Just out of grasp

When Justin Muessy pounced on Shadle Park’s fumble of the opening kickoff and Rogers took a 7-0 lead barely a minute into the game, there was cause for early excitement in the Pirates’ camp.

But not even two electrifying runs, by Jake Partridge and Cody Peterson, the latter giving Rogers a 21-20 third-quarter lead, could end the frustration of a losing streak dating back to 2004.

Shadle’s Highlanders (1-1) recorded a 10-play drive late in the third quarter on the legs of Ryan Lemery and arm of Chris Donahue for a comeback 28-21 Greater Spokane League football victory Thursday night at Joe Albi Stadium that extended Rogers’ (0-2) winless streak to 36 games.

Still, both teams had their moments of sturdy defensive play and enough timely offense that kept the game between two GSL 3A teams interesting and in doubt until Partridge’s intercepted pass with 1 minute, 12 seconds left in the game.

Shadle, after its early miscue, scored on its next two possessions and built a 20-7 lead 7 minutes into the second quarter.

Partridge answered with a 90-yard run down the sideline with 2:58 to go and the half ended with the Pirates knocking on the door again.

On the first play from scrimmage that opened the second half, Peterson burst free inside for a 78-yard scoring dash that was negated by penalty. But it was only a harbinger of things to come. He took the same handoff 7 minutes later and went 89 yards to put the Pirates in front.

Shadle wouldn’t be denied. Lemery, who carried 24 times, packed the football six of them during a 75-yard drive, including a 4-yard plunge for the winning score.

Donohue completed three passes to three different receivers, including one of 22 yards to Taylor Pettersen that set up Lemery’s score, then found 6-foot-6, 240-pound tight end Jake Rodgers for a two-point conversion.

Rogers had three more possessions, but its final gasp ended with the Partridge interception.

Shadle’s multiple set that included some spread, T-formation-style misdirection and occasionally one-back power, produced two easy first-quarter scoring drives. The first focused primarily on Donohue.

He completed three passes, hitting Pettersen for 35 yards and the tying score at the 7:32 mark. Then a reverse by Pettersen, that fooled the Pirates and originally covered 41 yards to the goal line, but was brought back to the 20 via penalty, was prelude to a 5-yard run by Ryan Flores. The extra point failed and gave the Pirates a window of opportunity.

The third TD of the half was a short three-play drive that featured a bullish 25-yard catch and run by Rodgers – who also was a load on defense – and was capped by a 14-yard strike from Donohue to Bo Schuetzle.

The final drive, following Peterson’s dash, broke the Pirates’ hearts.

Lemery finished with 80 yards rushing and Donohue completed 10 of 18 passes for 159 yards. Pettersen rushed for 45 yards and had receptions for 63 more. Peterson led the Pirates with 126 yards rushing and Partridge gained 95 and passed for 82.

Mt. Spokane 21, Clarkston 0: In a non-league game that was a prelude to the GSL counter, the Wildcats (1-1, 0-1) scored early and, with dominating defense, kept the Bantams (0-2) out of the end zone for the second straight week.

Again, Colten Williams was the offensive catalyst as Mt. Spokane eschewed the pass in favor of the running game.

The GSL 3A team rushed for 188 yards of its 224 yards of total offense. Williams scored twice, his first in the first quarter for a 14-0 Wildcats lead and his second in the second quarter to make it 21-0.

Neither team scored in the second half as Mt. Spokane’s defensive effort limited the visitors to 48 yards of total offense, 7 yards on the ground, 41 through the air and a total of four first downs for the game.