Week 9 prep football roundup: Late score lifts Mt. Spokane to Round of 32; West Valley finishes regular season undefeated

From staff reports

Roundup of Friday’s high school football action from the Greater Spokane League and Eastern Washington.

GSL 4A/3A

Mt. Spokane 7, Cheney 3: Luke Merkelbach scored on a 22-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and the visiting Wildcats (5-4, 5-4) edged the Blackhawks (2-7, 2-7).

Coupled with Shadle Park’s loss to Mead, the Wildcats claimed the league’s second 3A bid to the Round of 32.

Gonzaga Prep 53, University 8: Noah Holman rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bullpups (9-0, 9-0) defeated the visiting Titans (1-8, 1-8).

Jacobe McClelland added a 70-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for G-Prep, which had clinched the league title. Paxon Cunanan rushed for 61 yards and a score for U-Hi.

Ridgeline 46, Ferris 7: Brayden Allen, the GSL career leader in receptions and yardage, made six catches for 72 yards with three touchdowns and the visiting Falcons (4-5) beat the Saxons (0-9) in a game with no postseason implications. Allen finished the GSL season with 20 total touchdowns.

GSL 2A

West Valley 27, East Valley 19: Austin Clark rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns, and the league-champion Eagles (9-0, 6-0) beat the Knights (2-7, 1-5).

Ethan Turley added a pair of rushing TD for the Eagles. All five of West Valley’s fall team sports finished the regular season undefeated.

Nonleague

Pullman 14, Riverside 7: Connor Stewart and Brady Coulter scored one rushing touchdown apiece, and the visiting Greyhounds (3-6) defeated the Rams (2-7) in a game with no playoff implications. Cade Koesel had a touchdown catch for the Rams.

Reardan 44, Medical Lake 0: Evan Krupke rushed for 69 yards and one touchdown, and the Screaming Eagles (3-6) beat the visiting Cardinals (1-8). Dakotah Phillips rushed for 52 yards for the Cardinals.

NEA

Colville 13, Lakeside 12: The Crimson Hawks (5-4, 3-0) beat the visiting Eagles (3-5, 2-1) to win the league championship and end Lakeside’s three-year title streak. Both teams advanced to the 1A Round of 32.

NE 2B

Freeman 20, Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 0: The visiting Scotties (8-1, 5-1) beat the Broncos (3-6, 1-5). Freeman advances to state and awaits the result of Saturday’s Northwest Christian-Asotin contest to find out its playoff seed from the district.

Liberty 28, Colfax 7: Drew Piersol made seven catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, and the Lancers (6-3, 5-1) beat the Bulldogs (6-2, 5-1).

The two meet again Tuesday in a Kansas tiebreaker to decide the NE 2B second-tier champion.