle,” Graham said. “Played hard. Both teams, you know, made some plays. We were lucky to get the win.”

“It was a playoff football game,” Mt. Spokane coach Terry Cloer said. “It was a lot like Battle of the Bell, you know, 14-3 going in the fourth quarter. The kids stuck with it, and, you know, (Cheney) just made a play in the end.”

Cheney’s Christopher Wilson carried 23 times for 80 yards. Quarterback Connor Collins went 18 of 28 for 168 with a touchdown pass and an interception. Stinson led all receivers with seven catches for 78 yards. 

Quarterback Cade Strocsher led Mt. Spokane in rushing with 12 carries for 77 yards. He went 14-of-23 passing for 164 yards, but threw three interceptions. 

The defenses were the stars of the game early, as both teams pulled off interceptions in the end zone following long drives by the offense, with Mt. Spokane’s Rock Franklin and Cheney’s Jace Vega coming up big.

Cheney forced Mt. Spokane to punt with 2:12 left in the first half. It was a short kick by Kyle Rayment, then a Wildcats cover player batted the ball on the bounce and was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, moving the ball 10 yards to the Mt. Spokane 31.

Tank Best (five catches, 64 yards) made a tremendous diving catch on third-and-long for 24 yards to set up first-and-goal. Cheney suffered a procedure penalty – its fifth of the half – moving it back to the 7.

On third-and-goal, Collins was flushed from the pocket and found Ashton Huse in the back corner, who went high to pull it in for the game’s first score and give the Blackhawks a 7-0 lead at the half. It was Huse’s only catch of the game. 

Franklin took the second half kickoff on the goal line and ran it to the Wildcats 48. The drive stalled, and Mt. Spokane settled for a 22-yard field goal from Kyle Rayment.

Rayment tried a pooch kickoff, but the Wildcats were called for procedure and they had to rekick. Rayment went deep on the second kickoff, and Houndonougbo took it at the goal line. He broke through the first wave of defenders, broke to the outside and outraced the last Wildcat down the sideline. The extra point made it 14-3.

Mt. Spokane went to the air on its next possession, and on third-and-long Strocsher rolled to his right and tried to find a receiver along the sideline, but Houndonougbo stepped in front for an interception.

It stayed that way until late in the fourth. Mt. Spokane got the ball back after a turnover on downs at its 40. Strocsher picked up 15 yards with his legs, then Jax Kellly made an acrobatic catch for 44 yards to put the Wildcats in goal-to-go. Three plays later, Rashad Franklin (13 carries, 54 yards) leaped in from the 2.

The two-point conversion attempt was intercepted by Houndonougbo and Cheney held on to a 14-9 lead.

Cheney moved it to near midfield, but the Wildcats forced a punt. Mt. Spokane got it back at its 29, and Strocsher hit Kelly for 13 for a first down, then Franklin for 22 yards to the Cheney 26. On the next play, Strocsher tried to find Franklin bear the goal line, but Stinson stepped in front of it for the pick and Cheney killed the remaining clock.