Bode Gardner scores four touchdowns with two pick-6s, Mt. Spokane survives turnover-filled game against Cheney 42-6

Oct. 12—It was not a clean game. Nor was it pretty for the most part. But when an undefeated, first place team takes on a winless, last place team, sometimes survival is the ultimate goal.

Add in a short week, and a looming date in the de facto league title game, and miscues might seem inevitable.

Such was the case Thursday night at Union Stadium. At least until Bode Gardner made his presence felt on defense.

Gardner caught a long touchdown pass and had two long interception returns for scores — all in the first half — and Mt. Spokane beat Cheney 42-6 in a battle between first and last in the Greater Spokane League 4A/3A division.

Gardner finished with six catches for 147 with two touchdowns and scored on interception returns of 32 and 48 yards on consecutive Cheney possessions to blow things open in the second quarter after a sloppy, turnover-filled initial 12 minutes.

That gives Gardner a presumed league record with three pick-6s this season — and 16 total.

The Wildcats host Gonzaga Prep next week in a game that will decide the league title, regardless of the Bullpups' outcome Friday against Central Valley. They finish the season with their rivalry game against Mead in the Battle of the Bell at Union.

"We did some things offensively that, you know, were good," Mt. Spokane coach Terry Cloer said. "But yeah, the turnovers — we can't have those, especially going into the next two weeks. We've got to clean that stuff up. It was a short week and we can make 1,000 excuses, but we need to be better than this."

Both Cloer and Gardner alluded to the Wildcats perhaps looking past Cheney a bit.

"A lack of focus. We need to be better on the attention to details," Cloer said. "We're gonna challenge the group (in practice) and we've two big ones coming up the next few weeks for the GSL."

"Cheney hasn't won a game and maybe we overlooked them a little," Gardner said. "I think that's something we need to get better. But yeah, we just need to do better overall."

After a short kickoff, the first play of the game was 60-yard touchdown pass from TJ Haberman to Gardner, who was left all alone in the Blackhawks secondary. Mt. Spokane (7-0, 6-0) led 7-0 after 15 seconds.

Haberman's second attempt, under duress, was picked off by linebacker Wayne Richmond at the Cheney 49. The teams then traded three successive lost fumbles, and Mt. Spokane's Lance Airey recovered the third of the loose balls at the Cheney 20.

On the next play, Matteo Saccomanno went off-tackle for a 20-yard touchdown run. Kicker Talan Main took the direct snap on the conversion and ran it in for 15-0 lead with just under 4 minutes left in the first.

Early in the second quarter, Gardner muffed a short punt and Cheney (0-7, 0-7) recovered at the Mt. Spokane 27. The Blackhawks converted a fourth-and-8 to the 17 and Kordell Laher took a slant to the 1.

On fourth-and-goal from the 9, Cheney initially lined up for a field goal attempt but called timeout. When play resumed, Samuel Coffin hit Laher on a fade for a TD, but the extra point was no good and the Wildcats led 15-6 with 7 1/2 minutes left in the half.

Haberman (14 of 23, 222 yards) hit Gardner for 22 yards and Tristan Olson for 18 to the Cheney 8. On first-and-goal Ryen Borchers took a swing pass and bulled his way into the end zone for a 22-6 lead.

"Offense couldn't get things rolling, really," Gardner said. "We came out with a first-play bomb, and that worked, but just some dumb decisions on our part, dropping balls and fumbles here and there."

Coffin tried to hit a middle receiver, but the ball was batted up and Gardner at free safety collected it at the 32. He started left, was swung around by a defender, bounced off another one, hit the jets up the middle and raced to the end zone.

"He's tough to tackle," Cloer said of Gardner matter-of-factly.

"Ben Joireman made a great play tipping it up and then I got my hands on it," Gardner said. "I like making my juke moves and getting around and somehow found the end zone."

On the next possession, Gardner jumped an intended sideline route and went 48 yards down the sideline for his second consecutive defensive touchdown.

Mt. Spokane led 36-6 at halftime.

"It just shows that we've got versatility on offense and defense and we're well coached on both sides of the ball," Gardner said.

On the Wildcats' first drive of the third quarter, Haberman went deep to Gardner for 36 yards, then hit his favorite target on a 14-yard fade for Gardner's fourth score of the game.

The offensive backups entered on the next series.

Now past the Blackhawks, Gardner knows there's no room for error next week against the Bullpups.

"We're so excited. We can't wait to play Prep," he said. "That's the game that's been circled. We want to get after it."