Friday, Nov. 13, 2009

Kamiakin, Southridge face 1st-round football challenges

Kevin Anthony, Herald staff writer

Kamiakin and Southridge find themselves in similar football waters tonight, both playing on the road in the first round of the 4A state playoffs.

But the teams whose schools are just 10 minutes apart have traveled vastly different paths to reach this point in the season.

Tenth-ranked Southridge, which plays No. 7 Eisenhower (10-0) at 7 p.m. at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima, has been steady Eddy this season in the CBBN -- which tends to happen when teams are led by experienced and talented lines on both sides of the ball.

The Suns (8-1) have won all the games they were supposed to, losing only on the road to Columbia champion Wenatchee, and did so with room to spare. Each of their wins had been by two or more scores until last week's 14-10 road win over Greater Spokane League No. 1 Mead.

Kamiakin, on the other hand, has provided its fans with so many twists and turns and loop-de-loops they should be handing out air sickness bags at the ticket window.

Twice the Braves (8-2) have won in overtime -- including an unbelievable victory over Walla Walla in which they trailed by 21 points in the fourth quarter -- and another on a last-minute TD.

They are no doubt hoping for a smoother sailing against Ferris (7-3) at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane (7 p.m. kickoff).

Despite their different seasons of success, though, Kamiakin and Southridge do have one thing in common, besides all those wins: Both are playing lights-out defense.

The Suns have given up just 71 points this season -- 7.9 a game -- including a scant 24 points in the last five games.

"We try to take away what you're good at, and make you do what you're not good at," said Southridge coach Andy Troxel, whose team posted the best defensive numbers in the CBBN by a ways.

That squad certainly will be tested by Eisenhower offense, which is equally as impressive. The Cadets were second in the league in rushing (204 ypg), fourth in passing (170) and first in yards (374) and points (33) per game.

In order to take away what Ike does best, the Suns will have to slow down Joe Fuerst, who led the league with 19 TDs and was second with 1,623 yards rushing.

Kamiakin's defensive resurgence has been a late-season revival. After giving up 30-plus points in back-to-back games against Ike and Wa-Hi midseason, the Braves have lowered the boom, limiting opposing teams to two scores or less the rest of the season and then shut out Central Valley last week.

"We're starting to find our groove a little bit," said Scott Biglin, whose first year at Kamiakin has been anything but boring.

Biglin noted that perhaps the biggest factor in the defense has been moving linebacker Matt Minnich, one of just four senior starters on that side of the ball, into the middle.

"He's taken on that leadership role," Biglin said. "He's been laying his heart out, and the other guys are following."

The big test will be slowing down a Ferris attack that has averaged 35 points a game and only twice scored fewer than 28 points.

If both Southridge and Kamiakin continue playing stiff defense, there's a good chance they could meet next week in the state quarterfinals.

-- Mount Spokane at Hanford: The Falcons (4-6) will certainly have their hands full today at 7 p.m. at Fran Rish Stadium.

The No. 7 Wildcats (9-1) haven't scored less than 35 points in their six games since losing to Ferris 31-14 in Week 4.

-- Hermiston (6-3) opens the Oregon 5A playoffs at Marshfield (6-4) at 8 p.m. today.

Othello (8-2) hosts Colville (6-4) in the first round of the 2A state playoffs at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The 1A playoffs start today, with Cascade (7-2) at Connell (10-0) at 7 p.m. River View (8-2) travels to Okanogan (6-3) at 2 p.m. Saturday, and Royal (8-2) plays at Chelan (4-5) at 1 p.m.

Tri-Cities Prep (7-2), fresh off winning its first-ever Southeast B title, hosts Wilbur-Creston (7-3) at Edgar Brown Stadium today at 7 p.m. in a 1B regional game, while Touchet (4-5) travels to Almira/Coulee-Hartline (9-1), also at 7.

In the 2B state bracket, White Swan (8-2) plays at DeSales (7-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday, when Waitsburg-Prescott (9-1) travels to Colfax (9-0).