Notebook: Early knockout looms as heavyweights Pasco, Skyline meet in 1st round

Now isn't the time for excuses, Steve Graff says.

But could the schedule be any tougher?

The Pasco coach and his third-ranked Bulldogs will leave Eastern Washington at about 3 p.m. today and drive over the mountains to play their third football game in eight days.

Their opponent?

Second-ranked Skyline of Sammamish, in the first-round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

"It'd be a lot nicer to have a week to prepare," Graff admits. "But that's the way it worked out this year."

Last year in the semifinals, Skyline beat the then-defending champion and top-ranked Bulldogs 28-23. This year, a scheduling quirk forced the teams to meet in the playoffs much earlier than they would have liked.

Pasco played its Big Nine regular-season finale last Thursday and a loser-out game against Gonzaga Prep Tuesday. That left just three full days, including travel, to prepare for Skyline and quarterback Jason Harris, who has passed for 2,060 yards and 25 touchdowns, and run for 11 scores.

Graff describes this year's Pasco team as solid and scrappy. All five starting offensive linemen returned. Four are at least 6 feet 1 and 240 pounds. The biggest is 6-5, 330-pound tackle Ryan Tolar, a Washington recruit.

The Bulldogs got a late-season boost of inspiration: John Bonderman, a senior linebacker, played his first game last week after being hospitalized with a life-threatening strep infection.

East beasts collide

The other marquee first-round 4A matchup is top-ranked Southridge of Kennewick hosting No. 6 Mead at 1 p.m. Saturday.

How did Skyline, Pasco, Southridge and Mead — with one loss between them — get such unfortunate draws?

Terry Cavender, assistant executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, said the big schools east of the mountains wanted a chance to meet for the title.

The WIAA obliged last year by placing Eastern Washington schools in opposite halves. The WIAA drew up this year's bracket before last season had even started, and reserved a place for Eastern Washington's third team — which turned out to be Pasco — to play the top KingCo 4A team.

Southridge won the Big Nine championship, and Mead won the GSL. Pasco finished second in Big Nine.

Double dose of Heards

As if dealing with Josh Heard wasn't enough for Edmonds-Woodway opponents, the Warriors have a second Heard in their backfield.

Josh, a 6-foot, 225-pound junior, has been joined by his 6-foot, 210-pound freshman brother Tony. Josh Heard has rushed for 1,570 yards and scored 22 all-purpose touchdowns despite missing time with a concussion and ankle sprain.

With injuries thinning the backfield, Tony joined the varsity near the end of the regular season. Two weeks ago, he rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries and caught three passes for 128. Last week, Tony carried eight times for 75 yards and a touchdown.

"Josh is a little bigger, but Tony may be a little quicker," E-W coach John Gradwohl said. "[Tony] plays with confidence, and he's done a great job."

Jones could return

After missing most of O'Dea's past eight games with knee and ankle injuries, Cal-bound running back Brandon Jones could return to the backfield Saturday against Burlington-Edison.

"We don't know if he'll play for sure, but we're hoping," O'Dea coach Monte Kohler said.

Poulsen plays big

O'Dea lists Soren Poulsen at 6-1 and 215 pounds, but the senior center/defensive end admits he's closer to 5-11 and 185. But Poulsen never appears overmatched.

"I do feel undersized sometimes," said Poulsen. "But I love that challenge. I haven't gone up against a lineman that's been smaller than me all year."

"He loves to play the game," Kohler said of Poulsen, the Metro League Mountain Division lineman of the year as a junior. "He plays hard and has a great pad level."

Beach lineman back

Rainier Beach's Chris Patu, a two-way starter at tackle, is back after spending the last week and a half in his native Samoa after the death of his father.

The Vikings hope the 6-1, 275-pound junior can help stop Shorecrest running back Jesse Hoffman on Saturday night.

"By far, he's going to be the best [running back] we've faced all year," Vikings coach Mark Haley said.

Note

• Before the start of his first season as the coach at Nathan Hale, Hoover Hopkins issued a challenge to his athletes to earn at least a 3.0 grade-point average. At the end of the year, 46 of the approximately 75 varsity, junior varsity and freshman players met that goal, and will be honored at the team's Academic Challenge Dinner tonight at Sand Point Country Club.

Times staff reporter Craig Smith and correspondent Matt Massey contributed to this report.