Slow start dooms Coeur d'Alene
POCATELLO — In a matchup of two of the best teams perennially in Idaho, an early hole was too deep for Coeur d’Alene to dig its way out of Friday night.
The Vikings, ranked fifth in 5A, fell behind 20-0 in the first quarter, and the fourth-ranked Highland Rams went on to a 28-21 victory at Holt Arena.
Highland (4-1) took advantage of short fields to score its first two touchdowns — on short runs by quarterback Easton Durham and running back Kaleb Demuzio on a direct snap. Josh Potter ran it in from 16 yards out late in the quarter to make it 20-0.
Jack Prka hooked up with Brennan Crawford on a 43-yard scoring pass to pull Coeur d’Alene (3-2) within 20-7 at halftime.
Prka’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Colbey Nosworthy in the third quarter brought the Vikings to within 20-14.
Gunner Giulio’s 42-yard TD run for Coeur d’Alene trimmed Highland’s lead to 28-21 with 5:26 left.
The Vikings stopped Highland on fourth and 2 at the Vikings’ 32 with 2 minutes left, but eventually turned the ball over on downs.
“Honestly, they were more physical in the first quarter,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “They just punched us in the mouth, and it took us a while to match their intensity. Hopefully, we’ll learn from that.”
Coeur d’Alene plays at Central Valley next Friday.
Coeur d’Alene 0 7 7 7 — 21
Highland 20 0 0 8 — 28
First quarter
High — Easton Durham 5 run (Ian Hershey kick), 9:51
High — Kaleb Demuzio 2 run (Hershey kick), 5:58
High — Josh Potter 16 run (PAT failed), 1:01
Second quarter
Cd’A — Brennan Crawford 43 pass from Jack Prka (Eli Jolly kick), 7:20
Third quarter
Cd’A — Colbey Nosworthy 28 pass from Prka (Jolly kick), 4:18
Fourth quarter
High — Durham 1 run (Demuzio kick), 8:39
Cd’A — Gunner Giulio 42 run (Jolly kick), 5:26
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Coeur d’Alene: Prka 12-29, Elstad 2-3, Giulio 5-59-1. Highland: Jones 17-84, Demuzio 18-128-1, Durham 13-51-2, Potter 3-38-1.
PASSING — Coeur d’Alene: Prka 18-32-156-2-0. Highland: Durham 8-14-81-0-2.
RECEIVING — Coeur d’Alene: Nosworthy 7-64-1, Brown 1-8, Giulio 3-32, Elstad 2-(-7), Crawford 2-49-1, Brett 3-10. Highland: Mickelsen 3-24, Demuzio 3-46, Duffin 1-5, Potter 1-6.