State football preview: Nine Greater Spokane League teams ready for battle in Round of 32

The state football playoffs start this weekend and nine Greater Spokane League teams qualified for the Round of 32. Let’s take a look at each opening round matchup and a glance at the matchups for the smaller area schools.

4A

Sunnyside (4-4) at Gonzaga Prep (9-0): Friday 6 p.m. The Bullpups finish the season ranked No. 3 in 4A by the state media and coaches association polls, and No. 4 in RPI.

This entire season for G-Prep has been about avenging last year’s semifinal loss to Camas, when an undefeated G-Prep team with a convincing win in the Round of 32 was seeded fifth and had to play in the Seattle and Vancouver areas on back-to-back weekends.

Sunnyside lost its first four games but bounced back to finish third in the Big 9.

Mead (6-3) at Eastlake (4-4): Saturday 2 p.m. The Panthers lost back-to-back games to Cheney and Gonzaga Prep before handling Shadle Park with quarterback Landon Thomas returned from injury.

Eastlake finished fourth in the Kingco Crown division and had to win a play-in game just to reach the Round of 32, yet gets to host a playoff game in Sammamish.

3A

Ferndale (4-5) at Cheney (8-1): Friday 6 p.m. at Roos Field. The Blackhawks, ranked No. 8 by the state media and RPI and No. 9 by the coaches, have a well-balanced team with the No. 1 or 2 individual in the GSL in passing, rushing and receiving and the No. 2 defense by yards allowed. Ferndale finished fourth in the Wesco North division and have lost two of its last three games.

Southridge (5-4) at Mt. Spokane (7-2): Friday 7 p.m. at Union Stadium. With the state-level Round of 32, the GSL no longer crosses over with the Mid-Columbia Conference. Regardless, the seeding committee thought it was a good idea to match up two winning teams from the same district in the first round.

University (5-5) at Eastside Catholic (7-1): Saturday 2 p.m. The Titans beat Walla Walla 18-13 in a district play-in game on Tuesday to qualify for the state playoffs for the first time since 2012. They will to travel to Sammamish to face the same team that knocked them out last time they made it this far.

2A

Aberdeen (7-3) at West Valley (8-1): Saturday 2 p.m. The seeding committee, made up of representatives from each of the six state districts, did not do the GSL champions any favors – or any of the three other league qualifiers.

Despite just one loss and a lofty RPI rating, the Eagles were one of the last teams to receive a home game for the Round of 32 and face the 11th-ranked team by RPI in the classification in the first round.

East Valley (5-4) at Orting (9-0): Saturday noon. The Knights, who won one league game last season, finished second in the GSL and drew No. 3 Orting, the undefeated South Puget Sound champion.

Pullman (4-5) at Archbishop Murphy (8-0): Saturday 1 p.m. The Greyhounds lost their first four games but bounced back to place third in the GSL. They get to travel to Everett to take on the No. 1 team in the classification, the undefeated Northwest Conference champions.

Rogers (5-4) at East Valley (Yakima) (8-0): Saturday 2 p.m. The Pirates beat Deer Park on Friday to earn the league’s last berth to state. For their trouble they will face the No. 2 team in the classification, the undefeated Central Washington Athletic Conference champions.

1A

Omak (6-3) at Colville (7-2): Friday 7 p.m. The Northeast A champion Crimson Hawks (RPI 13) host the Caribou Trail League champion Pioneers (RPI 12).

Lakeside (4-4) at Rochester (7-2): Saturday 3 p.m. The Eagles (RPI 22) will travel 353 miles to take on the Evergreen League second-place Warriors (RPI 8).

2B

District 6 crossovers (winner to state, loser out)

Colfax (7-0) at Freeman (7-2): Friday 7 p.m.

Lind-Ritzville/Sprague (2-7) at Northwest Christian (7-3): Saturday 6:30 p.m. at Union Stadium.

Reardan (5-4) at Asotin (3-6): Friday 7 p.m.

1B

District 6 crossovers (winner to state, loser out)

Curlew (6-3) at Liberty Christian (7-1): Friday 5 p.m.

Wellpinit (4-4) at DeSales (9-0): Friday 5 p.m.

Cusick (3-4) at Pomeroy (7-1): Friday 5 p.m.

Dayton (5-3) at Almira/Coulee-Hartline (7-1): Friday 6 p.m.

Waitsburg (6-3) at Wilbur-Creston-Keller (6-3): Friday 7 p.m.

Sunnyside Christian (4-4) at Odessa (5-3): Friday 6 p.m.

Garfield-Palouse (5-2) at Inchelium (8-1): Saturday 3 p.m.