Quick hits

Parity is thy name

While unbeaten Lewis and Clark and Mead race to Tuesday’s Greater Spokane League volleyball title showdown, nothing else is for certain, either in that league or in GSL soccer.

Mt. Spokane’s Tuesday win over Gonzaga Prep further tightened the standings, third place through ninth, in volleyball and it will take the final three matches of the season to determine which of four teams earns the final three berths for 4A district.

LC’s Tigers, Mead’s Panthers and the G-Prep Bullpups are the top three. One match separates Central Valley, Shadle Park, University and Ferris for the other three spots.

CV has matches remaining with Shadle, tonight, and Ferris. Shadle plays U-Hi and Mt. Spokane. Ferris still must play U-Hi.

Soccer is in a similar state following Ferris’ 1-0 shootout loss to East Valley. Seven teams had winning records and were separated by six points heading into last night’s matches. First-place Ferris played Shadle and Mead was host to U-Hi with a chance to open up ground.

There are six other matches over the final three league outings that will help sort things out.

Tenth-game matchups

Greater Spokane and Columbia Basin league football teams will play each other on Nov. 3 and 4 for their ninth or 10th games of the season.

For most of the 22 teams involved, it will end their seasons. For 10 teams, these will be playoff games – with five advancing to the postseason.

The top three 4A finishers in each league play for state berths with the GSL champion and runner-up hosting the CBL third- and second-place finishers on Nov. 4. The GSL third-place team travels to the CBL champion.

East Valley will host the CBL 3A No. 2 finisher, with the CBL champ hosting CBL No. 3 for the other state berth.

The remaining games will be between each league’s 4A fourth- through seventh-placers. GSL hosts the even games, CBL the odd games on Nov. 3.

Also on Nov. 3, Mt. Spokane will host the CBL No. 4 3A finisher, with North Central and Rogers at CBL 3A Nos. 5 or 6 depending upon the outcome of their Friday night game at Albi Stadium.

GSL Game of the Week

Ferris vs. University, tonight, 6:15, Albi Stadium: A pair of once-beaten teams vies for (at least) undisputed third place in the league and an inside track to the playoffs. Ferris’ Saxons have the second-best defense in the league and are second against the rush, U-Hi’s strength. The Titans are fifth in total defense. On offense, Ferris is fifth overall and U-Hi eighth.

Other GSL games (Friday): Lewis and Clark (5-1) at EV (4-2), 7 p.m. EV’s Knights have wrapped up the league’s 3A playoff berth while the Tigers, with a win, would be close to a 4A spot. Mead is at Gonzaga Prep, 7 p.m. in a must-win for Mead. Shadle Park plays Central Valley at 5:45 p.m., and Rogers meets North Central at 8:30, both at Albi Stadium.

Small school games of week

Freeman at Kettle Falls, 7 p.m.: Freeman’s Scotties lost to the Bulldogs despite outgaining them 216 to 66 yards to open the season. Kettle Falls (6-0) would clinch no worse than a title tie with a triumph at home.

Odessa at Almira/Coulee-Hartline, 7 p.m.: Odessa’s Tigers would go long way toward securing a Northeast 1B title in this game between the No. 1- and No. 4-ranked state teams. Both are 3-0 in league.

Others of note: West Valley at Cheney in a game between 2A Great Northern League rivals; Lind-Ritzville at Davenport for second place in the Northeast 2B, both at 7 p.m.