Kellen Flanigan tosses four touchdown passes, Mt. Spokane tops University 38-13 in GSL 3A clash

Kellen Flanigan threw four touchdown passes, and Mt. Spokane topped visiting University 38-13 Thursday at Union Stadium.

Flanigan went 17 of 28 for 278 yards. Aiden Prado caught TD passes of 3 and 57 yards for the Wildcats (6-1, 6-1), who clinched the Greater Spokane League 3A top seed.

The Wildcats now turn their attention to a showdown against undefeated Gonzaga Prep next week.

“It sets up a big one with Prep next week,” Mt. Spokane coach Terry Cloer said. “It’s for the league championship. If we can knock them off we’ll share the title with them.”

Flanigan connected on three TD passes of 26 yards or more. 

“He missed some but he connected on a few,” Cloer said. “And to have those big plays in our offense is huge.”

It was the second straight competitive game for Mt. Spokane. It’s first four wins came via shutout.

“They’ve done a good job over there (at U-Hi) and coaching their kids up,” Cloer said. “They play physical brand of football and run the ball and yeah. it was a physical night of football for sure.”

U-Hi (4-4, 4-4) went three-and-out on its first possession and a short punt gave Mt. Spokane the ball at the Titans’ 40-yard line. Flanigan hit Prado for 13 yards, and a facemask penalty moved it to the 14. On first-and-goal at the 3, Flanigan found Prado again on an out route for an early lead.

Titans punter Tre Buchanan pinned the Wildcats on their 2, but Flanigan hit Rece Schuerman for 32 yards into U-Hi territory. The drive stalled, but Texas A&M-bound kicker Ethan Moczulski nailed a 49-yard field goal to put the Wildcats up by 10.

U-Hi moved into field-goal range, but freshman Sam Thomas was short from 43 yards. Three plays later, Prado made an over-the-shoulder catch on a fly pattern for a 57-yard touchdown reception with just over 7 minutes left in the half.

“He makes them all the time,” Cloer said. “He and (Jordan) Sands do a great job going up and getting the football and snatching it out of the air.”

A trick play sparked University. Wideout Dominic Longo took a reverse, pulled up, and found Jalen King open down the sideline for a 64-yard gain to the Mt. Spokane 7. On the next play, QB Caleb Wolcott was pressured, and Jerad Dotson came up with a pick in the end zone to quash the threat.

U-Hi’s Dayton Thompson stepped in front of a Flanigan screen and took it back to the Mt. Spokane 45. Seven plays later, Malaki Miller barreled into the end zone to put the Titans on the board with 2 minutes left in the half.

Mt. Spokane hustled into field-goal range, but Moczulski’s 46-yard attempt as time expired was wide left, and the Wildcats led 17-7 at intermission.

The Wildcats’ second possession of the second half was a 10-play drive benefited by a roughing call on third-and-21 and culminated in a 26-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Alm.

On the next drive, Flanigan hit Jordan Sands in stride on a 37-yard TD catch and Mt. Spokane went up 31-7 with 3 minutes left in the third. Backup QB Ethan Keene carried for a 3-yard TD in the fourth.

GSL 2A

East Valley 26, Pullman 20: Diezel Wilkinson rushed for 255 yards with three touchdowns and the Knights (4-2, 3-2) beat the visiting Greyhounds (2-6, 2-3).

Ryan Conrath added a TD run in the third quarter for EV.

Riley Pettitt threw for 194 yards and one touchdown and Tanner Barbour caught 10 passes for 105 yards for Pullman.