Cards look good in Ritzville Jamboree, open at home Friday versus Orofino

Medical Lake head football coach Wes Hobbs got a nice sneak-peek at his 2014 Cardinals last Friday night against some notable opponents in the Ritzville Jamboree.

"It was a good measuring stick," Hobbs said as he prepares for the Cardinals season-opening game Friday, Sept. 5 at Holliday Field against the visiting Orofino Maniacs.

The jamboree is a yearly event for Lind-Ritzville-Sprague, the two time defending state 2B football champions. This year the field also included LRS's rivals from Northeast 2B League, Colfax, Davenport and Northwest Christian. Connell, Tri Cities Prep, Warden and Medical Lake filled out the field.

The teams squared off against one another in mini-games consisting of four possessions, two on offense and two on defense, 10 plays each starting from the 40-yard line. The Cardinals scored four touchdowns.

"We were pleased with that," Hobbs said. "But what we were more pleased with was giving our freshmen, our young group, some work."

No stats or scoring were kept, according to LRS head coach and athletics director, Greg Whitmore.

"We were pleasantly surprised," Hobbs said. "We have a long ways to go."

With limited hitting that has taken place so far in practice, Hobbs said he was OK with what he saw. "We gotta' get better, though."

Hobbs had just finished watching film of Friday's opponent. "And they are huge," he said of the team that manhandled McCall, Idaho 55-20 in the team's opener last Friday.

Orofino finished 8-2 in 2013, returns a majority of their starters, including their quarterback, now a four-year starter.

The Cardinals have many of their starters play both offense and defense. Notable returnees include junior quarterback and three-year starter Cory Wagner, tailback Jackson Tappero and wide receiver/defensive back Tellas Johnson. Medical Lake reached the playoffs for a second straight year and finished 5-4 in 2013.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].