Prep football: Top-seeded Gonzaga Prep leads area teams into playoff action

Football playoffs begin this weekend in Washington and state berths will be decided across the region while Idaho participates in state quarterfinals.

4A

Hanford (6-3) at Gonzaga Prep (7-2): The Greater Spokane League-champion Bullpups host the third seed out of the Mid-Columbia Conference in a District 8 crossover on Friday at 7.

G-Prep looked rough in a midseason shutout by Mt. Spokane but has been on a roll since, winning four straight on its way to an undefeated league season. QB Connor Halonen has piled up 815 rushing yards the past four weeks – with 167 yards and four touchdowns against Lewis and Clark in the league title game last week.

The Falcons averaged 37.1 points this season but have lost their last two – a 10-point loss to Richland last week and a 42-35 decision to 3A nonplayoff Hermiston.

Mead (6-3) at Richland (7-2): The two No. 2 seeds face off at Lampson Stadium in Kennewick on Friday at 5.

Mead dropped midseason games to Mt. Spokane and G-Prep but rebounded nicely with wins over Lewis and Clark and Central Valley to secure a playoff spot. Ryan Blair threw for 195 yards with three touchdown passes – all to wideout Michael Workman – in the win over CV.

The defending state-champion Bombers got off to a slow start with losses in their first two games but have been dominant since. Richland won on the road over Hanford last week to nab the second place as Josh Fonner finished 22 of 26 for 294 yards and five touchdown passes.

Lewis and Clark (7-2) at Chiawana (7-2): The GSL third-seeded Tigers travel to face the MCC champs at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco on Friday at 7.

Lewis and Clark seemingly had a hold on the GSL standings as it cruised through the first seven games undefeated behind its triple-threat offense of QB Michael Flaherty, RB Keani Guthmueller and WR Xavier Guillory. But consecutive losses to Mead and G-Prep send the Tigers on the road into a stiff test.

Chiawana lost back-to-back games in midseason, including a 34-21 decision to Hanford, but has won its last four – by an average of 40 points – including a 42-0 shellacking of Kamiakin.

3A

Kamiakin (5-4) at Shadle Park (4-5): The top-seeded Highlanders host the second-seeded Braves at Albi Stadium on Friday at 7:30.

Shadle Park surprised No. 4-ranked Mt. Spokane last Friday, knocking the heavily favored Wildcats down 14-11 at Albi. Shadle has two signature wins – last week and a two-point win over West Valley in Week 2. SP is 1-5 outside of its league games but played Cheney, Ferris and University close. QB Carson Doyle and RB Klouse Albers fuel the offense.

Kamiakin had an up-and-down year. The Braves were blasted two weeks ago by Chiawana 42-0, but bounced back to beat Hermiston last week to make the postseason.

Mt. Spokane (7-2) at Kennewick (6-3), Friday at 7:30: The second-seeded Wildcats travel to face the MCC champion Lions at Lampson Stadium.

Mt. Spokane has been ranked in the top 10 in state all season –despite a ton of injuries to key players – and finished at No. 8. Starting QB Brady Hill returned last week but looked rusty. The game plan to have him throw more than run to protect him didn’t work out against the Highlanders. He’ll have another week of practice under his belt for this one.

Kennewick lost its first two games, won five in a row – including back-to-back shutouts – then got stomped by Richland 35-14 before closing out with a 41-7 win over winless Southridge.

2A

Ephrata (5-4) at West Valley (8-1): The Great Northern League-champion Eagles host the Central Washington Athletic Conference third-seeded Tigers on Friday at 7.

West Valley is ranked sixth in state 2A and cruised through league play, although it got a scare in a road tussle at Cheney, winning 17-14 after a last-second goal-line stand. RB Marshall Meleney is a big back at this level and Hunter Tiffany provides the change of pace. Junior QB Matt Allen conducts the offense.

Pullman (7-2) at Ellensburg (4-4): The GNL second-seeded Greyhounds face the second-seeded Bulldogs in Ellensburg on Friday at 7.

Konnor Kinkade-to-Isaiah Strong is a potent combination for Pullman. Last week, the pair hooked up for seven receptions for 173 yards with a pair of touchdowns in Pullman’s playoff-clinching 59-28 win over Cheney.

1A

Colville won the Northeast A league title and earned a berth to the state playoffs.

Okanogan (6-3) at Newport (7-1): The second-place Grizzlies host the Bulldogs on Friday at 6.

The only blemish on the record of sixth-ranked Newport is a 28-7 loss to Colville on Oct. 12.

Riverside (5-4) at Omak (9-0): The third-place Rams travel to face the Caribou Trail League-champion Pioneers on Saturday at 1:30.

Riverside, which won a Kansas tiebreaker on Tuesday against Lakeside and Deer Park to reach the crossover, draws the 10th-ranked team in state.

2B

Wilbur-Creston (7-2) at Reardan (7-2): The South Division champ and seventh-ranked Indians host the North Division third-place Wildcats in a league crossover.

Colfax (4-4) at Chewelah (6-3): The North Division champ and 10th-ranked Cougars host the South Division third-place Bulldogs.

Northwest Christian (7-2) at Asotin (7-2): The second-place teams in the divisions face off in a crossover. Asotin is ranked fifth in state while NWC is ninth.

1B

Tekoa-Rosalia (7-1) at Odessa (9-0): The South Division champ and No. 1 team in state hosts the North Division champion Timberwolves.

Selkirk (5-3) at Almira/Coulee-Hartline (8-1): The South Division second-place Warriors, ranked second in state, host the North second-place Rangers.

Idaho

Borah (6-4) at Coeur d’Alene (8-0): The undefeated Vikings host the Lions in a 5A quarterfinal on Friday.

The Vikings have had two close games this season – a three-point win over Rigby in Week 1 and the league-title game two weeks ago, when CdA was able to outlast a Post Falls team that tried to take air out of the ball and almost pulled off the upset.

Borah finished fifth in the hypercompetitive Southern Idaho Conference.

Post Falls (5-4) at Mountain View (7-2): The Trojans travel to face the Mavericks in a 5A quarterfinal on Friday.

The Trojans started off 1-3 but reeled off four out of five, including last week’s thrilling 42-27 win over Skyview in the opening round. Derek Pearse threw four TDs passes and found sophomore Josiah Shields in the end zone with 6.7 seconds left.

Mountain View finished second in the the SIC, losing only to undefeated Rocky Mountain and Eagle.

South Fremont (6-3) at Timberlake (6-3): The Tigers take on the Cougars in a 3A quarterfinal on Saturday.

Timberlake swept the Intermountain League and received a bye into the quarters. The Tigers own wins over 4A Moscow and GSL 3A Rogers.

The Cougars, the second seed from District 6, got past Weiser 35-28 in their first-round matchup last week.

St. Maries (6-3) at Declo (9-0): The Lumberjacks travel to face the Hornets in a 2A quarterfinal in Pocatello on Saturday.

St. Maries finished last (0-2) in the Central Idaho League but has been ranked among the top five in 2A much of the season.

Declo has been rarely challenged on its way to a perfect record and No. 1 ranking in state.