Trojans don't mind later start to season
Their 5A brethren in the county kicked off their seasons last week, but the Post Falls Trojans were content to conclude their week with a jamboree at Lakeland.
Post Falls is happy to open its season tonight, at home vs. Graham-Kapowsin of Graham, Wash., located southeast of Tacoma, at 7 p.m. at Trojan Stadium.
"We're itching to get going, but I don't like the 'Zero Week' game," Post Falls coach Jeff Hinz said. "It takes kids' time away from their family in the summer. And I don't like the bye (which comes from starting one week early). The kids like a routine and rhythm."
Graham-Kapowsin has been here since Monday, using the trip to get away and bond as a team.
As for Post Falls, junior Joey Pfennigs returns at quarterback, and Hinz said more responsibility may be heaped upon his shoulders as the Trojans will have new starters at running back and the receiver positions. They'll also have several new starters at linebacker and in the secondary.
"We're really young and inexperienced in some spots, and I want to see how well we respond," Hinz said.
West Linn (0-0) at Coeur d'Alene (1-0): Not only are the Vikings playing a team they've never played before, but the Lions have a new coach and are playing their first game of the season.
"That's what's unnerving," Coeur d'Alene coach Shawn Amos said. "So we're guessing a lot (as to what they might do)."
Amos said the new coach likes to run the spread, but that's about it.
Coeur d’Alene opened last week with a 40-36 victory at Skyview of Nampa, where the Vikings trailed late before blocking a punt to set up the go-ahead touchdown.
“I think it was a good first game for us,” Amos said. “A lot of these kids have never been in a situation where they were behind and the game was on the line. It was nice to see how the kids responded.”
Still, he said there was much room for improvement.
“Watching the film, we saw we’re far from being a really good football team,” Amos said.
Kennewick (0-0) at Lake City (0-1): The teams last played in 2007, with Lake City winning 49-21 at Kennewick.
Kennewick’s coach, Billy Templeton, played for Lake City coach Van Troxel’s father, Ed, at Kennewick. And Templeton is a good friend of Van’s brother, Andy, a former high school coach in the Tri-Cities.
Like Amos, Van Troxel was pleased with his team’s performance in the opener, a 35-28 loss at Eagle.
“If we don’t beat ourselves, we win,” Troxel said. “If we do the basics, block and tackle, take care of the ball, we win the game.”
Troxel said the Timberwolves planned to be run-oriented this season. Against Eagle, Lake City did not throw a pass in the first quarter, running on all 20 plays. Quarterback Bruce Shipley threw the ball 18 times, completing 10, for 99 yards, but 10 of those pass attempts came in the fourth quarter when the T-Wolves were trying to catch up.
Shipley also rushed for 111 yards, and Brandon Johnson ran for 82. All told, Lake City totaled 282 yards on the ground.
Lakeland (0-0) at Lewiston (0-0): The teams haven’t met since 2006. Lakeland is coming off a 6-4 season and a trip to the state 4A playoffs. Lewiston finished 5-4 and has a new head coach, former Bengal assistant Shawn Nilsson. Nick Menegas, former head coach at Post Falls and Lewiston, returns to the Bengal staff as offensive coordinator.
Riverside (0-0) at Timberlake (0-0): Timberlake won 17-6 at Riverside last year. Riverside finished 5-5 last year.
Medical Lake (0-0) at St. Maries (1-0): St. Maries lost 20-12 at Medical Lake last year, after beating the Cardinals 28-27 at home in 2010. St. Maries last won a season opener in 2004, and last started 2-0 in 1997.
Lakeside (0-0) at Kootenai (0-1): Kootenai, a 1A Division II school coming off a 52-6 loss at 1A Division I Wallace in its opener, takes on the other 1A Division I school from the North Star League.
Standings
Through Aug. 25
5A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Coeur d’Alene 0 0 1 0
Post Falls 0 0 0 0
Lewiston 0 0 0 0
Lake City 0 0 0 1
Tonight’s Game
Graham-Kapowsin at Post Falls
Friday’s Games
West Linn (Ore.) at Coeur d’Alene
Kennewick at Lake City
Lakeland at Lewiston
4A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Lakeland 0 0 0 0
Sandpoint 0 0 0 0
Moscow 0 0 0 1
Friday’s Games
Lakeland at Lewiston
East Valley at Sandpoint
Moscow at Clarkston
INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Timberlake 0 0 0 0
Bonners Ferry 0 0 0 0
Priest River 0 0 0 0
Kellogg 0 0 0 1
Friday’s Games
Riverside at Timberlake
Grangeville at Kellogg
Lethbridge (Alberta) at Bonners Ferry
Kettle Falls at Priest River
CENTRAL IDAHO LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Grangeville 0 0 1 0
St. Maries 0 0 1 0
Orofino 0 0 0 1
Friday’s Games
Medical Lake at St. Maries
Grangeville at Kellogg
NORTH STAR LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Wallace 0 0 1 0
Mullan 0 0 1 0
Clark Fork 0 0 1 0
Lakeside 0 0 0 0
Kootenai 0 0 0 1
Friday’s Games
Lakeside at Kootenai
Mullan at Clark Fork
Cusick (Wash.) at Wallace