Strong start doesn’t last for Lakeland

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

RATHDRUM — The Lakeland Hawks couldn’t have asked for a better start Friday night.

In the game of the year in 4A Inland Empire League football, the Hawks ran over, through and around the Bulldogs for a touchdown on a convincing opening drive, a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Caysen Loutzenhiser.

Sandpoint then fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, recovered by Lakeland’s Jameson Elliott at the Bulldog 21.

The Hawks missed an open receiver for a touchdown, which would have put Sandpoint down 14-0 before the Bulldogs had run a play from scrimmage.

But Sandpoint’s Jack Zimmerman blocked a Lakeland field goal, and the Bulldogs drove to a field goal to reverse the momentum.

The Bulldogs then slowed down Lakeland’s ground attack, then took control of the game with their offense, churning out 329 yards themselves on the ground and pulling away for a 38-13 victory at Corbit Field.

“My mantra to the team was, this is the kind of football you’re going to see in the playoffs, and it’s going to have to be a learning experience for us. I think they learned a lot,” Lakeland coach Mike Schroeder said. “They’re a good program, and I don’t think we played our best football, and it showed.”

After a bye, Lakeland (6-2, 0-1 4A IEL) travels to Moscow on Oct. 21 to wrap up the regular season. The Hawks are all but certain to make the state playoffs, but would have to open on the road.

Meanwhile, Sandpoint (3-3, 1-0 4A IEL) can wrap up a first-round home game in the state 4A playoffs in three weeks with a victory at home over Moscow next Friday in the Bulldogs’ regular season finale.

After turning Lakeland over on downs, Sandpoint took an 11-7 lead when quarterback Parker Pettit scampered 20 yards, and fullback Joseph Hughes tossed to Blayne Kanning for the two-point conversion.

Then, on first down and 19 from the Sandpoint 44, Bulldog Max Frank sped past a Lakeland defender and hauled in a 56-yard TD pass from Pettit.

Sandpoint took a 17-7 lead — and all the momentum — into the locker room.

After that TD drive to open the game, Lakeland had just 28 yards the rest of the half.

Sandpoint took the second-half kickoff and marched 80 yards in 11 plays — all but one on the ground — with defensive stud Wes Benefield bulldozing the final 10 yards on one of his four carries on offense.

Lakeland had its chances in the second half. The Hawks tried a gadget play on fourth and 11 from the Sandpoint 39, but wide receiver Thomas Calder’s pass was intercepted by Eli Allshouse.

The Hawks then lost a fumble near midfield, and two plays later, Pettit zipped 53 yards for a 31-7 lead with 11:03 remaining.

“I think the turnovers killed us,” Schroeder said. “We had a blocked field goal to go up 10-0, and that was a big momentum changer. And the second quarter, we were completely out of rhythm. We had several dropped passes, and the turnovers … you can’t do that against a good football team.”

“You can’t simulate the physicality and the downhill running that they do,” Sandpoint coach Ryan Knowles said of the Hawks. “So it took our defense a little bit to adjust. And even though we adjusted, you saw late, we still have to be locked in every play. … we had to be opportunistic. We had to get the turnover, you had to get the sack, you had to get the sack. … you’ve got to weather the storm, and our offense stayed on track, kept putting up points, and we played good complementary football.”

Pettit threw just nine passes, completing six for 118 yards and two scores. Through a combination of scrambles and designed runs, Pettit added 147 yards and two scores on the ground.

Kody Brewster ran for 51 yards on nine carries for Sandpoint, which had seven players total log carries. Brewster also took a screen pass from Pettit and danced in from 12 yards out to complete the scoring.

Lakeland’s John Cornish ran for 61 yards on the opening drive, and finished with 165 yards on 23 carries, including a 7-yard run with 6:45 remaining that pulled Lakeland within 31-13.

The Hawks ran for 205 yards, and totaled 281.

“I don’t think we were physically ready to play defensively,” Schroeder said. “As a coaching staff, I and we have to take more responsibility to be more physical defensively up front. We prepared well, and they have some good football players. It’s a good program with some very good players. When you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, they’re going to move the ball on you pretty easily.”

Sandpoint 3 14 7 14 — 38

Lakeland 7 0 0 6 — 13

First quarter

LL — Caysen Loutzenhiser 1 run (Owen Forsman kick), 7:39

Spt — FG Luke Pertek, 3:51

Second quarter

Spt — Jackson Pettit 20 run (Blayne Kanning pass from Joseph Hughes), 9:46

Spt — Max Frank 56 pass from Pettit (kick failed), 7:11

Third quarter

Spt — Wes Benefield 10 run (Pertek kick), 7:01

Fourth quarter

Spt — Pettit 53 run (Pertek kick), 11:03

LL — John Cornish 7 run (pass failed), 6:45

Spt — Kody Brewster 12 pass from Pettit (Partek kick), 1:21

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Spt, Brewster 9-51, Pettit 12-147, Frank 6-42, Hughes 8-27, Garcia 3-20, Benefield 4-32, Balison 2-10. LL, Cornish 23-165, Benson 1-5, Calder 9-28, Loutzenhiser 7-3, Burcham 1-4.

PASSING — Spt, Pettit 6-9-0-118. LL, Loutzenhiser 5-16-0-76, Calder 0-1-1-0, Cornish 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING — Spt, VanDenBerg 2-29, Frank 3-77, Brewster 1-12. LL, Reilly 2-14, Calder 1-27, Kuenkler 2-35.