West Valley wins Greater Spokane League 2A ‘Kansas’ tiebreaker; Eagles claim title and bye to state tournament

The Greater Spokane League 2A division was so competitive this season, it needed an extra set of games to decide the champion.

West Valley, Clarkston and Shadle Park met at rainy University High School on Tuesday for a “Kansas” tiebreaker – a pair of games consisting of two 10-minute halves. The winner would earn the league title and a bye into the state tournament, with the second- and third-place teams moving on to District 6-8 crossover games on Friday against the Central Washington Athletic Conference champ and second-place teams.

When things were settled, West Valley edged Clarkston in the second game and claimed the GSL 2A title – and the bye week that comes with it.

West Valley 7, Clarkston 6: Raesean Eaton scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second half and the extra-point by Grady Walker was the difference-maker as the Eagles (8-2, 6-1) held off the Bantams (8-3, 6-2).

Judah Clark rushed eight times for 76 yards and caught two passes for 32 yards.

Clarkston is the GSL second seed and hosts Ephrata in a District 6-8 for a berth to state on Friday.

“It seems like our league can never figure it out in the regular season,” West Valley coach Craig Whitney said.

“I’m just proud of these guys, just resilience,” he said. “At that little halftime there I said ‘Hey, we got them set up right where we want – we just score and kick the extra point. I don’t care if you win by one or you win by 40.’ “

West Valley got the ball at the start of the second half. Judah Clark had a 28-yard pass reception and 31-yard run on back-to-back plays into Clarkston territory.

“The guys up front gave (Clark) some good blocks on the run,” Whitney said, “and then the little pass play we had drawn up, we put that in this week for this this format.”

After he was stuffed on second down from the 1, Eaton bulled his way into the end zone and the extra point gave WV a one-point lead with just less than 6 minutes left.

“(Eaton) is 210 pounds, and we finally blocked somebody up front for him,” Whitney said. “Actually, it worked out good because we used another 20 seconds. Precious seconds.”

Clarkston moved upfield and faced fourth-and-2 at the West Valley 36, but Ikaika Millan was stuffed on a sweep and the Eagles took over on downs.

The Bantams got the ball back with 1:09 to play, but Carter Steinwand was called for intentional grounding to avoid a sack, and his fourth-down pass with 45 seconds left was knocked down.

Clarkston received a short opening kickoff and four plays later, Steinwand found Landon Taylor on a 39-yard touchdown pass. The snap on the extra point was botched, and Clarkston led 6-0.

West Valley’s Judah Clark broke off 18- and 11-yard runs to move the Eagles into Clarkston territory. But on fourth-and-9 at the 21, Raesean Eaton’s pass into the end zone was incomplete.

The Eagles got the ball back later in the half, but Eaton was picked off by Ian Nieves and the Bantams led 6-0 at halftime.

Steinwand finished 6 of 12 for 88 yards. Taylor made four catches for 79 yards.

Clarkston 17, Shadle Park 7: Mason Brown scored an early touchdown and grabbed an interception late to lead the Bantams (8-2, 6-1) over the Highlanders (6-4, 5-2) in the first game at U-Hi.

With the loss, Shadle Park is the GSL’s No. 3 seed and will travel to face CWAC champ Othello (7-1) for a trip to the state tourney.

Brown scored on a 21-yard touchdown run on the Bantams first possession and Taylor added a 34-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in the first half.

Shadle took the first possession of the second half to the Clarkston 26. Tre Dickerson tried to hit Jordan Dever in the end zone, but Bantams defender Christian Howell made a leaping interception to quash the drive.

The Highlanders forced a punt and took it back at their 26. A 12-play drive was culminated by a 25-yard touchdown pass from Dickerson to Dever and the extra point made it 10-7.

Shadle recovered an onside kick at the Clarkston 47, but Dickerson’s first-down pass was picked off by Brown and returned to the SP 24.

On fourth-and-20, Steinwand hit a wide-open Taylor for a TD and 17-7 lead.

The Highlanders quickly got into Clarkston territory, but Dickerson’s fourth-and-18 pass at the 22 went incomplete.

District 8 4A

Hanford 29, Lewis and Clark 15: Kevin Hester carried 23 times for 113 yards with three touchdowns and the visiting Falcons (4-6) beat the Tigers (3-7) in the District 8 4A play-in game.

Gentz Hilburn carried 24 times for 173 yards with two TDs for LC. 

Hanford faces Big 9 champion Sunnyside in a District 5/6/8 crossover on Saturday.