Quick hits
LOOKING AHEAD
At first glance, Tuesday’s Greater Spokane League vs. Big Nine Conference football play-in games for State 4A berths seemed similar to the past few years.
The Big Nine won three of the four games. Only GSL champion Gonzaga Prep won. But looking a little deeper, there was more to it than that.
Yes, only G-Prep won, and the Bullpups had to battle Big Nine No. 4 Kennewick before gaining a 17-14 victory.
But Shadle Park traveled to Kennewick and barely lost to Southridge, the Big Nine’s No. 2 seed. The GSL’s second seed, Ferris, lost to Walla Walla 23-12, but the Saxons regrouped after yielding two long drives. Ferris limited Wa-Hi’s running attack and had the ball at the Blue Devils 15 with 5 minutes left before coming away empty.
So the GSL’s 1-3 mark could have just as easily been 3-1. Besides Pasco’s 49-6 win over University, the other three games were close. That hasn’t always been the case.
In the 3A ranks, East Valley, which tied for second in the GSL, handed West Valley-Yakima its worst defeat of the year, 30-3.
Now G-Prep (10-1) holds the GSL’s 4A banner, and will defend it at Albi this Saturday against Southridge (9-2). With a win, the Bullpups will face the winner between Puyallup (10-0) and Kentwood (8-2), probably Nov. 20 at Albi.
There’s a chance the Pups can go a long way. Their aggressive defense and opportunistic offense, along with a schedule that keeps them in Spokane, gives them the chance. EV has nearly an identical road, with a team that mirrors G-Prep’s, so don’t be surprised by an extended postseason for the Knights.
Football
Saturday, both games 1 p.m.
4A playoffs: Southridge (9-2) vs. Gonzaga
Prep (10-1) at Albi Stadium; 3A playoffs: Clover Park (8-1) at East Valley (8-3).
Other games of interest
2A playoffs: Connell (7-3) vs. Pullman (8-1) at Martin Stadium, Friday 7 p.m.
The Greyhounds, ranked fourth in 2A, face the eighth-ranked Eagles in the opening round.
1A play-in games: Wahluke (9-2) at Freeman (9-0), Saturday 1 p.m.
The second-ranked Scotties don’t get any favors in the play-in round as Wahluke is ranked sixth and defeated SCAC-rival Warden 33-0 in Tuesday’s league-playoff game.
Newport (5-5) at Royal (10-0), Saturday 3 p.m.
Somebody has to play the No. 1-ranked team in the play-in round, and the Grizzlies, coming off a 70-7 rout of Columbia (Burbank), earned the assignment.
Volleyball
2A, 1A State tournaments
Friday and Saturday at Yakima Sun Dome
2A: Colville and Pullman; 1A: Colfax and Freeman
B State tournament
Friday and Saturday at Eastern Washington University
Lind-Ritzville, Garfield-Palouse, Almira/Coulee-Hartline, Davenport and Curlew
Soccer
4A regional
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Gonzaga Prep (15-1) vs. Richland (16-1) at the Bomber Bowl
For the second consecutive week, the Bullpups are facing a rematch from last season. This time it’s the top-ranked Bombers, who ended G-Prep’s season last year, also in the quarterfinal.
LOOKING AROUND
The state football playoffs in all classifications offer some intriguing matchups outside of the Inland Northwest. Nowhere is the early draw more interesting than the top quarter of the 3A bracket. Bellevue has been ranked No. 1 in the state all year – and ranked 10th nationally by USA Today – and the Wolverines will open with Franklin Pierce. Undefeated Prosser travels to once-defeated Timberline and the state’s all-time leading rusher Jonathan Stewart. The winner will likely host Bellevue in round two. Considering the three teams were ranked 1-3 almost all season, Bellevue’s quest for a fourth consecutive 3A title couldn’t get much tougher. … Archbishop Murphy (10-0 and No. 2 in the state), two-time 1A champ, starts its attempt at the 2A crown by visiting Port Townsend (9-1 and ranked fifth).