Week 8 prep football preview: Gonzaga Prep-Mead showdown hindered by injury; 2As will need every game to get sorted
In case you missed it in Sunday’s “Highlights” column, the Greater Spokane League and Mid-Columbia Conference – which make up District 6 in the 4A and 3A ranks – finally decided last week how to distribute the berths the district is allotted from each of the classifications.
The top two teams from the GSL in each of the 4A and 3A classifications advance directly to the Week 10 Round of 32 state playoffs. The third-place team in those classifications will face the MCC third-place teams in a Tuesday play-in game, with the winners advancing to the Round of 32 later that week.
The top four GSL 2A teams advance directly to the Round of 32.
We already know the top three teams in each of the 4A and 3A classifications, and the last two games will decide the seeding and which teams are forced into the dreaded play-in games.
The 2As are going to need every single game on the regular-season schedule, which concludes Halloween eve, to decide things – and then possibly some sort of tiebreaker in the event that there is a three- or four- or five-way tie for playoff spots.
Anyway, let’s go around the league and take a closer look at the matchups for Week 8.
All games 7 p.m Friday unless otherwise noted.
Game of the week
Mead (5-2) at Gonzaga Prep (7-0): Friday 6 p.m. This would have been a tall task for the Panthers in the best of circumstances, but they come into this week’s showdown without starting quarterback Landon Thomas, who sustained an injury last week against Cheney and will miss the game. In his place, junior Evan Drew will get his first career start at QB. Expect GSL leading rusher Max Faagau (573 yards, 6.3 per carry, eight TDs) to shoulder even more of the load for the Panthers.
The juggernaut Bullpups are ranked No. 2 (with three first-place votes) in the state media poll and up one spot to No. 3 by the coaches association. Jonah Keller had 150 yards with four TDs last week on just six carries for G-Prep, while dive back Jimmy Grainger accounted for 87 yards on nine carries with a 63-yard scoring run in the first quarter. The Bullpups have allowed just one touchdown against their starters in the first half of games this season.
GSL 4A/3A
University (4-3) at Cheney (6-1): Both of these teams are in the postseason, but the 3A teams found out this week that the third-place team in the classification will have to play in a dreaded Tuesday play-in game against the MCC third-place team to qualify for the Round of 32. This game, then, takes on added significance.
If U-Hi were to pull off back-to-back upsets over Cheney and Gonzaga Prep, and the Blackhawks lose out to U-Hi and Mt. Spokane, both teams would have three losses and the Titans would own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Cheney and take the second seed. Nobody wants to play Tuesday then have to travel for a state game on Saturday.
Mt. Spokane (6-1) at Ridgeline (2-5): The Wildcats will keep an eye on the Cheney game, since they have a date with the Blackhawks next week which could determine the top 3A seed and could be the difference between a home game in Week 10 or traveling over the Cascades somewhere.
Lewis and Clark (3-4) at Ferris (0-7): The Tigers have known for a few weeks that they are locked into the third 4A seed and will take part in the play-in game. Their game plan the next two weeks, against teams with one win combined, is to stay healthy and improve every week behind dual quarterbacks Ben Conklin and Sully Sandusky.
Central Valley (1-6) at Shadle Park (1-6): Neither team will qualify for the postseason, but both have three games to create momentum for next season.
GSL 2A
Rogers (4-3, 2-2) at East Valley (4-3, 3-1): The Knights have been impressive the past couple of weeks, knocking off a very good 1A team in Colville before traveling to Clarkston to beat the Bantams with a late field goal.
The Pirates bounced back from a road loss to Pullman by also topping Colville at ONE Spokane Stadium. Rogers got a bump from the return of receiver Alex Peabody from injury – the senior had three catches for 85 yards including a 66-yard TD catch-and-run.
North Central (4-3, 2-2) at West Valley (6-1, 4-0): The Eagles have allowed just 13 points total over their last four games and have given up no more than 12 all season except for their lone loss to 1A Lakeside in Week 2. The Wolfpack won a wild one in Pullman last week and Akiylon Washington has been an emerging player at QB for them.
Pullman (2-5, 2-3) at Clarkston (0-7, 0-4): The Greyhounds look to keep pace with the other contenders this week against winless Clarkston.
Nonleague
Deer Park (2-5) at Riverside (2-5): The Stags get a week off from league play after a lopsided loss to West Valley, but 1A Riverside already has a GSL win under its belt – a 27-21 victory over East Valley in Week 2.