'Hawks win wild one over Falcons

CHENEY - Sometimes following a Homecoming football game fireworks are scheduled to add a finishing touch to the festivities.

There was certainly no need for pyrotechnics at Ridgeline High School’s Homecoming celebration Oct. 7 and the Falcon’s football game with Cheney. They all took place in the final few minutes of the Greater Spokane League contest won by Cheney 31-21 in Liberty Lake.

After a largely defense-dominated game in which Cheney led 17-3 on Joshua Bingham’s 46-yard field goal with 6 minutes, 34 seconds to play. Moments later and following a turnover, Jakeb Vallance scored on a 16-yard run to push it to 24-3 with eight minutes and change remaining.

After Cheney (2-4 GSL, 2-4 overall) forged a 14-3 halftime lead on the first of two Vallance touchdowns, a 35-yard interception return by Owen Scott, and a scoreless third quarter, the teams combined for 35 points in the final period.

“For most of the game we had a great handle on things,” Cheney head coach Bobby Byrd wrote in an email. “The last few minutes there were lapses but the biggest thing that came out of Friday night is our boys finished the game.”

Byrd said the quick strike when Cheney scored just 50 seconds into the game set the tone for an injection of team confidence later in the game.

Ridgeline (0-6 GSL, 0-6 overall) would get an 87-yard kickoff return from Kole Legrant to make it 24-9, but the Falcon’s gamble for an onside kick not only backfired but turned into a hand grenade as Cheney’s Camden Collins returned the squib kick 60 yards for a touchdown that put the Blackhawks back in command, 31-9.

“The back-to-back kick returns were proof that things can happen very quickly,” Byrd said. “The lapse on our kick-off coverage gave an opportunity for a big play by Camden Collins with a return on the onside attempt. All phases had to be on alert.”

Ridgeline closed it with touchdowns just 16 seconds apart by Raston Amend and a Landon Garner pass for 23 yards to Deakon Sell as time expired. “The final score does not show how we had control of that game from the first series,” Byrd suggested.

Up until those final few minutes, this was a game dominated by the Cheney defense. “Our defense played lights out the vast majority of the game,” Byrd said. “The way our whole group flew around and rallied to the ball was impressive.”

Vallance once again dominated the offensive stats, completing 16 of 20 passes for 173 yards and an interception. He added another 46 yards rushing on 15 carries. Cheney’s receiving corps all played a part in the primarily successful short game. Kordell

Laher had the most catches (5 for 39 yards) while Treyson Little (2-48) and Joshua Bingham (4-46) added to the totals.

Owen Scott had seven tackles and an interception to lead the defense. James Guske and Silas Brown also had interceptions.

Cheney returns home to face GSL co-leader Mt. Spokane (5-0 GSL, 5-1 overall) to Tom Oswald field for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Oct. 14.

“They are one of the fastest teams in the league and strong up front on both sides,” Byrd said. “If we can eliminate our own mistakes, we can put ourselves in a good position to compete with a very good Mt. Spokane team.”