Lilomaiava Mikaele, Noah Holman one-two punch for Gonzaga Prep in 28-21 win over Central Valley

All three Greater Spokane League 4A teams qualify for the Week 10 playoffs against the Mid-Columbia Conference and Big 9 this season. But not all Week 10 bids are equal.

The league champion will host the Big 9 fourth-place team and the GSL second seed will host the MCC’s No. 2.

The third-place team in the GSL? It must face the MCC No. 4 team, site to be determined by winning percentage, in a Tuesday play-in game, then travel to take on the Big 9 champion in the central part of the state.

Central Valley entered play at home on Friday tied with Lewis and Clark with two league losses, holding the tiebreaker, with both teams trying to avoid the dreaded play-in game.

Unfortunately, an injury-riddled Bears team ran into the No. 4-ranked team in the state moving at full steam.

Gonzaga Prep withstood a fourth-quarter charge by the Bears to pull out a 28-21 win, clinching the league’s top 4A seed to the Week 10 playoffs.

CV remains tied with LC, which fell to Mead 37-14.

“They’re a great team and coach (Ryan) Butner does a heck of a job,” Gonzaga Prep coach Dave McKenna said of his opponent. “Our kids responded, facing adversity – that’s high school football. And we found a couple of ways to win this year and it was just another one, so it was it was awesome.

“I just told the kids if we’re for home for that Week 10 game, that’s big. It’s still gonna be a great opponent. Every game now matters.”

“This was a big one. We secured the first seed,” Bullpups running back Lilomaiava Mikaele said. “It really shows our offensive line is just out there really pushing and driving. I want to shout up Noah (Holman), the other ‘S’ back. He was running very hard. It’s hard to stop two backs just cycling, cycling, cycling up the middle.”

Mikaele carried 27 times for 150 yards and a TD, while Holman picked up 74 yards on 11 carries with a score.

“We just switch out every drive,” Holman said. “You know, we got fresh legs every time and we’re just hitting it every time.”

Gonzaga Prep (6-1, 6-0) scored late in the third quarter on a Holman 1-yard run to go up 21-7.

After an offsides penalty and out-of-bounds kickoff, CV took over at its 40. On third-and-long, Dylan Gravelle connected with Hudson Dayton for 23 yards to the G-Prep 12. Two plays later, Gravelle hit Eliot Beal on a fade for a 13-yard TD and one-touchdown deficit.

The Bullpups fumbled the first snap after the touchdown and CV fell on it at the G-Prep 10. On the next play, Gravelle hit Kaden Harkin on a slant for a 10-yard TD pass to tie it at 21.

Gravelle finished 23 of 36 for 264 yards with three TD passes and three interceptions. Dayton had eight catches for 114 yards.

Holman carried for 22 yards, then JoJo Shortell did the same and G-Prep had first-and-goal at the CV 9. On fourth-and-goal at the 3, Shortell faked, then went off-tackle to sneak into the end zone and restore the lead for Gonzaga Prep.

Shortell carried 13 times for 45 yards.

Central Valley (3-4, 3-3) took over at its 23 and Gravelle went deep to Dayton for 36 yards. Forced with fourth-and-1 at the G-Prep 32, Danner Smith carried to the outside and appeared to have a first down on second effort, but the officials ruled he stepped out of bounds and CV turned it over on downs.

G-Prep grounded out a couple of first downs behind Mikaele and then took the victory formation.

“Fourth quarter I gotta go up the middle and I gotta run hard,” Mikaele said. “I have to do my job.”

“We played hard,” Butner said. “This has been the same script for the last four weeks. We go down to the wire to tie the game and we play really hard.

“Really proud of our guys the way they fight and competed and came back and gave us a chance to win.”

Mikaele carried on 10 of G-Prep’s first 14 plays, finishing with a 4-yard touchdown run and early 7-0 lead.

Gravelle’s third interception of the half – Ryan Jackson’s second – put G-Prep at its 40. This time, the Bullpups took advantage.

Sam Ohman took it for 19 yards into CV territory, and Mikaele added 14 yards to the Bears 23. Shortell hit Bo Howell on a short hitch route and the senior receiver juked a defender and took it to the end zone for a 14-0 halftime lead.

The Bears started their second drive of the second half at their 19 and marched to the G-Prep 19. Gravelle hit Smith on a screen and the junior running back weaved his way down the sideline for a TD to make it 14-7.

Smith carried 12 times for 59 yards and had six catches for 43.

CV attempted an onside kick but it was recovered by the Bullpups at the 50. Seven plays later, Holman barreled in from the 1 to put G-Prep up 21-7 late in the third quarter.

“Second half started seeing the hole open up,” Holman said. “Line was blocking great, just running downhill, hitting the hole every play.”