Trojans fall again at home
<p>Curtis Triplett intercepts the ball in a pass intended for Dylan Campbell of the Graham Kapowsin Eagles Thursday in the third quarter as the Post Falls Trojans took on the Eagles.</p>
<p>Post Falls Trojan, Michael Mckeown, powers up the field while being grappled by a Graham Kapowsin Eagles player in the 3rd quarter of Thursday's game at Post Falls High School.</p>
Graham-Kapowsin drops Post Falls to 0-2
By JASON ELLIOTT
Sports writer
POST FALLS - A missed field goal with 5:19 remaining in the fourth quarter was a shot to the comeback hopes of the Post Falls Trojans on Thursday night.
The 66-yard run by Graham-Kapowsin tailback James Teague to the 7-yard line was the knockout blow.
Teague ran for 178 yards for the Eagles, which beat the Trojans 31-21 in a nonleague football game at Trojan Stadium.
"We just need to remain consistent on both sides of the ball," Post Falls coach Jeff Hinz said. "At times, we were and we did a great job. Other times, we didn't."
Post Falls took the opening kickoff and drove the field, scoring on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Joey Pfennigs to Nate Gomer for a 7-0 lead. The score remained the same until the start of the second quarter, when Dylan Campbell scored on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Asbjorsen - the first of three scoring plays between the duo in the quarter - to even the score at 7-7.
Post Falls senior wide receiver Curtis Triplett caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from
Pfennigs, and senior linebacker Marc Conradi stepped in front of a pass and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown, giving Post Falls a 21-7 lead.
Graham-Kapowsin scored 17 points in the final 4:28 of the half to take a 24-21 halftime lead.
"We kind of got a little momentum going there," Hinz said. "Then, we gave it right back to them. We've got to keep the foot on the gas pedal and learn to keep the momentum."
Post Falls (0-2) will face Sandpoint next Friday at Roos Field in Cheney.
Pfennigs finished with 178 yards passing, most going to junior Mike McKeown, who finished with seven catches for 94 yards.
"We need to get our pass protection cleaned up a little bit," Hinz said. "When Joey's able to set his feet, he's putting the ball on some people and doing a really good job for us."
McKeown also had 20-yard punt return to set up the team's 27-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter, which would have tied the game. But the kick banged off the right upright.
"I was just doing everything I could to help put my team in a good spot to get a win," McKeown said. "But obviously, it didn't work out for us."
Post Falls lost two fumbles in the game.
"We had some snap issues and then we had issues lining up on defense and it wound up costing us," Hinz said. "But after that first game (a 35-0 loss to Capital in Post Falls last Friday), it was a good improvement from Week 1 to Week 2."
Starting tailback Seth McLeod (high left ankle sprain) and cornerback Braden Davenport (right ankle) were out of the lineup with injuries for Post Falls on Thursday.
"Seth is week-to-week right now," Hinz said. "Braden was going to try and give it a go, but we've got league coming up and want him to be at 100 percent."
Trevor Asbjorsen threw for 263 yards for Graham-Kapowsin, which opened the season at Post Falls for the second straight season. The Eagles had been in the area since Sunday, returning home to Graham, Wash. near Seattle following the game.
"We love the retreat and getting our kids together before the start of the season," Graham-Kapowsin coach Eric Kurle said. "It takes away some of our practice time, but it's more important to bond together as a team and it showed when we got behind 21-7 and played hard the rest of the way. Post Falls is a scrappy team. I thought they played well last week, but just had some bad things happen to them. They played hard and physical, and I love it."
Graham-Kapowsin 0 24 0 7 - 31
Post Falls 7 14 0 0 - 21
PF - Nate Gomer 6 pass from Joey Pfennigs (J.D. Sullivan kick)
GK - Dylan Campbell 9 pass from Trevor Asbjorsen (Nate Harden kick)
PF - Curtis Triplett 34 pass from Pfennigs (Sullivan kick)
PF - Marc Conradi 28 interception return (Sullivan kick)
GK - Campbell 37 pass from Asbjorsen (Harden kick)
GK - Campbell 19 pass from Absjorsen (Harden kick)
GK - FG Harden 27
GK - Shannon Edwards 7 run (Harden kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING - GK, Teague 18-178, Campbell 2-17, Rosario 3-6, Absjorsen 1-0. PF, Pfennigs 8-20, Agueros 17-59, Triplett 1-(-1), Conradi 2-4.
PASSING - GK, Asborjen 19-34-1-263. PF, Pfennigs, 12-25-0-178.
RECEIVING - King 3-15, Teague 2-12, McLeod 3-41, Campbell 10-160, Rosario 1-2. PF, McKeown 7-94, Gomer 1-6, Stroh 1-19, Triplett 1-34, Morris 2-24, Liebergot 1-1.