Vikings strike again

COEUR d'ALENE - Once Coeur d'Alene got rolling Friday night, it seemed nothing could stop the Vikings.

Except Mother Nature.

Lightning spotted in the area by the referees stopped the game in the first quarter at 7:32 p.m. for 1 hour, 22 minutes with Coeur d'Alene leading 15-0.

After play resumed, the Vikings increased their lead to 31-0 early in the third quarter. A few minutes later, more lightning was spotted at 10:05 p.m. and play was halted again. By rule, the sight of lightning or the sound of thunder in the area means a 30-minute delay, and play can't continue until 30 minutes after the last lightning or thunder.

As the teams were leaving the field for the second delay, second-year Moses Lake coach Todd Griffith, looking at an even longer delay if the lightning kept up - as it did off and on for nearly an hour in the first half - conceded the game and shook Viking coach Shawn Amos' hand at midfield, and the game was over at 10:06 p.m. - with 5:58 left in the third quarter.

Both teams were already leaving the field for the locker rooms, which led to the awkward sight of players shaking hands in the corner of the stadium, near the exit. Meanwhile, lightning continued to strike in the distance after the game.

"That's a weird one, isn't it," a smiling Amos said. "We had the Snow Bowl last year (the snowy state semifinal game at home vs. Eagle). And now the Lightning Bowl this year. Those are some great stories for your grandkids. And it's good to have your kids put in weird situations, and have to respond to it. It was good in that aspect. But it's hard - up and down, up and down ... "

Coeur d'Alene junior quarterback Chad Chalich, in just his second varsity start, completed 19 of 26 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, and he also rushed for two scores.

"He's been very solid," Amos said. "The thing about Chad is, he's going to get nothing but better. Just like everybody else, he's going to make a mistake here and there, but it's going to be fun to watch him grow each game. Because he certainly has the tools."

Coeur d'Alene (2-0), ranked fourth in 5A, held Moses Lake to 10 total yards with a swarming defense. The Vikings produced a safety in the third quarter when Kyler Dunn, with help from a couple teammates, broke through and tackled Moses Lake punter Taylor Lagrave in the end zone.

Matt Lambert caught a touchdown pass and recovered a fumble for the Viks.

"Our defense, the 'Mighty Mites,' man, they fly around, that's for sure," Amos said. "Two games in a row, a good performance."

From the sidelines the players can be heard yelling "Shark! Shark!," which is a passing situation defense, where more pass rushers are put in, but it also aptly describes the Vikings' defense in general.

"Yeah, they do swarm to the ball; there's no doubt about it," Amos said.

Coeur d'Alene totaled 317 yards in 2 1/2 quarters. Jake Matheson caught five passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, and his 30-yard punt return put the Vikings at the Moses Lake 15, and as it turned out, was the final play of the game. It was the season opener for the Chiefs.

Coeur d'Alene played without running back Zach Keizer, who suffered a sprained ankle late in last week's victory at Moscow, in which he rushed for 107 yards and three touchdowns.

Coeur d'Alene travels to Skyview High of Vancouver, Wash., next Saturday.

Moses Lake 0 0 0 x - 0

Coeur d'Alene 15 7 9 x - 31

Game conceded by Moses Lake with 5:58 left in third quarter

Cd'A - Jake Matheson 31 pass from Chad Chalich (Jake Cheesman run)

Cd'A - Matt Lambert 22 pass from Chalich (Colin Comack kick)

Cd'A - Chalich 10 run (Comack kick)

Cd'A - Safety Kyler Dunn tackled punter in end zone

Cd'A - Chalich 6 run (Parker Wilson kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - ML, Cline 5-10, Moats 9-(19), Perez 2-12, Koon 2-(-4), Simmons 3-2. Cd'A, Comack 8-22, Chalich 6-36, Lambert 1-4.

PASSING - ML, Moats 5-14-0-21, Simmons 1-2-0-3. Cd'A, Chalich 19-26-1-255.

RECEIVING - ML, Franz 2-6, Johnson 3-5, Koon 1-13. Cd'A, Watson 2-27, Turbin 4-39, Lambert 5-32, Comack 2-0, Matheson 5-155, Martinez 1-2.