Trojans score late, clinch playoff berth

LEWISTON — It’s a play that Post Falls has practiced since two-a-days in August.

Friday night, that quick pass from Derek Pearse to Tommy Hauser put the Trojans a step away from a 5A Inland Empire League title.

Hauser connected with Pearse on a 4-yard touchdown pass — the duo’s fourth on the night — with 4 seconds remaining as the Trojans beat the Lewiston Bengals 41-40 at Bengal Field.

“Last year, we beat them in overtime,” said Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett, whose team defeated Lewiston 34-28 at home in 2018. “It’s two teams that are very close to each other. They’ve got a very talented quarterback and running back, but I thought our defense did a good job of containing them.”

Post Falls (6-2, 2-0 5A IEL) travels to Coeur d’Alene next Friday. The teams are the lone unbeatens in the league, and both have clinched berths in the state playoffs.

Lewiston (3-5, 0-2) visits Lake City next Friday.

Post Falls took a 35-34 lead on a 6-yard touchdown run by Pearse with 5:56 remaining — followed by a two-point conversion on a pass from Pearse to Jake Burton, only to have Lewiston regain the lead on a 2-yard score by quarterback Kash Lang with 1:41 remaining.

“Our special teams coordinator Mick Zeller did a great job tonight,” Bennett said. “He came up with a plan and gave us a chance to be successful at the end.”

On the final drive, Hauser caught a 37-yard pass from Pearse to get into the red zone. A pass interference call extended the final drive for Post Falls.

“Both Tommy and Derek were on the same page on that final play,” Bennett said. “It’s just nice when it comes together like that. It was an exciting game. Both teams played really well in all three phases. It just came down to us having the ball last.”

Post Falls 14 7 6 14 — 41

Lewiston 13 7 7 13 — 40

First quarter

PF — Tommy Hauser 47 pass from Derek Pearse (Brayan Mendez kick), 5:04

Lew — Cruz Hepburn 1 run (Harrison Smith kick)

PF — Hauser 21 pass from Pearse (Mendez kick), 2:42

Lew — Hepburn 3 run (kick blocked), :42

Second quarter

PF — Hauser 19 pass from Pearse (Mendez kick), 6:54

Lew — Jesse Addy 31 pass from Kash Lang (Smith kick), 2:09

Third quarter

Lew — Lang 3 run (Smith kick), 4:03

PF — Eli Gondo 1 run (kick failed), 3:22

Fourth quarter

Lew — Lang 2 run (Smith kick), 9:40

PF — Pearse 6 run (Jake Burton pass from Pearse), 5:56

Lew — Lang 2 run (run failed), 1:41

PF — Hauser 4 pass from Pearse (run failed), :04