Cd'A falls, but Yankoff shines
FOLSOM, Calif. — They came to compete, and they did.
And really, there’s no shame in losing to this elite-level powerhouse program on the longest road trip of the season.
Despite 301 yards passing, 81 rushing and four total touchdowns by Oregon-bound quarterback star Colson Yankoff, Coeur d’Alene High School didn’t have the defense to keep pace with West Coast powerhouse Folsom, falling 55-36 in a season opener, just east of the California capital of Sacramento.
Folsom wheeled out an impressive, if not nearly as heralded quarterback, in Joe Curry.
In his first varsity start, Curry completed 33 of 45 passes for 551 yards and six first-half touchdowns, three to speedy Drake Stallworth, sizzling in otherwise unseasonably cool weather. Kickoff temperatures were 78 degrees when it is often 100 this time of year. Curry, a senior who was a reserve last season, passed for 386 yards in the first half, expertly leading the Bulldogs’ spread offense that has devastated teams this decade to the tune of five Sac-Joaquin Section championship and two state large-division championships (2010, 2014).
Folsom has gone 59-3 since 2012 with two losses to nationally No.1 ranked De La Salle of Concord, Calif., in the Northern California regional finals in 2012 and 2013. Folsom went 16-0 in 2014 and 2014 last season.
Curry found a streaking Stallworth for a 77-yard touchdown strike on the game’s second play to set an immediate tone.
Yankoff completed 25 of 34 passes and hit Kyler Prendergast for scoring plays of 36, 34 and 31 yards, and the 6-foot-4 junior scored on a 1-yard plunge.
The Vikings vowed to compete, and they did, scoring 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull to within 48-36 before Folsom sealed it on a Davin Simmons 1-yard run with seconds to play.
Coeur d’Alene challenged the Bulldogs, who returned just four starters from last season. The Vikings went for it on fourth down, went for two after each touchdown, passed out of punt formation and attempted onside kicks.
A three-time state champion in recent seasons, Coeur d’Alene coaches said they were excited about this meeting, the ultimate gauge test.
It’s a contest that came about through a connection between Folsom coach Kris Richardson and Jeff Schroder of the Coeur d’Alene coaching staff.
Richarsdon and Schroder played against each other in high school in the Bay Area and they were linemen teammates at Diablo Valley College.
Coeur d’Alene made the bus trip to California on Friday, electing not to risk it by flying in on Saturday morning. The teams are scheduled to play next season.
Coeur d’Alene plays host to Central Valley on Friday.