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Prep football: T.J. Haberman tosses three TDs to Boden Gardner, Mt. Spokane shuts out Ferris 44-0

Mt. Spokane wide receiver Tristan Olson (3) runs the ball as Ferris defensive back Luke Nease (31) moves in for the tackle during a GSL high school football game, Thursday, September 22, 2022, at Union Stadium. (Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review)
Mt. Spokane wide receiver Tristan Olson (3) runs the ball as Ferris defensive back Luke Nease (31) moves in for the tackle during a GSL high school football game, Thursday, September 22, 2022, at Union Stadium. (Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

T.J. Haberman to Boden Gardner is becoming a fairly dangerous – and consistent – combination for Mt. Spokane.

The pair connected on three long touchdown passes and the Wildcats (4-0, 4-0) beat the Ferris Saxons 44-0 in Greater Spokane League 4A/3A play at Union Stadium on Thursday.

Haberman finished 15 of 29 for 274 yards, playing just one series after halftime. Gardner had six catches for 185 yards and scores of 21, 65 and 48 yards.

Ethan Keene and Matteo Saccomanno both rushed for better than 70 yards with a touchdown run.

“We feel like we executed well in the first half,” Mt. Spokane coach Terry Cloer said. ” We wanted to start fast – we hadn’t done a great job since Game 1 of scoring early, so our offense got a score on the board early which what we wanted to do, and defense played well throughout.”

The win came at a cost – Mt. Spokane senior slot receiver and kicker Blake Speer was injured in the first half and did not return. 

“It puts a damper on everything we do,” Cloer said. “You hate to see it. The guy’s put so much into this and it breaks my heart.”

On Mt. Spokane’s first play, Haberman hit Gardner on a screen and the speedster went 38 yards to the Ferris 21. Two plays later, Gardner hauled in a fade in the left corner from 19 yards for a TD and early 7-0 lead.

Ferris faced third-and-long and John Olson’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Linebacker Jackson Hale gathered it at the Ferris 20, but the Saxons (0-4, 0-4) stiffened and the Wildcats settled for Speer’s 40-yard field goal.

The teams traded punts. After a 15-play drive, Keene scored from the 4 and Mt. Spokane took a 17-0 lead.

On the Wildcats’ first possession of the second quarter, Haberman went deep to Gardner for a 65-yard catch-and-run for another TD.

“(Haberman) throws it high trajectory and the kids can run under it,” Cloer said. “When you have speed like Gardner, yeah, it makes it for a good duo out there.”

Mt. Spokane received the second-half kick and it took just three plays to get back into the end zone. Gardner leaped over a defensive back to make a reception down the sideline, then raced into the end zone for a 48-yard TD completion and 31-0 lead.

A Ferris fumble gave the ball back to the Wildcats at their 40. Backup QB Bo Reisenauer hit Talan Main for 18 yards and Bradley Runge carried for 25 yards to the Ferris 12. On the next play, Saccomanno went around left end and bowled over defenders on a touchdown run to make it 38-0.

After a Tristan Olson interception, Hunter McKee drilled a 32-yard field goal to put it into running clock for the remainder of the fourth quarter. Reese Carlson added a 31-yard field goal in the waning moments.

Colfax 20, Reardan 7: JD Peterson, Seth Lustig and Mascon Gilchrist rushed for touchdowns and the visiting Bulldogs (1-3, 1-3) beat the Screaming Eagles (1-3, 1-2) in a Northeast 2B game.

Odessa 68, Wilber-Creston-Keller 20: Corbin Neilsen scored four touchdowns, Gage Starkel added three and the visiting, No. 1 ranked Tigers (3-0, 1-0) beat the No. 4 Wildcats (2-2, 0-1) in a Northeast 1B game. Dur Becker had a TD run and two TD passes for WCK.