Sandpoint upends Lakeland

RATHDRUM — Now it’s packed at the top of the 4A Inland Empire League.

Sandpoint (2-6, 1-1 4A IEL), which lost to Moscow (2-5, 1-0) in the 4A IEL opener for both last week, upset host Lakeland 34-19 on Friday at Corbit Field, leaving next Friday’s game pitting Lakeland at Moscow to determine playoff bids for all three schools.

A Moscow win would send Moscow and Sandpoint to the playoffs. A Lakeland win would force a three-team Kansas tiebreaker.

Lakeland (3-4, 0-1 4A IEL) struck first when Ezra Grigg — who finished with 68 yards rushing, hauled in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Fury for an early 6-0 lead after the extra point was blocked.

Dillon Mitton carried 14 times for 140 yards and three second-half touchdowns for Sandpoint, which hosts Lethbridge next Friday.

“Just the toughness factor. We’ve been through a lot this season. We’re trying to withstand strain. I’m so proud of them that they got the job done, in pretty convincing fashion,” Sandpoint coach Ryan Knowles said. “They fought to the last play. The guys took it serious the whole game.”

Lakeland (3-4, 0-1 4A IEL) struck first when Ezra Grigg, who finished with 68 yards rushing, hauled in a 4-yard catch from Brandon Fury for an early 6-0 lead after the extra point was blocked.

Payton Cox boomed a 52-yard punt after a three and out for the Bulldogs, and the flip in field position proved big when Lakeland fumbled the next snap and Keith Jensen recovered on the Lakeland 8-yard line. Alex Stockton scored on a 2-yard plunge for a 7-6 Sandpoint lead.

The Bulldogs extended the lead when quarterback Jaxon Pettit lofted a pretty fade pass to Hunter Elliott for 43 yards, setting up a one yard QB sneak from Pettit for a 14-6 lead.

The Hawks would answer late in the second quarter after a nice kick return from Isaac McArthur to midfield led a short drive down to 4th and goal from the seven. The Hawks went for it, and Grigg took a handoff on a reverse and threw to a wide open Colton Boettcher to go into half down 14-12.

The Hawks finished with 148 yards rushing and 118 yards passing.

“We knew we had to stop the run. They’ve got some big guys up front,” said Knowles of Lakeland. “We challenged the D-line this week, and we played some guys both ways tonight.”

Sandpoint put some nice second-half drives together, as Pettit hooked up with Elliott for 37 yards to set up a Mitton 5-yard touchdown run and a 21-12 lead.

Lakeland again answered when a 37-yard scamper from Grigg set up a Trey McAurthur three yard run to cut the lead to 21-19.

Big catches by Stockton and Ryan Bloomberg led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Mitton, and he would add his third score of the second half on the ensuing drive for a 34-19 lead.

Sandpoint 7 7 7 13 — 34

Lakeland 6 6 7 0 — 19

LL — Ezra Grigg 4 pass from Brandon Furey (kick blocked)

Spt — Alex Stockton 2 run (Dylan Peterson kick)

Spt — Jaxon Pettit 1 run (Peterson kick)

LL — Colton Boettcher 7 pass from Grigg (pass fail)

Spt — Dillan Mitton 3 run (Peterson kick)

LL — Trey McArthur 3 run (Colin Bell kick)

Spt — Mitton 1 run (Peterson kick)

Spt — Mitton 4 run (run failed)