Making up for lost time

COEUR d'ALENE — They were supposed to start a week earlier than everyone else, but because of COVID-19, had to start a week later than everyone else.

But, in its delayed season opener, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings made up for lost time in a hurry Friday night.

Coeur d'Alene won the coin toss, elected to receive, scored in five plays and cruised to a 55-0 victory over the Sandpoint Bulldogs at Viking Field.

"It was crazy," Viking coach Shawn Amos said. "The coaches were giddy all day — it was like, ‘we get to play football. We get to play football.’ It was nice to get out there, and really, for a first game and it was their second game, for us it was a little bit cleaner … I think our kids were pretty dialed in."

Talk about efficiency — Coeur d'Alene scored eight touchdowns on just seven possessions (more on that later). The Vikings outgained the Bulldogs 407-149 in total yards.

Jack Prka picked apart the Sandpoint defense with short passes to the tune of 19 of 26 for 235 yards and three touchdowns, two on catch-and-runs to running back Gunner Giulio.

Trent Elstad ran for two TDs, Prka one for the Vikings, who were supposed to open Aug. 21 against a team from Anchorage, Alaska.

"Jack is always Jack," Amos said. "The great thing is, we have a lot of guys that can get it done, so there’s not one guy that has to carry the load. Jack does a great job getting it to our athletes, and we’re fortunate to have a lot of athletes to get it to."

Junior Sam Entzi had two interceptions for Coeur d'Alene, and Carter Wiebusch blocked a punt which was turned into a scoop-and-score.

Sandpoint (0-2) would have needed a perfect game and a ton of breaks to keep this game close. But this one went the other way in a hurry as, on the Bulldogs' first possession, after the punter bobbled the snap, Wiebusch stormed up the middle and blocked the punt, Mason Cummings scooped the ball up at the Sandpoint 2 and took it in for a 13-0 lead just 4 1/2 minutes into the game.

"It was a tall task," Sandpoint coach Ryan Knowles said. "We didn't put up much resistance, and we didn't move the ball. We make a couple special teams mistakes early like that ... you need to catch those breaks in a game. We need to catch those breaks in a game like this, not them."

Viking stud linebacker Luke McLaughlin, who also plays some wide receiver, caught the game's first TD pass, a 6-yarder from Prka, who dropped the snap, picked it up, rolled left, jumped and connected with McLaughlin just inside the goal line.

Isaiah Griffin, a junior transfer from Gonzaga Prep, returned the opening kickoff near midfield for the Vikings. He also returned a punt, and played cornerback.

Griffin has been working out with the Vikings since summer, Amos said, but only became eligible by the Idaho High School Activities Association earlier this week.

"He’s a great fit for us," Amos said. "He’s really found a home with us. They were expecting this big flood of Washington kids, and it never really happened. He’s our only Washington kid. The state was leery about the flood (of athletes transferring), and then it never really happened."

In the fourth quarter, played with a running clock, Coeur d'Alene's backups scored as lefty QB Brayden Bengtson went 5 for 5 on the drive, capped by an 8-yard pass to Caleb Short, who made a sliding catch just over the goal line.

Sophomore Parker Pettit, one of two quarterbacks used by Sandpoint, ran for 53 yards on 11 carries.

The Bulldogs' best scoring chance came on the first drive of the second half, a drive kept alive by a roughing-the-kicker penalty. Sandpoint reached the Viking 14 before turning the ball over on downs, ending the 17-play drive.

Next Friday, Coeur d'Alene plays host to Lakeland, and Sandpoint is home vs. Lake City.

Sandpoint 0 0 0 0 — 0

Coeur d’Alene 21 20 7 7 — 55

First quarter

Cd’A — Luke McLaughlin 6 pass from Jack Prka (Eli Jolly kick), 9:36

Cd’A — Mason Cummings 2 blocked punt return (PAT failed), 7:32

Cd’A — Gunner Giulio 13 pass from Prka (Ransom Robertson pass from Cummings), 3:19

Second quarter

Cd’A — Prka 1 run (Jolly kick), 8:45

Cd’A — Guilio 23 pass from Prka (Jolly kick), 4:03

Cd’A — Trent Elstad 5 run (kick blocked), 48.1

Third quarter

Cd’A — Elstad 1 run (Jolly kick), 2:41

Fourth quarter

Cd’A — Caleb Short 8 pass from Brayden Bengtson (Jolly kick), 4:55 (est.)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Spt, Cox 7-22, Lehman 4-(minus 5), Larson 1-(minus 2), Pettit 11-53, Christoferson 3-19. Cd’A, Elstad 8-49, Prka 4-6, Guilio 3-49, Elliott 1-13, Mallory 2-1, Bengtson 2-0.

PASSING — Spt, Lehman 9-18-1-53, Pettit 3-6-1-9. Cd’A, Prka 19-26-0-235, Bengtson 5-5-0-54.

RECEIVING — Spt, Larson 5-26, Kappen 2-6, Newhart 3-15, Thielbahr 2-15. Cd’A, Garitone 2-28, McLaughlin 1-6, Guilio 5-81, Karns 2-18, Smith 1-4, Cope 1-13, Cummings 2-15, Mallory 3-37, Elstad 2-52, Short 2-15, Elliott 1-6, Pottenger 1-5.