THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016

When you’re trying to recapture that winning feeling, you take the victories when and however you can, and work out the kinks later.

Coming off a two-win season last year, Lake City trailed Hillcrest of Idaho Falls 16-6 at halftime, and 22-12 entering the fourth quarter last Saturday on the road. But the young Timberwolves, guided by their first-year head coach, Bryce Erickson, made the plays on both sides of the ball in the final quarter and rallied for a 25-22 victory to square their record at 2-2.

“It was a great collective effort,” Erickson said.

He said the defense held tough for the most part, keeping the Timberwolves close until the offense could get untracked.

Of course, Thomas Redal’s 75-yard punt return in the third quarter helped.

“When I saw the ball coming I had to trust my blockers. I cut back and hugged the sideline,” Redal said after the game. “It was a big play and it got our team fired up.”

Redal also had a key interception near the goal line in the fourth quarter, a quarter in which Lake City outscored its hosts 13-0.

“On defense, we knew we would stop them (in the fourth quarter) and we knew our offense would score,” Redal said. “It was phenominal for us to come back and get this win.”

On offense, the key play was a screen pass from backup quarterback Bryce Buttz to running back Grant Clark on third and 14. Clark stretched the ball across the 3 yard-line to pick up the first down, then scored the go-ahead touchdown on the next play.

“I thought Bryce did a great job,” said Erickson of Buttz, a junior who was making his first varsity start in place of senior Matt Duchow, who sat out after suffering a concussion the week before. “He was poised, he was a great leader. He was clutch.”

LAKELAND WON just one football game last year, with an almost entirely brand-new squad. This year, the Hawks are a little more experience but are still pretty young.

But last Thursday, playing for the first time in school history at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane, Lakeland doubled its win total from last year, blanking Rogers of the Greater Spokane League 28-0.

“It was really big for our confidence level,” Lakeland coach Tim Kiefer said. “The ‘hangover’ from last year, from not winning a lot of games, we’re still fighting those demons. I think tonight’s win, in a lot of respects, is going to help us get through that.”

AFTER THEIR wins, both coaches were quick to admit that their teams’ performance was far from flawless — that there was still work to be done.

But part of the work was completed by finding a way to win the game — and the confidence gained by young, rebuilding teams by doing that shouldn’t be taken for granted, no matter who it’s against.

It’s a good start, at the very least.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.