Ferris, CV lead pack

The difference between Greater Spokane League football contender and pretender was glaring Friday night at Joe Albi Stadium.

Ferris cemented its place among the elite with a convincing 34-0 victory over Mead, which already may be on the outside looking in for a postseason berth just three weeks into the season.

Saxons quarterback Connor Halliday looked comfortable all night in Ferris’ spread offense. He completed 11 of his first 12 passes and finished 24 of 30 for 325 yards. He rarely needed to throw the ball more than 10 yards downfield, dissecting Mead’s defense with precision passes that gave his receivers ample room to run after the catch.

Receivers Aaron Roberts and Garrett Saiki were Halliday’s primary targets. Roberts reeled in 10 catches for 122 yards, and Saiki hauled down six for 83 yards.

With his team ahead 7-0, Halliday orchestrated a 12-play, 88-yard drive to put Ferris (3-0) comfortably ahead. Halliday completed 7 of 7 passes for 83 yards on the drive before Nathan Tonani bulled his way on a 13-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 advantage.

Tonani ran for two touchdowns and carried the ball 16 times for 79 yards.

Ferris’ defense, meanwhile, smothered the Panthers’ running attack and flustered Mead quarterback Max Kayser. Saiki’s 19-yard interception return extended the Saxons’ lead to 24-0 before halftime, and Gage Orosco added two interceptions for Ferris.

Mead (1-2) has lost to two teams – Lewis and Clark and Ferris – expected to loom large in the 4A playoff picture at season’s end. With two league teams qualifying for the postseason, the Panthers can’t afford another loss and need one or both of those teams to falter down the stretch.

Central Valley’s 33-21 victory over Lewis and Clark on Friday night only muddied things further for Mead, which began the season as a dark horse candidate in the GSL.

Brandon Lynch rushed for 72 yards on nine carries for Mead.