Unbeaten Hillcrest passes, runs past rusty Lake City
COEUR d’ALENE — Part of Lake City’s woes on Saturday could be attributed to rust from not playing last week due to poor air quality, and having to practice indoors.
But most of the Timberwolves’ problems were caused by a pretty good opponent.
The Hillcrest Knights of Idaho Falls racked up 603 total yards and improved to 4-0 with a 54-0 pasting of Lake City (0-3) on Saturday.
“Any of our failures start with me,” Lake City coach Bryce Erickson said. “I think the week off, and missing a game last week really, really hurt us, just in our fundamentals and our technique. Not being able to go compete against another team ... I felt like our tackling was really poor. I felt like we moved the ball well, but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot, not getting the right depth on routes when it’s fourth and 9 ... just the small details that can make a difference.”
Hillcrest scored on its first five possessions — on the sixth, the Knights let the clock run out to end the half up 34-0. The Knights, who came in averaging 38.3 points per game, scored on three of its first four second-half possessions, and punted just once.
Hillcrest totaled 195 yards in the first quarter. Dalton Clark threw for 309 yards and five touchdowns on 11-of-14 passing. The Knights ran for 294 yards, led by Jordan Neuerburg, who had 110 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries.
“Last year we started eight sophomores, and we took our lumps,” fifth-year Hillcrest coach Jeff Marshall said. “Lake City came down and beat us at our place. This year those kids are a year older, a lot of juniors, but a lot of continuity from last year, and I think that’s made a difference so far.”
One play after Lake City’s Devin Kelly dropped a Hillcrest ballcarrier for a 4-yard loss at the 1, Clark threw the ball up the right sideline to Tegen Murdock, who beat the cornerback, juked the safety and sprinted home to complete the 99-yard pass play.
Lake City had two scoring chances on its first four possessions, but completed passes short of the first-down marker on fourth down each time. Hillcrest picked off three passes in the second half, two inside the 10-yard line.
Grant Clark ran for 133 yards on 17 carries for Lake City.
“Grant Clark, that’s the proudest I’ve been of him since he got here,” Erickson said. “There were some assignment errors up front in our run game, and he still made people miss. He was a little banged up, and he wouldn’t come off the field. That’s the leadership that we need from our seniors.”
Lake City plays host to East Valley on Friday.
Hillcrest 20 14 13 7 — 54
Lake City 0 0 0 0 — 0
First quarter
Hill — Derek Marlowe 29 pass from Dalton Clark (Nelson Tallman kick), 8:28
Hill — Jordan Neuerburg 56 run (kick failed), 3:37
Hill — Devin Wernette 68 pass from Clark (Tallman kick), 1:37
Second quarter
Hill — Oakley Hussey 3 pass from Clark (Tallman kick), 8:59
Hill — Neuerburg 8 run (Tallman kick), 5:13
Third quarter
Hill — D. Marlowe 12 pass from Clark (Tallman kick), 9:30
Hill — Tegen Murdock 99 pass from Clark (kick failed), 2:35
Fourth quarter
Hill — Kyle Austin 53 run (Tallman kick), 9:39
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Hill, Wernette 2-44, Neuerburg 7-110, Clark 1-7, Hussey 5-33, Moore 9-28, Henry 2-18, Austin 2-54. LC, Lettau 5-22, Clark 17-133, Buttz 3-(minus 12).
PASSING — Hill, Clark 11-14-0-309. LC, Buttz 17-28-3-157.
RECEIVING — Hill, Hussey 2-30, D. Marlowe 2-41, Wernette 1-68, Henry 3-48, Murdock 3-122. LC, Clark 4-16, Briner 5-68, Jerome 6-44, Lettau 1-21, Szasz 1-8.