Week 7 prep football preview: As temperatures fall across region, Greater Spokane League races heat up
It is really starting to feel like fall, with daytime temperatures in the 50s and lows in the 30s across the region. If you are headed out for Friday (or Thursday) Night Lights this week you might want to pack an extra layer or blanket.
Corresponding with the drop in temps, there are only three weeks left in the high school football regular season. We have been talking about the league races ever since they started to form a couple of weeks in, and while we have an idea about who might capture postseason spots from the Greater Spokane League 4A, 3A and 2A divisions, there is still plenty to settle as far as the final order of those teams.
As a reminder, the 4A and 3A classifications will send three teams each to the Week 10 playoffs, while 2A will send four teams.
Let’s go around the league and take a closer look at the matchups for Week 7.
All games Friday 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Game of the week
Cheney (5-1) at Mead (5-1): The Blackhawks are positioned well to claim one of the GSL’s three berths to the 3A playoffs, but have a bit of a gantlet to run before that can happen. They face a stiff challenge against the 4A Panthers this week before games against University and Mt. Spokane, the other two teams currently holding 3A playoff spots.
Mead has bounced back from losing the Battle of the Bell by pounding Ferris and Ridgeline in consecutive weeks. Coach Kyle Snell will not let his team look past the Blackhawks, though, as Gonzaga Prep looms in Week 8 – which will determine the league’s top seed to the 4A playoffs.
GSL 4A/3A
Central Valley (1-5) at Gonzaga Prep (6-0): Friday 6 p.m. The only thing that might derail the Bullpups’ state title chase could be their own success – their starters have yet to play a full game. G-Prep has allowed just nine first-half points against their starters this season and the backups have gotten plenty of second-half action. The Bears have an uphill climb to get back into a postseason position and are averaging a little more than seven points per game.
Ferris (0-6) at Mt. Spokane (5-1): Thursday 7 p.m. The Wildcats had to hang on for dear life last week against LC in a 21-18 win, but should not have that problem this week – the Saxons have scored just 29 points and have been shut out twice over the past five weeks.
Ridgeline (2-4) at University (3-3): The Titans blanked Ferris 17-0 last week and have a game lead over the Falcons for the third and final 3A playoff spot. The winner of this one will hold a big postseason tiebreaker.
Shadle Park (1-5) at Lewis and Clark (2-4): Friday 8 p.m. at ONE Spokane Stadium. LC is destined for a Tuesday 4A play-in game before the Week 10 playoffs. The Tigers host a Highlanders team that has been shut out three weeks in a row and four of the last five.
GSL 2A
Deer Park (2-4, 2-2) at West Valley (5-1, 3-0): The Eagles have fully rebounded from a Week 2 loss to 1A Lakeside with four straight wins – allowing just 22 points – with still a chance to run the 2A table. The Stags, with only one league game left after this week, want to keep that from happening.
North Central (3-3, 1-2) at Pullman (2-4, 2-2): The Greyhounds have played their way back into the postseason discussion with back-to-back wins over East Valley and Rogers, while NC can enter that discussion with another league win, and a potential tiebreaker, this week.
East Valley (3-3, 2-1) at Clarkston (0-6, 0-3): The Knights go on a long road trip hoping to pad their win total as they seek one of the 2A division’s four postseason spots. The Bantams have been shut out four of the last five weeks.
Nonleague
Colville (5-1) at Rogers (3-3): Friday 5 p.m. at ONE. The Pirates have lost two in a row and will face a 1A ranked Colville team that suffered its first loss last week to East Valley.