Cheney scores 45 unanswered points in 45-21 Great Northern League win
Cheney's Shane Hammel tries to put some distance between himself and Pullman's Micah Lagerquist (2) en route to an 84-yard kickoff return setting up the Blackhawks' first touchdown.
Running back Ty Graham scored three touchdowns, tight end Keenan Williams added two more and the Cheney High football team got some big plays from its defense and special teams as the Blackhawks whipped visiting Pullman 45-21 on Halloween night in Great Northern League action.
Despite the win, Cheney, 2-2 GNL and 6-3 overall, will miss the playoffs, having needed a West Valley win at Clarkston to set up a three-way tie with the Bantams and East Valley and possible tiebreaker this past Tuesday. Instead, Clarkston breezed to a 35-14 win over the visiting Eagles, wrapping up the No. 1 seed to regional action and a home game with the Central Washington Athletic Association's No. 3 team. The Eagles meanwhile will travel to face the CWAC's No. 2 seed.
Pullman took its only lead of the game last Friday in the first quarter. Defensive back Ryan Vannucci intercepted a Josh Martin pass, and Daunte Ungerer capped the short drive with a 4-yard scoring pass from quarterback Mason Petrino with 7 minutes, 21 seconds to play in the quarter.
Cheney's response was quick as running back Shane Hamel returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards to the Pullman 1. Graham, who also took snaps at quarterback, scored from there seconds later to tie the game.
Pullman's subsequent possession started at their own 48, driving inside Cheney's 10. On second and goal from the 3, Petrino rolled left, initially looking to pass then thinking about running before pulling up and tossing a pass into the end zone where Blackhawks defensive back Ryan Ward picked it off.
Instead of taking a knee for a touchback, Ward elected to return the interception - all the way down the Cheney sidelines to the Pullman 10. Graham's 3-yard run two plays later gave Cheney the lead 14-7.
From there the Blackhawks were in control of the game. Cruz Galm capped an 11-play, 61-yard drive with a 42-yard field goal at the 8:51 mark in the second quarter.
The Blackhawks' defense stiffened and stopped Pullman's subsequent drive at their own 8, and the offense responded with a 10-play, 92-yard drive capped by Martin's 27-yard touchdown toss to Williams.
Martin and Williams hooked up again on the first possession of the third quarter, with the junior quarterback hitting the senior tight end on virtually the same over the middle crossing route they scored on in second quarter, this time a 41-yard play putting Cheney up 31-7.
Graham notched his third touchdown at the 4:10 mark of the third, this time a 34-yard scamper up the middle and Austin Kline put the icing on Cheney's win with a 1-yard TD plunge at the 9:36 mark in the fourth to give the Blackhawks a 45-7 lead. Pullman's final two scores came in the final five minutes of play.
While missing the playoffs, Cheney's season isn't official through. The Blackhawks have one more home game this Thursday, a crossover game with a Greater Spokane League non-playoff 3A school, Rogers (1-2, 1-8).
Thursday's game will be played at Eastern Washington University's Roos Field. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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