Gonzaga Prep rallies, then holds off Mt. Spokane
The Gonzaga Prep football team could be a case study in the glass-is-half-empty, glass-is-half-full debate.
Half empty says the Bullpups have managed to find ways to win without four quarters of quality play on any given Friday.
Half full suggests the Bullpups might be a difficult bunch to corral if they put a full four quarters together.
Gonzaga Prep’s offense and defense took turns bailing each other out Friday with the Bullpups finding a way to hold off the visiting Mt. Spokane Wildcats 28-25 in a nonleague game.
Two Bullpups fumbles in the first half handcuffed the defense, allowing Mt. Spokane (2-2) to take a 10-7 lead into halftime.
On their first series of the third quarter, the Bullpups showed what they’re capable of when they’re not shooting the toes off their paws. G-Prep (4-0) needed just five plays to score, capped when junior slotback Nick Johnson scored from 11 yards out to give the Bullpups their first lead at 14-10.
G-Prep wouldn’t trail again, opening a 28-12 lead before having to hold off the Wildcats’ late rally.
“We had an excellent second half,” junior outside linebacker Conor McKenna, the head coach’s son, said. “If we keep up how we played in the second half we should be all right.”
Moments after Mt. Spokane pulled within 14-12 when Roy Hyatt tackled Nick Wood in the end zone for a safety, McKenna came up big when he cradled a fumble in midair, caused when Josh Condin hit quarterback Matt Pulliam. McKenna saw nothing but open field in front of him, returning the recovery 65 yards for the score that extended G-Prep’s lead to 21-12.
Then teammate Ian McGinn had an interception, and the Bullpups’ offense went to work. Five plays later, Johnson scored on a 26-yard run to give G-Prep its biggest lead at 28-12 with 11:27 remaining.
The Wildcats fought back. Linebacker Jacob Yedica, the team’s short-yardage specialist, scored from a yard out to pull Mt. Spokane within 28-18 with 8:44 to go.
Mt. Spokane’s defense forced a punt.
Moments later on fourth-and-goal from 3 inches out, Pulliam snuck in behind his center for what would be the game’s final score with 2:52 remaining.
Mt. Spokane got the ball back one more time and with decent field position at its 49-yard line with 35 seconds to go. But on the first play, Wood intercepted Pulliam.
“We’ll pick it up,” McKenna said. “We’ve been coming out a little flat. If we come out with good energy it will be a lot better.”
Wood agreed.
“We haven’t been able to get all the quarters together yet,” Wood said. “Once we get rolling, it’s special and it’s hard to stop. We’ve just got to find the groove and keep working in practice.”
G-Prep put together 301 yards total offense. Running back Jack Bamis led with 97 on 22 carries.
Pulliam led Mt. Spokane with 222 yards, 192 coming through the air.