Coeur d'Alene topples Lake City for league title

COEUR d'ALENE - Trailing 7-6 and needing a boost of momentum, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings got it with the ball to start the second half, and the wind at their back.

Gunnar Amos' 7-yard touchdown run capped a five-play, 74-yard drive to start the third quarter, and he scored from 11 yards out late in the quarter for a little cushion as Coeur d'Alene defeated city rival Lake City 21-7 to win the 5A Inland Empire League football championship Friday night at Viking Field.

"It was important that we scored on that drive (with the wind to start the half)," Coeur d'Alene coach Shawn Amos said.

“I think our kids responded well, I think they were mentally ready for this battle, and that’s good, because that’s how it’s going to be from here on out,” Amos added.

Friday’s results also settled the seeds for next Friday night’s state play-in games from the 5A IEL. Coeur d’Alene (6-2, 3-0 5A IEL), the No. 1 seed, will host No. 4 Lewiston (3-4, 0-3), which lost at Post Falls 17-10 on Friday night. Lake City (4-3-1, 2-1), the No. 2 seed, will host No. 3 Post Falls (2-6, 1-2). The winners advance to the state playoffs the following week.

As befitting a championship game, defense came up big in this one. Coach Amos praised the play of his defensive line, and the Vikings stopped the Timberwolves twice on downs in the final 5 minutes to preserve the win.

And Lake City coach Van Troxel had similar praise for his defensive end, Jonny Mathenia.

“Both teams did a good job shutting down each other’s offenses,” Amos said. “I think it was just like we expected — a very hard-fought battle with your crosstown rival. One or two things flip, and it’s a different ballgame.”

I thought our kids played hard, with great effort, and I thought their kids played hard, with great effort. That’s a good high school football game.”

Coeur d’Alene struck first, taking over at the Lake City 11 after an errant punt snap bounded off one of the Timberwolf blocking backs. Reece Mahaffy scored from 12 yards out two plays later, but Jacob Kazmierski blocked the PAT, leaving the score at 6-0.

Early in the second quarter, Lake City quarterback Bruce Shipley dashed 63 yards to the Coeur d’Alene 2, and Brandon Johnson scored on the next play for a 7-6 T-Wolf halftime lead.

On the first drive of the second half, Amos dashed 52 yards on a keeper to the Lake City 14, then scored three plays later.

Coeur d’Alene lost a fumble on its next possession, but Lake City fumbled it back two plays later.

Coeur d’Alene’s clinching touchdown drive was aided by three 15-yard penalties against Lake City.

Lake City turned the ball over on downs twice in the second half, and its final chance ended on an end-zone interception by Coeur d’Alene’s Jackson Carlson.

“Good ballgame,” Troxel said. “Both teams played hard. They played a little bit better, and they moved the ball better than we did. I was really proud of our defense; I thought our defense really battled all day. We just didn’t come up with the right plays at the right time.”

Lake City missed receiver Mitch Bevacqua, who missed his second straight game with an ankle sprain, but still outgained Coeur d’Alene 313-304 in total yards. Shipley rushed for 144 yards on 18 carries, and Amos ran for 123 yards on 22 carries.

With the wind a factor, neither quarterback passed for more than 75 yards.

Lake City 0 7 0 0 — 7

Coeur d’Alene 6 0 15 0 — 21

Cd’A — Reece Mahaffy 12 run (kick blocked)

LC — Brandon Johnson 2 run (Andrew Hocking kick)

Cd’A — Gunnar Amos 7 run (Kolby DeHaas pass from Amos)

Cd’A — Amos 11 run (Parker Wilson kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — LC, Br. Johnson 13-59, Shipley 18-144, J. Louie-McGee 4-20, Rosteck 2-2, T. Louie-McGee 1-7. Cd’A, Amos 22-123, Mahaffy 13-72, Mort 8-34.

PASSING — LC, Shipley 9-27-1-50, H. Damschen 1-1-0-31. Cd’A, Amos 9-23-0-75.

RECEIVING — LC, J. Louie-McGee 2-6, R. Damschen 1-2, Bl. Johnson 2-6, T. Louie-McGee 2-37, Newby 2-18, Hocking 1-10. Cd’A, Mahaffy 2-11, Blakley 3-35, Johnson 1-3, Doering 1-7, DeHaas 2-19.