Gonzaga Prep rolls up nearly 500 rushing yards, holds off late charge by Mead to secure 28-21 win

The way the Greater Spokane League 4A/3A schedule was set up this season, the first several weeks produced few compelling games, with top teams of recent years taking advantage of rebuilding teams.

As such, Mead and Gonzaga Prep – along with Central Valley and Mt. Spokane – got off to unbeaten starts in league play.

Week 4 brought the first matchup of the unbeatens, as Mead hosted G-Prep at Union Stadium in a battle of contrasting styles – Gonzaga Prep’s triple option versus Mead’s big-strike capability.

In the end, the Bullpups (3-1, 3-0), as they’ve done so much in recent memory, wore their opponents down – but it was not without a fight.

Lilomaiava Mikaele carried 29 times for 164 and a touchdown as Gonzaga Prep had five players with 50 or more rushing yards and the Bullpups outlasted the Panthers 28-21. Mead is 3-1, 2-1.

Noah Holman rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries with two scores and Bo Howell had 94 yards on just four carries. G-Prep rushed for 491 yards .

“Linemen are opening up holes, whole team’s playing well, defense is doing great,” Holman said. “It was a great night.

“That’s what we plan to do every week, you know – come out, open up holes, running down the field, 100 yards for every ball carrier there is.”

“It was a great football game,” Gonzaga Prep coach Dave McKenna said. “(Mead) Coach (Keith) Stamps is a great coach and it’s fun to coach against him. Quality program. They played very hard, we played hard and at the end of the day, we came out on top on this one.”

Mead quarterback Colby Danielson had a challenging night, finishing 18 of 37 for 257 yards with two TDs and an interception, pressured every time he dropped back to pass. He was sacked six times.

“We’ve got Evan Weaver as one of our D line coaches, he’s straight out of the NFL,” G-Prep defensive end Cavan McKiernan said. “You know, he’s a smart dude. We just brought the energy. Honestly, that’s what it was.”

Even still, Danielson was one play away from forcing overtime.

Down by two scores with less than 4 minutes left, the Mead defense held Gonzaga Prep on fourth-and-goal from the 5. Danielson led the Panthers on a 10-play drive, going the length of the field and hitting Max Workman on a 17-yard TD pass with 1:35 left to make it a one-score game.

Nolan Braun made a leaping recovery of the onside kick and Mead got down to the Bullpups’ 16. Danielson’s fourth-down pass was just past Workman’s outstretched arms and the Bullpups held on for the win.

“Who knows how many teams would have gave up right there and just called it the end?” Danielson said. “But, you know, our sideline, we just kept trying to keep the energy up and we just kept believing.”

G-Prep’s defensive end Luke Miller tried to settle his teammates before the last play.

“I just said, ‘We have to control it within ourselves and be calm and face the adversity. Enjoy the moment.’ ”

Tied at 14 at halftime, Mead took the first drive of the second half into Bullpups territory, but Danielson’s screen pass was picked off by Miller at the G-Prep 34.

“He’s elusive,” Miller said of Danielson. “He should have had more sacks but I mean, he’s elusive. He’s fast. We just had to keep going.”

The Bullpups moved methodically to the Mead 34, where Noah Holman busted up the middle and took it the distance to put G-Prep up 21-14.

Late in the quarter, Mead punted to the G-Prep 10, but Holman went 21 yards to near midfield, then Howell took a reverse 44 yards to the Panthers 3. Two plays later, Holman barreled into the end zone for a 28-14 lead after three quarters.

Mead was the beneficiary of an turnover on G-Prep’s first possession of the game, with Jean-Sebastien Montout recovering a fumble at the G-Prep 25. But three plays gained 4 yards, and Quinton Pacheco’s 39-yard field-goal attempt was wide left.

The teams traded punts, and the Bullpups took over at their 24. Mikaele carried six times in an 11-play drive, culminated with his 3-yard scoring plunge.

The Panthers replied. Workman took a screen for 13 yards into Bullpups territory and Danielson found Keenan Kuntz on a fade in the right corner for a 26-yard touchdown pass.

Nick Bankey took a pitch 25 yard to near midfield, then Bo Howell took a reverse 30 yards to the Panthers 20. Five plays later, Sam Ohman took a pitch 6 yards for a score and a 14-7 Bullpups lead.

Danielson went 4 of 6 for 47 yards on the next drive. On second-and-goal from the 1, Chris Grosse went off-tackle and untouched for a touchdown to tie it again with 23 seconds left.

Johnny Talarico took a crossing pattern 44 yards into Bullpups territory, but Danielson was sacked before he could get off a Hail Mary as time expired on the half.