G-Prep pounds Cheney, 42-21

SPOKANE - Rebuilding and retooling Cheney and football blue-blood Gonzaga Prep battled head-to-head for the first quarter of their Sept. 27 Greater Spokane League game at Bullpup Stadium.

And when the Blackhawks were possibly about to tie the game in the final moments of the second quarter the first bite of the turnover bug hit with under a minute remaining.

"That one really hurt because it was on second down and we were deep in their territory," head coach John Graham wrote in an email.

In the end, Prep went on to score the next four touchdowns and roll to a 42-21 win.

Cheney (1-3) lost the turnover battle 4 to 1 between three interceptions and a fumble, each proving costly. "Two led to short drives for them," Graham said.

The Bullpups (4-0) took all of 13 seconds to take the lead after running back the opening kickoff 80 yards, but Cheney answered back to tie.

While hardly artistic with a gutsy fake punt on their side of the 50-yard line and then salvaging a first down out of a botched field goal try.

"It was an audible on the line, if we didn't get the look we wanted we would have punted it," Graham explained about the fake punt. "We practiced it all week."

Ashton Huse caught a 5-yard pass from Mason Stinson with 5 minutes, 36 seconds to play in the first quarter.

Following a pair of touchdowns each from Isaiah Docken and Jonah Keller that gave Prep a big lead, Graham had the luxury of giving backup quarterback Connor Collins live snaps. He responded throwing touchdown passes to brother Camden Collins and Zachary Schambeck.

"The game was 42 - 7, so it was a chance for him to get some quality reps and they had sub all of their starters out by then," Graham explained.

Stinson led Blackhawks' rushers with 58 yards, many as he was being chased out of the pocket with Tristan Huse just behind with 56.

Connor Collins was both successful and efficient in his time at QB going 6-for-8 and 105 yards. Camden Collins led Blackhawk receivers with eight catches and 56 yards.

Shawn Gugliuzzo led Cheney on defense with four tackles and an interception.

There was an added twist of irony for Graham. The first year Blackhawks' head coach was facing his brother, Nate, who is also brand new at Prep and one of just 11 coaches in that program's 120-plus-year history.

While head coach at DeSales of Walla Walla in the early 1990s, Graham coached against his father, Dan, at Reardan. "(I) haven't coached against any of my brothers before. It's not fun," he said.

More challenges lie ahead for Cheney who take on Shadle Park at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 3 at ONE Spokane Stadium. The Highlanders lost a wild shootout, 48-44 to Ridgeline, their first setback of the season.

"(Their) QB is one of the best athletes in the league with a couple of real weapons around him, we have our hands full," Graham said.