PREP FOOTBALL: Special teams play propels Post Falls past Lewiston

| October 17, 2020 1:25 AM

LEWISTON — Offensively, Post Falls wasn’t Post Falls.

But the Trojans special teams, that group was special on Friday.

After falling behind 8-0 after the first quarter, Josiah Shields scored on a 53-yard pass from Zack Rodriguez on a fake punt, sparking the Trojans in a 43-28 win over the Lewiston Bengals in 5A Inland Empire League play at Bengal Field.

Lewiston scored on a 5-yard touchdown run by Joel Brume, but on the ensuing kickoff, Tanner Sessions returned the kick 85 yards to put Post Falls ahead 29-16.

“Our special teams, and coordinator Mick Zeller did an excellent job tonight,” Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett said. “Isaac Ballew, our kicker, did an amazing job playing at that spot for the first time this season. He put us in a good position all night. We spend a lot of time on special teams, and Mick does an amazing job with that group.”

Tommy Hauser and James Lee had touchdown receptions from Jaxon Anderson for Post Falls (5-2, 2-0 5A IEL), which hosts Coeur d’Alene next Friday.

Kash Lang ran for 159 yards and threw for another 113 for Lewiston (3-5, 0-2), which hosts Lake City next Friday.

“Lewiston did an excellent job and ran the ball really well,” Bennett said. “But when we needed it, our defense stepped up and played really well. Offensively, we didn’t play as well as we have been, but created some big plays. Both Tommy and James had some big touchdown catches for us.”

Post Falls 0 23 13 7 — 43

Lewiston 8 0 14 6 — 28

First quarter

Lew — James White 3 run (Kash Lang run).

Second quarter

PF — Josiah Shields 53 pass from Zackary Rodriguez (Isaac Ballew kick).

PF — Safety, punt snap.

PF — Tommie Hauser 27 pass from Jaxon Anderson (Ballew kick).

PF — Noah Range 4 run (Ballew kick).

Third quarter

Lew — Joel Brume 5 run (Brume pass from Lang).

PF— Tanner Sessions 85 kick return (kick failed).

Lew — Lang 3 run (run failed).

PF — James Lee 76 pass from Anderson (Ballew kick).

Fourth quarter

PF — Range 1 run (Ballew kick).

Lew — Brume 3 run (pass failed).

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — PF, McLeod 15-68, Range 7-21, Anderson 2-11, Hauser 2-3. Lew, Lang 32-159, Taylor 14-85, Brume 8-29, McKarcher 4-11, White 3-9.

PASSING — PF, Anderson, 12-23-2-189. Lew, Lang, 13-28-1-113.

RECEIVING — PF, Lee 2-82, Hauser 4-60, Shields 1-57, Rodriguez 2-19, Curlee 2-17, Rutherford 1-5. Lew, Grainger 3-36, White 2-22, Taylor 2-18, Zagelow 3-12, Jelinek 1-10, Brume 1-9, McKarcher 1-6.