State football takes over Lampson on Friday, Saturday
Lampson Stadium is the place to be this weekend for high school football playoffs.
Three big-school playoff games in two days are set to take place.
At 7 p.m. Friday, Richland takes on Central Valley in a first-round 4A state game.
On Saturday, there is a 3A state doubleheader, with Kamiakin taking on Lakes at 1 p.m., followed by Kennewick vs. Wilson of Tacoma at 5 p.m.
If all goes right, some of these teams might be playing for the state championship in the Tacoma Dome four weekends from now.
Here’s a quick look at all Mid-Columbia teams’ playoff games this weekend:
Central Valley Bears (8-2) vs. Richland Bombers (9-1)
This game features two very good defensive units. CV’s was ranked second in the Greater Spokane League, while Richland has the top defense in the Mid-Columbia Conference. … CV has 25 interceptions this season, with 15 of them coming in the last three games. Ben Craig had a GSL-high 7 interceptions. … Bombers’ Alex Chapman was No. 2 in the MCC with 5 picks.
CV stats: QB Tanner Sloan passed for 1,037 yards in seven GSL games, tossing five TD passes. … RB Gage Connole is the leading rusher, with 408 yards and 10 TDs (note: GSL stats do not include non-league contests). … Leading receivers are Braedon Orrino (22 catches-222 yards) and Jase Edwards (21-247). … Kicker-punter Ryan Rehkow, whose older brother Austin is a standout punter at the University of Idaho, averages 38.9 yards per punt. He also has kicked eight field goals this season.
Richland stats: QB Paxton Stevens led the MCC in yardage with 1,788. He also tossed 13 TD passes. … He has three main targets: Griffey March, who led the MCC with 43 catches for 537 yards; Rhett Levin with 30 for 360; and Chapman with 24 for 443 and eight TDs. … Lakota Wills leads the running backs by committee with 552 yards rushing. He’s found the end zone in various ways 12 times. And he’s also the team’s standout linebacker. … Kicker Ryan Wolski has six field goals this year.
If our offense can keep putting pressure on their offense to score, that could be a key.
Richland coach Mike Neidhold
Quote: “CV is a big, physical group that likes to get after it on defense,” said Richland coach Mike Neidhold. “Josh Jelinek, our offensive coordinator, has put in place an offense here that will give CV several things to defend. If our offense can keep putting pressure on their offense to score, that could be a key.”
What this means: Winner advances to quarterfinals; will likely have to travel to either play Bellarmine Prep or Moses Lake.
Lakes Lancers (8-2) vs. Kamiakin Braves (8-2)
Lakes finished 5-2 for second place in the 3A Seamount League. … The Lancers’ average score is 47-22. … QB Jaiave Magalei is a duel threat: he can run or pass. Last week, in a 56-36 win over O’Dea, he scored three times on 1-yard dives, and he also tossed three TD passes. The week before in a 42-21 win over Auburn, Magalei had three touchdown passes and he scored another.
Kamiakin enters the game with the MCC’s top-ranked offense. RB Jethro Questad rushed for 1,241 yards this season, and his 13 TDs were second best in the conference. … QB Zach Borisch threw for 1,490 yards and he tossed 21 TD passes to 8 interceptions. He can also run; he has 476 yards rushing. … Jace Navejas had four interceptions this season. He’s also dangerous as a punt returner. In eight chances, he averages 25.4 yards a return.
What this means: Winner advances to 3A quarterfinals; will get to host the winner of Wilson-Kennewick.
Wilson Rams (6-4) vs. Kennewick Lions (5-5)
Wilson had a 5-2 record in the 3A Narrows League. … The Rams started the season out 0-3 before winning six of their last seven games. … They have a stingy defense, surrendering just 16 points a game. … Kicker Alex Greenleaf has come through for the team in recent weeks. Wilson had to beat Lake Washington 15-12 last Saturday to qualify for this game. Greenleaf’s 22-yard field goal gave the Rams the win. The week before, the Rams beat Central Kitsap 16-9, with Greenleaf kicking three field goals.
Kennewick, meanwhile, have won three of their last four — including a 42-34 win over Hanford to clinch the No. 2 MCC playoff berth. That was followed by a 34-32 shootout win over Mt. Spokane last Friday on the road. … The offense can put points on the board. QB Dillon Plew has thrown for 1,375 yards. But his TDs-to-interceptions ratio is an impressive 15-to-4. … The Lions have a good 1-2 punch in the backfield with Ronnie Loomis (572 yards rushing) and Isaac Ruiz (539). But Raymond Gutierrez (367) has come on strong as of late. … Plew’s favorite target is Blake Loftus, who is No. 2 in the MCC with 42 catches for 460 yards. … Jared Gray has four interceptions this season.
What this means: Winner advances to the state quarterfinals, where it will travel to play either Lakes or Kamiakin.
Prosser Mustangs (9-1) at Clarkston Bantams (8-2)
The Mustangs finished second in the Central Washington Athletic Conference, and they haven’t had a game since Nov. 5. Meanwhile, the Bantams beat East Valley of Yakima 61-6 in a crossover game Tuesday night. Don’t know which way is better. … Clarkston was 4-0 in the Great Northern League. … In those four games, RB Blake Rimmelspacher rushed for 381 yards; QB A.J. Davis passed for 809 and six TDs; and WR Trevor Sperry caught 18 passes for 323 yards and four TDs. … The Mustangs’ lone loss came at the hands of Ellensburg in overtime. … QB Tanner Bolt has passed for 2,451 yards. He’s also tossed 34 TD passes compared to seven picks. … Kason Blair, who shared time at QB with Bolt last season, is the top receiver with 30 catches for 630 yards and nine TDs. That’s a hefty 21 yards per catch. Javier Diaz has 24 catches for 408 yards. He’s also the team’s kicker and has scored eight TDs. … Michael Kernan leads the running-back-by-committee with 479 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.
What this means: Winner advances to the 2A state quarterfinals, and likely has to travel to play the Cheney-Ellensburg winner.
Charles Wright Tarriers (3-6) at Royal Knights (10-0)
This will be a huge contest for the Tarriers, who enter this Class 1A contest with a losing record and facing the top-ranked team in the state. … They were 2-1 in the 1A Nisqually League, giving them second place and a berth. … Desmond Jones leads the team with 589 yards rushing. He’s also the team’s leading tackler with 107. … QB Henry Cheney has thrown for 1,984 yards and 18 touchdowns. His favorite target is Max Stackpole, who has 37 catches for 778 yards (21.0 yards per catch) and 9 TDs.
But the Knights are loaded. Junior QB Kaden Jenks was the SCAC East’s Offensive Player of the Year. He’s thrown for 2,031 yards, with 36 TDs against just 2 interceptions. … Speedy Jose Ponce (25 catches, 630 yards, 10 TDs) and Sam Christensen (24-442-9) are his two main targets. … But Royal can also run the ball. Joe Lang has rushed for 778 yards and 13 TDs, while Danny Cuevas has 422 yards rushing and 9 TDs. … Ponce is also the team’s kicker. He led the SCAC East with 134 points (12 TDs, 59 extra points, 1 field goal).
What this means: The winner advances to the state quarterfinals, likely traveling to the Eatonville-Colville winner.
Connell Eagles (8-1) at Cashmere Bulldogs (7-3)
These two teams met in the second week of the regular season, when Connell traveled to Cashmere and left with a 45-7 win. The Eagles’ only loss came at the hands of Royal. They are currently ranked second in the latest state 1A poll. … Cashmere finished 3-0 in Caribou Trail League play to earn the top seed. And after a 1-3 start, the Bulldogs have won six consecutive games. … Don’t know if that will be enough to stop the Eagles, who have plenty of weapons. Let’s start with QB Brian Hawkins, who has 1,410 yards passing, with 16 TD passes against just 3 interceptions. … WR Steven Kroontje is his top target with 27 catches for 489 yards. Dallas Rodriguez has 25 catches for 287 yards and 7 TDs. … RB Parker McCary has rushed for 650 yards and scored 15 touchdowns this season. Jax Whitby has rushed for 575 yards. … DL Matthew Davidson was named the SCAC East’s Defensive Player of the Year.
What this means: Winner advances to 1A state quarterfinals; will play host to the winner of Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) and Zillah.
Odessa-Harrington Titans (6-3) at Liberty Christian Patriots (10-0)
The Titans lost a regional playoff last Friday to Cusick 38-32, forcing them to play the Patriots again. … The two teams met in the second week of the season, when Liberty Christian rolled 76-14. … Sage Elder had 200 yards rushing for the Titans in last week’s loss, running for one TD and catching two more scores. … But the Patriots have been dominant, with QB John Lesser rushing for nearly 500 yards in last week’s 58-50 win over Southeast 1B rival Touchet. … Lesser was a two-way all-star for the Pats at both QB and linebacker. Teammate Mitch Godwin also got double honors at wide receiver and defensive back.
What this means: Winner advances to the 1B state quarterfinals; will likely host the Garfield-Palouse vs. Republic winner.
Touchet Indians (8-1) at Cusick Panthers (7-3)
Cusick won a playoff game over Odessa-Harrington to avoid playing Liberty Christian in the first round. Instead they get a pretty tough Touchet team, which lost a 58-50 heartbreaker to Liberty Christian on Nov. 5. … Spirit White had 223 yards passing and two TD passes in the Panthers’ 38-32 victory over Odessa-Harrington last week. His 26-yard scoring strike to John Cutshall in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference. … The Indians have some big, tall players who can hit hard on both sides of the ball. Leo Garcia is a two-way Southeast 1B all-star at running back and defensive lineman. Carlos Rincon roams the secondary and comes up fast to hit hard.
What this means: Winner advances to the 1B state quarterfinals; will likely travel to play the winner of Selkirk vs. Almira-Coulee/Hartline.
Jeff Morrow: 509-582-1508, @morrow_jeff
This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 8:10 PM with the headline "State football takes over Lampson on Friday, Saturday."