Prep Report -- In need of a big win, Cadets get historic one

YAKIMA -- It's fair to say that Eisenhower's football team was desperate for a victory last week. Maybe that's an overly dramatic word to describe the Cadets' condition, but it fits.

Few imagined Eisenhower would sputter out to a 0-2 start in the Columbia Basin Big Nine's Cascade Division, much less give up 89 points in the process. And last Friday, Dan Eyman's boys traveled to Lampson Stadium to face Kamiakin, which hadn't lost to Ike in
16 years.

And, as we all remember, it rained. Hard.

Not a good situation for desperation.

But all Eisenhower did was go out and blank the Braves, winning 10-0 while giving up a scant 71 total yards on 46 plays. It was Ike's first shutout against Kamiakin since 1977.

"It was a great feeling coming out of there with a shutout. We definitely needed a game like that," Eyman said. "It was a phenomenal effort for our defense."

With nine defensive starters back from a
7-3 team, Ike's divisional losses to Walla Walla (54-35) and Richland (35-7) were humbling outcomes. But even so, Eyman was seeing progress.

"I don't think we were playing as poorly as those scores made it look," he said. "We had turnovers, gave up a lot of short fields, and had problems on special teams. But I still thought, overall, our defense was getting better each week."

Even with so little yardage, Kamiakin had two ripe opportunities in the fourth quarter. And that's when the Cadets' effort was at its best.

With 10:14 remaining, the Braves started a possession on Ike's 30 but they were thrown for 5-yard losses on the first two plays.

Kamiakin got another shot with 6:39 left and even better field position on Ike's 27. Again, the Cadets' defense not only held but advanced, forcing a fourth-and-14 that ended with a snap over the quarterback's head.

"They pinned us deep a couple times in the fourth quarter and really worked the field-position game," Eyman noted. "But at that point we were feeling good about the defense. Our best offense was having the defense on the field."

Not all good news

Eisenhower's celebration after the shutout over Kamiakin was tempered by a last-minute knee injury to junior standout Seth Kline.

"That really took some excitement away from the night. It looks like a partial MCL (medial collateral ligament tear)," Eyman said. "We're hoping he'll be out just a couple weeks. We're shooting for Eastmont (Oct. 24) -- that's a big game."

Eisenhower's next two opponents -- West Valley and Hanford -- are divisional foes but they are 3A teams and don't count toward seeding for 4A crossover games in the ninth week (Oct. 31).

To that end, Richland and Walla Walla are 2-0 followed by Eisenhower and Eastmont at 1-2 and Kamiakin at 0-2. If the Cadets secure third among the Cascade's 4A teams their crossover game would be a road trip to the Columbia's No. 2 team.

More on CBBN crossovers

While the CBBN's five 4A crossover football games are being played in the ninth week, the trio of 3A teams will finalize their regional seeding with Sunnyside hosting Hanford on Oct. 31.

West Valley, which lost to Sunnyside 18-17 in the first round of the 3A round robin, will fill its Oct. 31 date with the odd team out of the 4A crossovers since there are
11 teams. That could be Davis, which would play at Clasen Field.

Runners on the mend

Saturday's Sunfair Invitational had two notable senior no-shows -- Davis' Emmanuel Contreras and West Valley's Lisa Olander.

Contreras skipped the big meet to rest a tender Achilles tendon, which could've been strained further by the wet course. Coach Jose Garcia says Contreras could be ready to return Saturday at the 40th annual Richland Invitational.

Olander, being careful with a calf strain, has yet to race this season. But Coach Bob Allan said she remains hopeful for an attempt at district in two weeks.

From the sidelines

* Goldendale's Kylee Bellamy earned 1A girls honors in this week's Seattle Times/WIAA athletes of the week. She had 45 assists, 10 kills, 17 digs and six aces against Zillah and Highland.

* Eisenhower's girls soccer team won its fourth straight Tuesday, beating Richland 1-0, and has outscored teams 12-1 during the run. ... West Valley has recorded three straight shutouts. Seven of the Rams' eight wins have been by shutout.

* Davis, Eisenhower, East Valley, Selah, Grandview, Goldendale, Mabton and Granger will be in the 64-team field for Saturday's Spokane Crossover volleyball tournament.

* Grade issues and small numbers has forced Granger to cancel the rest of its girls soccer season.

* Scott Spruill's prep blog is at www.yakimaherald.com/sports. He can be reached at 577-7686 or sspruill@yakimaherald.com

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