Carmichael leads T-Wolves

LEWISTON — Lake City running back Allen Carmichael wasn’t particularly content with the wave afflictions that sputtered his offense.

The 6-foot-1, 181-pound senior and LC’s vaunted option were able to move the chains, but hindered by drive-stalling mistakes.

But Lake City’s defensive horde gave its offensive troupe ample opportunity for atonement.

Carmichael ran for 174 yards and a touchdown while Lake City’s defense flummoxed Lewiston’s high-octane offense in a 24-14 5A Inland Empire League tilt on Friday night at Bengal Field.

After fumbling in the first quarter — the first of four turnovers for LC (4-2, 2-0 5A IEL) — Carmichael remedied the situation and stayed the course.

“I was doing really bad in the first quarter,” Carmichael said. “I just needed to keep my tracks closer.”

For the game’s first 15 seconds, Lake City’s special teams looked as if it needed tuning.

Hunter Robbins of Lewiston (4-2, 0-1) ran back the opening kick to Lake City’s 1-yard line. The Bengals’ Tyler LaPlante punched it in on the ensuing play to give the hosts an early edge.

Lake City answered on the subsequent possession, marching down the field with a methodical 6-minute, 45-second drive. Quarterback Mark Smyly capped the drive with a touchdown run to give the T-Wolves a 7-6 lead.

Both offenses were held in check a sizable portion of the first half. When Lake City’s offense wasn’t able to get on the board, its defense rose to the occasion.

Linebacker Colton Houlihan — who had a pair of interceptions — sniffed Lewiston quarterback Kerns’ pass and returned it 42 yards to put the Timberwolves up 14-6 in the second quarter.

But the lead was short-lived.

Lewiston put together a substantial drive of its own, as senior quarterback Beau Kerns spearheaded the charge. LaPlante ran in his second touchdown of the contest from 3 yards out. Kerns then hooked up with Alexander Lee on the conversion to knot the contest at 14 at the half.

From there, Lake City coach Van Troxel made the necessary adjustments.

And stopping Kerns was the initial tact.

“If we had a chance to beat Lewiston we would have to keep Kerns from running around and making a big play,” Troxel said. “And we were fortunate enough defensively.”

Lake City was able to hold the multifaceted Kerns to 11-of-23 passing, sacking the signal caller six times.

With Lewiston’s offense hard-pressed to move the ball, it was up to Lake City’s option offense to make a move.

The Timberwolves had a chance to take the lead late in the third quarter, but Smyly fumbled on the Bengals’ 5-yard line.

The hindrance proved to be an opportunity for Lake City’s defense.

Kaleb Mitchell came up with the Timberwolves’ third interception on the following drive, setting up Carmichael’s lone touchdown.

“Our line was blocking better and we were all kind of connecting,” Carmichael said. “Everything went perfectly like how it was supposed to work.”

Lake City was able to ice the donnybrook with a 25-yard field goal by Ryan Clark.

“We played well in the fourth quarter,“ Troxel said. “It was reminiscent of last week’s (22-21 win over Post Falls) where we played our best ball in the fourth quarter.”

Lewiston coach Emmett Dougherty was on the opposite end of the spectrum.

“It was the little things. Too many turnovers, one of ‘em for a touchdown was big,” Dougherty said. We talked about it all week about making mistakes. And when we did it tipped the game.”

Lake City plays host to Wenatchee next Friday.

Lake City 7 7 0 10 — 24

Lewiston 6 8 0 0 — 14

Lew — Tyler LaPlante 1 run (kick failed)

LC — Mark Smyly 4 run (Ryan Clark kick)

LC — Colton Houlihan 42 interception return (Clark kick)

Lew — LaPlante 3 run (Alexander Lee pass from Beau Kerns)

LC — Allen Carmichael 7 run (Clark kick)

LC — FG Clark 25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — LC, Allen Carmichael 22-174, Robbie Quinn 1-8, Levi Hewitt 2-5, Mark Smyly 15-81. Lew, Tyler Broemeling 8-38, Ryan Humphrey 5-30, Lucky Gaskill 2-26, Kyle Mai 2-21, Tyler LaPlante 3-6, Beau Kerns 10-16.

PASSING — LC, Mark Smyly 9-21-1-78. Lew, Beau Kerns 11-23-3-105.

RECEIVING — LC, Colton Carlson 3-37, Kaleb Mitchell 4-21, Robbie Quinn 2-20. Lew, Camden Bernatz 3-42, Connor Imel 2-16, Tyler Broemeling 4-31, Kyle Mai 1-9, Ryan Humphrey 1 (-8).