Friday Night High(lights): Mt. Spokane earns 4A/3A league title; 2As need tiebreaker to settle matter

Well, that was fun.

The regular season is in the book, league champions have been crowned, bids to Week 10 playoffs and crossovers are set … well, almost everything is set.

We’ve known for a couple of weeks how the Greater Spokane League 4A division would be sorted out, but the de facto league title game came down to a pair of traditional rivals in the 3A ranks.

After the dust settled from Friday’s games, the 2A division leaders will have to meet again to decide a champion.

While we await a good old-fashioned Tuesday Kansas tiebreaker, let’s go around the league (and elsewhere) and take a look at five things that stood out to us in Week 9.

Champs

One week after knocking off Gonzaga Prep, Mt. Spokane had to find that fire again for its traditional rivalry game, the “Battle of the Bell,” against Mead. Not that it took much prodding.

For the first time, the schedule-makers put the “Bell” in Week 9. The Wildcats withstood Mead’s early advances, clamped down on defense and triumphed 20-10, getting two long touchdown receptions from Bode Gardner and a TD and key interception from Jackson Hale to prevail

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We won’t know until late Sunday if the seeding committee deems both Mt. Spokane and Mead will host next week.

Tune ups

The Bullpups bounced back after their loss last week to handle Lewis and Clark. G-Prep slipped from No. 3 in the state media poll to No. 10, but more relevant is hosting in the Week 10 matchup.

G-Prep’s playoff opponent took a weird turn to get there. Moses Lake thought it had the Big 9 title wrapped up late, with players and fans storming the field. The officials gathered and decided there was 1 second left on the clock.

With that opportunity, Eastmont heaved a “Hail Mary” and came down with it, and in a heartbeat Moses Lake went from No. 1 to No. 4.

Lewis and Clark, the GSL third seed, hosts Hanford from the Mid-Columbia Conference in the play-in game on Tuesday.

Greasy win

University had a tough go of it early in the season, especially when tailback Malaki Miller went down for a couple of weeks with an ankle injury. Since Miller’s return, the Titans have improved every week.

It was less than a shock when U-Hi downed Central Valley 32-21 in their rivalry “Greasy Pig” game Friday.

Miller had 121 yards on 32 carries, while quarterback Caleb Wolcott had four rushing touchdowns and a TD pass to lead the Titans

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Kansas in the Valley

Clarkston earned its share of the 2A title last week with its win over Shadle Park. The Highlanders and West Valley held up their ends of the bargain with wins on Friday.

The three will meet on Tuesday at University HS for a Kansas tiebreaker.

Shadle and Clarkston will meet first in a mini-game with two 10-minute halves; the winner faces West Valley immediately after for the league title

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Undefeated

Northeast A champ Lakeside finished its undefeated season with a 35-10 win over Riverside. The Eagles are ranked No. 3 in the state and are earning No. 1 votes.

Lakeside and Freeman – 51-8 winners over Medical Lake – go straight into the State 1A tourney.

Colville and Riverside must play in crossovers against the Caribou Trail champion and second-place teams this week.