Nonleague rivals clash tonight
The big schools are still in the nonleague phase of their football schedules, though a couple of old rivals, Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene, clash tonight, as do prairie foes Post Falls and Lakeland.
Both kick off at 7, at Coeur d'Alene and Lakeland, respectively.
4A Sandpoint (2-1) figures to have its hands full with Coeur d'Alene (2-1), ranked No. 4 in 5A. The Vikings are coming off a bye. Sandpoint has played three Washington 2A Great Northern League teams, with wins over East Valley and West Valley, and a one-point loss to Clarkston.
The Bulldogs are led by junior Anthony Gold, who has rushed for more than 500 yards and seven touchdowns.
"It's going to take all we've got to handle them," said Sandpoint coach Mike Mitchell, who believes picking up the Vikings' ample blitzes will be the key to the game. "We'll see more blitzes than we've seen all year. They've got good athletes and they try to rattle you. If we get it handled, they'll (Vikings) be in trouble."
Post Falls (3-0), ranked third in 5A, has dominated its first three foes, while 4A Lakeland started out 0-3 before beating Timberlake last week on the last play of the game.
On Saturday Lake City (1-2), also coming off a bye, travels to Snohomish, Wash., to play Glacier Peak. The Grizzlies (3-0) own wins over Lynnwood (52-20), Oak Harbor (49-12) and Shorecrest (46-18).
Lake City is making do without senior running back Jacob Bowman, out for the season following a torn ACL against Mountain View of Meridian on Sept. 3.
Other Friday games:
Timberlake (0-3) vs. Fruitland (at Kamiah): The two teams have met in the state 3A playoffs five times since 2002, but this will be their first meeting in the regular season. Fruitland (3-0) is ranked No. 1, with wins over a pair of 4A schools, Emmett (24-21) and Columbia (27-0) of Nampa, as well at a 35-7 win at Baker, Ore.
Orofino (1-3) at St. Maries (1-3): Orofino, which dropped down to 2A this year is coming off a 48-0 loss to Kamiah in a Central Idaho League game. Orofino's lone win came 30-13 over Kellogg two weeks ago.
Wallace (3-0, 3-0 North Star League) at Lakeside (2-1, 2-1 NSL): This is one of two games between the two teams that will determine the league's representative to the state 1A Division I playoffs. The teams also meet Oct. 29 at Wallace in the final week of the regular season. Wallace is ranked third in 1A Division I.
Clark Fork (1-2, 1-2 NSL) at Kootenai (2-2, 2-1 NSL): Both teams are 1-0 in league games within 1A Division II. Both have beaten Mullan, with Kootenai winning 48-0 and Clark Fork winning 48-28.