PREP FOOTBALL: Lake City ends on winning note
LEWISTON — The Lake City Timberwolves knew on their ride down to Lewiston — for the second time in two days — that win or lose, their season would be over.
And while the role of playing spoiler was enticing — a Lewiston victory would put the Bengals in the state 5A playoffs — Lake City was more interested in ending a rough season on a positive note.
Sophomore Zach Johnson scored three touchdowns and picked off a Lewiston pass in the end zone as Lake City pulled away from the Bengals 36-12 on Saturday at Bengal Field in the 5A Inland Empire League and — as it turned out — the season finale for both teams.
Lake City (3-6, 1-2 5A IEL) entered the season with hopes of a second straight trip to the state playoffs, after not having made the postseason since 2014.
“We talked about all week, ending the season in the right way,” third-year Lake City coach Brian Fulp said. “These seniors have meant so much.”
Johnson caught a pair of TD passes from Chris Irvin, who had three passing TDs on the day. Johnson also scored on a 68-yard reverse to complete the scoring.
Senior Matthew Whitcomb caught an 18-yard TD pass in the third quarter to give Lake City a 14-12 lead, then picked off a pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown and a 22-12 lead.
“It was huge, we needed that for momentum,” Fulp said of the pick-6. “I was so happy for him (Whitcomb); it was awesome to have that play.”
Lewiston (3-6, 0-3) would have earned one of two at-large berths to the playoffs with a win. Instead, the Bengals loss let in Timberline of Boise, which will play at Skyview of Nampa in the first round this week. That winner will play at 5A IEL champ Coeur d’Alene (7-0) in two weeks in the quarterfinals.
Lewiston quarterback Kash Lang, the Bengals’ top rushing threat, broke a bone in his left hand on the game’s first play. He returned later and played safety sporting a club cast.
“We found ways to attack them,” Fulp said of the second half. “I liked our matchups with their DBs. And also, we needed to be able to run the ball, and we did in the second half.”
Saturday’s game was rescheduled from Friday night due to hazardous road conditions on U.S. 95 following Friday’s snowstorm.
The T-Wolf bus made it some 20 miles down 95 before Fulp made the call to turn around.
“We passed four jackknifed semis, and five cars off the road,” he said.
Lake City 6 0 22 8 — 36
Lewiston 6 6 0 0 — 12
First quarter
Lake City — Zach Johnson 29 pass from Chris Irvin (kick failed)
Lewiston — Jared Grainger 8 pass from Jace McKarcher (run failed)
Second quarter
Lewiston — McKarcher 5 run (run failed)
Third quarter
Lake City — Matthew Whitcomb 18 pass from Irvin (Irvin run)
Lake City — Whitcomb 53 interception return (Damon Rosenau pass from Irvin)
Lake City — Johnson 6 pass from Irvin (pass failed)
Fourth quarter
Lake City — Johnson 68 run (Rosenau pass from Irvin)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — LC, Zach Johnson 1-68, Xander Webb 9-9, Chris Irvin 3-5, Kyrus Condon 2-3, Porter Howard 1-(-2). Lew, Jace McKarcher 42-111, Joel Brume 8-37, Kayden Laferriere 2-33, Elliott Taylor 8-27, Kash Lang 1-4, James White 1-0.
PASSING — LC, Irvin 15-25-1-223, Matthew Whitcomb 1-1-0-26. Lew, McKarcher 15-29-4-115, Brume 0-1.
RECEIVING — LC, Johnson 4-83, Webb 5-60, Whitcomb 3-42, Dante Hardin 2-32, Jace Bowman 1-26, Damon Rosenau 1-6. Lew, Jared Grainger 6-55, Devin Zagelow 6-34, Laferriere 1-13, White 1-10, Taylor 1-3.
STATE 5A PLAYOFFS
Dates, times TBA
First round
Oct. 30-31
Thunder Ridge at Eagle
Mountain View (3-3) at Post Falls (5-3)
Meridian at Highland
Timberline at Skyview
Quarterfinals
Nov. 6-7
Thunder Ridge-Eagle winner at Rigby
Mountain View-Post Falls winner at Capital
Meridian-Highland winner at Rocky Mountain
Timberline-Skyview winner at Coeur d'Alene (7-0)
St. Maries 20
Orofino 0
ST. MARIES — Eli Gibson’s 4-yard touchdown run in the third quarter broke a scoreless tie, and the Lumberjacks went on to blank the Maniacs 20-0 in Central Idaho League play Saturday afternoon.
The game was postponed from Friday due to hazardous road conditions.
St. Maries (2-1, 1-0 CIL) ran for 213 yards and outgained Orofino (1-2, 0-2) 288-66. Gibson finished with 81 yards on 21 carries. Sam Martin added 62 yards on 11 carries, including a 3-yard score to cap the scoring. Quinten Ramsey-Buress had 60 yards on three carries, including a 31-yard TD.
St. Maries plays at Grangeville on Friday for the CIL title and a berth in the state 2A playoffs.
Orofino 0 0 0 0 — 0
St. Maries 0 0 7 13 — 20
Third quarter
SM — Eli Gibson 4 run (kick good)
Fourth quarter
SM — Quinten Ramsey-Buress 31 run (kick failed)
SM — Sam Martin 3 run (kick good)