Prep football roundup: Mt. Spokane keeps playoff hopes alive with 30-21 win over Ridgeline

Mt. Spokane lost its first four games this season but now finds itself one win away from the postseason.

Ryker Tweedy completed 21 of 29 passes for 235 yards and the Wildcats beat Ridgeline 30-21 at Union Stadium on Friday.

Mt. Spokane (4-4) plays at Cheney next week, while Shadle Park (4-4) – which lost in overtime to Central Valley – hosts Mead. Shadle Park holds the tiebreaker as a result of its 20-16 win over the Wildcats in Week 2.

“You start 0-4, we knew that we had some pressure, and we had to win some football games,” Mt. Spokane coach Terry Cloer said. “The kids have responded and stepped up and gotten better each week.”

“We had to come in and we had to get the job done,” Tweedy said. “We all knew what was at stake. Just a great effort. Senior night, can’t lose on it.”

Mt. Spokane took the opening possession 76 yards in eight plays, culminating with Tweedy’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Thomas. After a punt and long return by Rock Franklin, the Wildcats went down the field, and Tweedy found Franklin on a turn-in for a 10-yard TD pass and 14-0 lead.

“We’ve all just had a different mindset ever since Week 2,” Tweedy said. “After that loss, we all started playing different, but now it’s all starting to click and coming together.”

Ridgeline (3-5) answered quickly as Landon Garner found GSL all-time leading receiver Brayden Allen on a fly pattern for an 80-yard touchdown catch-and-run.

Mt. Spokane went on another long drive, but Colt Skinner picked off Tweedy at the goal line. Six plays later, Lincoln Duggan went up for a 6-yard TD catch and the 2-point conversion tied it at 14.

The Wildcats had one more drive to end the half, and Hunter McKee’s 37-yard field goal made it 17-14 at the half.

After turning over Ridgeline on downs at their 4, the Wildcats went the length of the field, with Brayten Ayers carrying the last yard to make it a 10-point game midway through the third.

Ridgeline’s Noah Garcia picked off Tweedy at the Mt. Spokane 43. Nine plays later, Camden Haddad plowed in from the 1 to make it 24-21.

McKee hit a 50-yard field goal with just more than 7 minutes left in the game to put Mt. Spokane up 27-21. The Wildcats turned the Falcons over on downs at the Ridgeline 26 and McKee tacked on a 23-yard field goal, his third of the game.

“We just keep losing guys from injury, but the next guy steps up and fills his void,” Cloer said. “I’m proud of this group for focusing on those little details that we need to win football games.”

GSL 4A/3A

Cheney 30, University 14: Conner Collins threw a touchdown and ran in another and the visiting Blackhawks (2-6, 2-6) beat the Titans (1-7, 1-7) in a GSL 4A/3A game. Bobby Jones caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Aiden Sautter for University.

Lewis and Clark 54, Ferris 14: The Tigers (5-3, 5-3) beat the visiting Saxons (0-8, 0-8) at ONE Spokane Stadium. Details were unavailable.

GSL 2A

West Valley 57, North Central 21: Austin Clark rushed for 125 with three touchdowns and the visiting Eagles (8-0, 5-0) beat the Wolfpack (1-7, 0-5) at ONE Spokane Stadium. WV quarterback Ethan Turley rushed for 134 yards with two touchdowns. Trevelle Jones led NC with 195 passing yards with two touchdowns.

Clarkston 28, Pullman 6: Hayden Line scored a rushing touchdown and threw two TD passes as the visiting Bantams (5-3, 4-1) built a 21-0 lead and beat the Greyhounds (2-6, 2-4). Line finished with 12 carries for 89 yards and went 13 of 23 for 184 yards.

Others

Deer Park 41, Riverside 14: The Stags (5-3) defeated the visiting Rams (2-6) in a nonleague game. Details were unavailable.

Northwest Christian 28, Colville 14: Hank Riddle scored on touchdown runs of 13 and 64 yards and the Crusaders (6-1) defeated the visiting Crimson Hawks (4-4) in a nonleague game at Eastern Washington University. Brock Benson threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns for Colville.

Lakeside 35, Medical Lake 20: The visiting Eagles (3-4, 2-0) defeated the Cardinals (1-7, 0-3) in a Northeast A game. Details were unavailable. 

Freeman 50, Chewelah 0: Nash McLean caught two touchdown passes, and returned a punt 75 yards for a score and the Scotties (7-1, 4-1) beat the visiting Cougars (3-4, 2-3) in a Northeast 2B game. Logan Schultz threw four TD passes for Freeman.

Newport 41, Reardan 38: Brody Driver rushed for 207 yards and two touchdowns and the Grizzlies (4-4, 2-3) beat the visiting Screaming Eagles (2-6, 0-6) in a Northeast 2B game.