Vikings, Eagle much alike

Standing in the way of Coeur d’Alene High and a second straight state 5A football championship tonight is a team with a talented quarterback, a high-powered offense and a strong, but underrated, defense.

Sound familiar?

“I think they’re similar to us,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said of Eagle. “They have a very good defense that has been overshadowed by their good offense.”

Coeur d’Alene (11-0) and Eagle (10-1) collide tonight in the state title game at 6 p.m. PST at Bronco Stadium in Boise.

Eagle allows 15.6 points per game — 12.4 per outing after its first two games, in which it allowed a total of 60. And those numbers are somewhat deceiving — for example, in last week’s 42-21 victory over Highland of Pocatello in the semifinals, the Rams scored all 21 of their points against Eagle reserves.

Eagle is averaging 41.0 points per game, with a high of 58 (twice).

Coeur d’Alene averages 52.4 points per game and allows 14.0.

“They’re extremely athletic,” seventh-year Eagle coach Paul Peterson said of the Vikings. “We will have our hands full, no doubt.”

Eagle quarterback Tanner Mangum, who has verbally committed to BYU, has completed 238 of 332 passes for 3,433 yards and 33 touchdowns, with nine interceptions.

“He’s got phenomenal arm strength,” Coeur d’Alene defensive coordinator Jeff Vesser said of Mangum, who transferred from Timberline High in Boise prior to his junior season. “I think we’re going to have to give him different looks ... the good news is our kids can adapt and adjust ... he does a good job buying time, and not to run. Mangum will buy time, and look to get his receivers open even longer. ... and he’s pretty agile.”

Coeur d’Alene’s Chad Chalich, who is expected to start tonight despite suffering a hairline fracture in his right foot last week, is 222 of 302 for 3,226 yards and 39 touchdowns, with two interceptions.

“Chalich has got the capability of extending plays with his feet, and beating you with his arm, and his brain, and his gut,” Peterson said. “He looks so calm to me and so confident and so skilled — it’s a great combination.”

One key matchup — Coeur d’Alene likes to blitz, and Mangum likes to hold onto the ball as long as possible, until his receivers come open.

“Tanner is going to stand in the pocket and throw missiles and rockets all over the place,” Peterson said. “Chad has that capability, but he’s also got those intangibles; he can do other things, too.”

Eagle’s top receiver is Marc Cooper, who has 61 catches for 869 yards and eight touchdowns. Coeur d’Alene’s top receiver is Bubba Duran, who has 64 catches for 915 yards and 10 TDs.

Coeur d’Alene has won 20 straight games, its last loss coming to Skyview of Vancouver, Wash., early in the 2010 season. The Vikings’ last loss to an Idaho team — to Eagle, at home in the snow in the state 5A semifinals.

Snow and rain are in the forecast for tonight’s game.

Eagle, which opened in 1995, is playing in its third state championship game in four seasons. The Mustangs won state titles in 1998, 2001 and ’09.

Coeur d’Alene, which has been around for more than 100 years, won state titles in 1982, ’85 and 2010.

The Vikings opted to split the trip south into a two-day jaunt. They were scheduled to practice in Pasco on Thursday and spend the night in La Grande, Ore.

NOTE: Provided the Internet cooperates, watch for updates from Boise tonight on our Coeur d’Alene Press Facebook page, and on Twitter at CdAPressSports.