Up-tempo Post Falls rushes to win over Sandpoint

By MARK NELKE 

Sports editor 

POST FALLS — Early on, Post Falls ran the ball on the Sandpoint Bulldogs like the Trojans were in a hurry to get somewhere. 

Apparently, that somewhere was the end zone. 

Post Falls, employing a no-huddle, fast-paced offense, scored on its first two possessions, totaled 221 yards on the ground and rolled past Sandpoint 38-13 in nonleague play Friday night at Trojan Stadium. 

“Our offensive line continues to get better and better,” Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett said. “Mike McKeown is our O-line coach, and we’ve got five guys (including Samuel Shields, Cooper Woydziak, Jackson Portner, Joseph Riggs and Alexander Scholes) who do a great job up front. And we have two good running backs; obviously we need to hang onto the football (the Trojans lost three fumbles).” 

6A Post Falls (2-0) rushed for 146 yards in the first quarter, and its first 13 plays were runs. Devin Burton ran for 111 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, and Brandon Felix ran for 108 yards on 12 carries. 

“We have not seen a run game like that yet,” Sandpoint coach Ryan Knowles said. “I saw it on film from last week (when Post Falls played Lewiston). It’s hard to practice that tempo, hard to practice their size. It’s good for us to see that, at this point in the season. Good on Post Falls, they execute fast. It’s hard to stop.” 

Sandpoint (2-1), ranked third in 5A sputtered offensively, and two muffed punts didn’t help. Post Falls recovered both, and turned them into 10 points. 

“A lot of three-and-outs when our defense needed some help,” Knowles said. “The special teams killed us. Two muffed punts after some stops that were so desperately needed, and then they immediately score right after them.” 

Ashlei Hawkins — all 5-foot-4, 150 pounds of him — totaled a hard-earned 94 yards on 20 carries for the Bulldogs. 

Post Falls threw the ball just 13 times, but many were for big plays. Caleb Jimmerson, a 6-3 senior wideout, had three catches for 118 yards and two scores. And his other catch set up a touchdown pass to Jace Ostlund that made it 24-0. 

“He’s a big-time athlete,” Bennett said. “He’s an impressive one, and that’s what Isaac (McKeown) has been working all summer on, just keeping that ball inbounds, and giving him a chance. I think we have three dynamic receivers that can make catches, and he just made a few big-time catches tonight. He’ll go up and ... hey’re not 50-50 balls when it’s thrown his way.” 

Post Falls turned Sandpoint’s first muffed punt into a field goal and a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter. 

Trailing 24-0, the Bulldogs got on the board when backup Braden Buckhout connected with Dallen Williams on a 40-yard catch and run on fourth down and 5. 

But Felix returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards, and three plays later, Jimmerson high-pointed a pass from McKeown for a 29-yard score and a 31-6 halftime lead. 

Post Falls outgained Sandpoint 380-275. 

Sandpoint scored on the first possession of the third quarter, when Drew Lehman hit Brady Newhart on a 3-yard scoring toss to pull the Bulldogs within 31-13. 

Sandpoint then forced a three-and-out, but then muffed the punt by the Trojans and Post Falls recovered. 

On the next play, Jimmerson caught a pass down the middle from McKeown, bounced off a Sandpoint defender and sped to the end zone to complete the 51-yard scoring play. 

McKeown was 7 of 13 for 159 yards. 

Post Falls travels to Eastmont of East Wenatchee, Wash., next Friday.

Sandpoint    0    6    7    0    —    13 

Post Falls    14    17    7    0    —    38 

First quarter 

PF — Devin Burton 9 run (Bradyn Singleton kick), 6:51 

PF — Isaac McKeown 3 run (Singleton kick), 2:05 

Second quarter 

PF — FG Singleton 34, 9:40 

PF — Jace Ostlund 17 pass from McKeown (Singleton kick), 3:39 

Spt — Dallen Williams 40 pass from Braden Buckhout (kick failed), 1:03 

PF — Caleb Jimmerson 29 pass from McKeown (Singleton kick), :18 

Third quarter 

Spt — Brady Newhart 3 pass from Drew Lehman (Reid Bradburn kick), 7:29 

PF — Jimmerson 51 pass from McKeown (Singleton kick), 3:49 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING — Spt, Hawkins 20-94, Lehman 10-55, Smith 4-23, Gomez 1-(minus 4), Buckhout 3-(minus 2). PF, Burton 26-111, Felix 12-108, McKeown 6-2. 

PASSING — Spt, Lehman 8-27-0-78, Buckhout 4-9-0-64. PF, McKeown 7-13-0-159. 

RECEIVING — Spt, Newhart 4-22, Williams 3-77, Gomez 3-13, Hawkins 2-30. PF, Jimmerson 3-118, Burton 1-6, Sage 1-12, Mathews 1-6, Ostlund 1-17. 

    JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Post Falls junior Brandon Felix (21) rushed for 108 yards against Sandpoint on Friday night at Trojan Stadium, and the Trojans totaled 221 yards on the ground.