Timberwolves win in tuneup for Viks
COEUR d'ALENE - With the nonleague schedule now complete, the Lake City Timberwolves can turn their attention to their cross-town rivals next week at Viking Stadium.
And the following week in the state playoffs.
Lake City senior running back Allen Carmichael finished with a game-high 220 yards and four touchdowns as the Timberwolves defeated the Sandpoint Bulldogs 26-7 in a nonleague game Friday night at Lake City High.
"This was a good win tonight," Lake City coach Van Troxel said. "Sandpoint played hard and competed hard all night. We didn't play our best, but I'd rather have that this week than next week."
Lake City, which is 2-0 in the 5A Inland Empire League, clinched a spot in the state playoffs with the Coeur d'Alene Vikings' 41-14 win over Post Falls on Friday.
The Timberwolves play at Coeur d'Alene next Friday in the regular-season finale for both. With both Post Falls and Lewiston falling to 0-2 in the IEL, the winner earns the right to home field in the playoff game between the same two teams Nov. 5.
"We're both in there now," Troxel said of next week's matchup. "Now we'll have to see who gets to host the playoff game."
Lake City (6-2) was without quarterback Mark Smyly, who sat again due to a shoulder injury suffered at Lewiston on Oct. 8.
"He's kind of iffy right now," Troxel said of Smyly's injury. "We've got two games under Bobby's (Traverse) belt."
Carmichael opened the scoring in the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run. Sandpoint answered on its next possession as Erik Nikssarian scored on a 63-yard run to put the Bulldogs up 7-6 with 4:50 remaining in the half. Lake City jumped back on top on the ensuing play from scrimmage as Carmichael rumbled 70 yards on a draw play to give Lake City a 12-7 lead.
"In the first half, we played right with them step for step," Sandpoint coach Mike Mitchell said. "I knew at halftime we'd have to come out and make a stop on defense to keep in it. They're really good up front."
Sandpoint quarterback Brandon Hawkins finished the night 10 of 22 passing for 80 yards, while Nikssarian had 96 yards on 13 carries for Sandpoint, which played without Anthony Gold for a second straight week.
Sandpoint (3-5) faces Moscow in a 4A Inland Empire League game at Memorial Field on Friday.
Sandpoint 0 7 0 0 - 7
Lake City 0 12 6 8 - 26
LC - Allen Carmichael 3 run (kick failed)
Spt - Eric Nikssarian 63 run (Cole Fuhrman kick)
LC - Carmichael 70 run (kick failed)
LC - Carmichael 23 run (pass failed)
LC - Carmichael 1 run (Carmichael run)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING - Spt, Nikssarian 13-96, Morgan 3-5, Hawkins 8-24. LC, Carmichael 25-220, Mitchell 6-22, Traverse 2-45, Bevacqua 1-2.
PASSING - Spt, Hawkins 10-22--0-80. LC, Traverse 6-12--0-54, Mitchell 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING - Spt, Morgan 1-2, Sekona 5-42, Duarte 1-7, Clad 1-13, Fuhrman 1-10, Nikssarian 1-6. LC, Carlson 1-14, Quinn 2-20, Hewitt 1-0, S. Turner 1-16, A. Turner 1-5.