Blackhawks start slow in loss to Ridgeline

CHENEY – The Ridgeline Falcons jumped to a 10-0 first-quarter lead and that proved to be enough of an edge in the end to claim a 31-24 Greater Spokane League football win over Cheney, Sept. 13 at Tom Oswald Field.

Carter Ittner scored Cheney's first touchdown of the season early in the second quarter on a pass from Mason Stinson to cut into a 10-0 Ridgeline lead. But the Falcons responded on their next possession for a 17-7 edge.

Cheney's 27-yard field goal trimmed the deficit 17-10 prior to the halftime break, but Camden Haddad's 57-yard catch and run early in the third restored the two-score Falcon lead at 24-10.

Stinson delivered his second scoring pass of the game, four yards to Jace Vega in the third but Ridgeline (1-1) had an answer from Brayden Allen's 26-yard pass and score for a 34-17 lead. Falcon's quarterback Landon Garner passed for 250 yards.

Tristen Huse capped Cheney (0-2) scoring late in the fourth on a 2-yard run.

Shutout in their opening game, 26-0 to Lewis and Clark on Sept. 6, the Blackhawks showed notable improvement in a variety of faces of the game.

"We are still trying to identify what we can and can't do, but made some huge strides on that side of the ball Friday night," head coach John Graham wrote in an email. "We were able to run the ball and find a couple of explosive plays."

The Blackhawks' defense had a number of bright spots, including a crucial fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter.

"I didn't think we started the game that well on defense but got better as the game went on," Graham said. However, "The third and 18 screen pass that went for 60 yds and a TD was a heartbreaker though," he added.

Cheney will have an ideal opportunity to land Graham's first program victory when they face winless (0-2) Ferris, tonight (Sept. 19) at 7 p.m. at ONE Spokane Stadium.