Originally published October 21, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified October 23, 2007 at 4:31 PM
Battle in Seattle | CWU smothers Western
Johnny Spevak wasn't going to waste a trip back home. Central Washington's sophomore receiver from Edgewood who went to Puyallup High School...
Special to The Seattle Times
Johnny Spevak wasn't going to waste a trip back home.
Central Washington's sophomore receiver from Edgewood who went to Puyallup High School had eight catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. He also threw for a score as the Wildcats got off to a fast start and thrashed Western Washington 24-7 in the fifth Battle in Seattle on Saturday in front of 11,780 fans at Qwest Field.
"It was great seeing them out there," Spevak said of his friends and family in the stands.
Spevak and Central toyed with the Vikings from Bellingham (2-5 overall, 1-5 North Central Conference) early, jumping to a 21-0 first-half lead.
On its first possession, Central drove 90 yards to go up 7-0. Spevak took an end-around from quarterback Mike Reilly, faked the run, and threw to an open James Murphy for a 22-yard score. It was Spevak's first career TD and the first pass he's thrown since high school.
"Johnny was throwing good in practice," said Central first-year coach Beau Baldwin. "He was throwing on the run better than Reilly."
The Wildcats led 21-7 at halftime. Western got on the board when quarterback Adam Perry found Travis McKee for a two-yard TD pass with eight seconds remaining in the half. McKee, a junior who went to Bothell High School, had three catches on the 41-yard scoring drive. He finished the game with eight catches for 66 yards and one TD.
The win is Central's third straight over Western at Qwest and fourth in five tries. The Wildcats from Ellensburg (6-1 overall, 4-1 North Central Conference) also captured the Cascade Cup with this being the teams' only meeting. The Wildcats are ranked 17th in the D2football.com media poll.
Reilly had a solid game for Central, going 17 of 26 for 218 yards and one touchdown. He was picked off twice. His favorite targets were Spevak and former Meadowdale Maverick and Washington Husky Chris Rohrbach. Rohrbach, who walked on at UW, had three catches for 58 yards.
After a CWU score made it 14-0 early in the second quarter, Western's Craig Garner from Lakes High School fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which — after a successful fourth-and-two — led to a Spevak 14-yard TD catch from Reilly. It was Central's third touchdown in as many possessions.
"You can't spot someone 21 points off the bat," said Western second-year coach Robin Ross.
Western had its chances in the first half but missed a 44-yard field goal and couldn't convert on a fourth-and-one from Central's 3-yard line. A Garner run up the middle was stuffed for a short loss.
![]()
The Vikings never seemed to find their rhythm; Perry was 17 of 36 passing for 145 yards and one TD. Garner couldn't get much on the ground, as he ran for 70 yards on 21 carries.
Central running back Johnny Lopez from Kennedy High School of Burien was relatively quiet in the first half, rushing for 45 yards on nine carries and a TD. But when Central was trying to eat up the clock in the second half, Lopez was effective. He finished the game with 102 yards on 21 carries and the one score.
Western has lost five of six games, falling in a tie for last place in the NCC. Central is in a three-way tie for second place.
Despite the win and being able to hold up the coveted Cascade Cup, the victory is just another in a competitive conference for Central.
Said Reilly: "It's just another game on the schedule."
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
Gonzaga comes from behind to beat Colorado, 76-72
Bud Withers: Washington State coach Paul Wulff says he's excited about Cougars' future
UPDATE - 11:25 PM
College Football | Colorado coach second-guesses bringing in his son to play quarterback for him
UPDATE - 11:41 PM
Men's College Hoops | Gonzaga beats Colorado in Maui Invitational opener
NW Briefs: Golf: UW's Nick Taylor is in fourth place after 36 holes of Texas golf meet

PNW Magazine | Easy As Pie
A little friendly competition between professional pie-baker Kate McDermott and The Seatttle Times' Kathleen Triesch Saul is handled with great taste.
general classifieds
Garage & estate salesFurniture & home furnishings
Sporting goods
just listed
Christmas Swags - $15
Christmas Wreath - $25
Electric Adjustable Twin size Bed with Headboard - $150
More listings
POST A FREE LISTING
shopping
events for Tuesday, Nov. 24
- Shoe Sale at Urban Kids Play
- Sky Nursery Holiday Open House
- Floating Leaves Tea Fall Sale
- Cicada Bridal Party Dress Sale
editors' picks
- Spas & beauty salons
- Maternity shopping
- Independent bookstores
- Vintage, consignment and used clothing
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Jerry Brewer | Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Husky Football Blog | Ranking the Pac
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
408 - Climate change speeds up since 1997 Kyoto accord
215 - Metro won't cut bus service after all
160 - New Husky recruit: Enes Kanter
106 - Bellevue residents blast new bikini espresso stand
99 - Middleton says Huskies "plan on scoring at least 50 points'' Saturday
86 - Tattoos at Mill Creek Church pierce skin, soul
85 - Seattle woman charged with knife attack on boyfriend's ex
77 - Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
75 - Senate Democrats split on health bill's fate
58
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- Hutch gets $10M from Bezos family for immunotherapy research
- UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
- Children in home day care watching hours of TV, study says
- Taste | The Great Pie Bake-off pits friends and fruit




