Vikings pick off a big win — Coeur d'Alene holds off Rigby in thriller with huge postseason implications

By MARK NELKE 

Sports editor 

COEUR d'ALENE — It took a while, but Thursday night's showdown between two of the top three teams in Idaho eventually lived up to its billing. 

And then some. 

It was a game where Coeur d'Alene (ranked No. 3 in 6A by Max Preps, No. 2 by the state's media) jumped out to a three-touchdown lead led by four touchdown receptions by senior Gibson Comstock. 

But Rigby (No. 2 Max Preps, No. 1 in the media poll) rallied behind its backup quarterback for three fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull within one score. 

Finally, an interception by Coeur d'Alene senior linebacker Dawson Riley sealed it as the Vikings (7-0) held off the two-time defending state champion Trojans (5-1) for a 34-27 victory before an overflow crowd at Viking Field. 

"So proud of these guys," Coeur d'Alene coach Shawn Amos said. "Because one, Rigby's obviously really good. We were a M*A*S*H unit; we had kids stepping up in all sorts of places. We had players dropping like flies. We lost Ben Murray (shoulder) early, and he was a huge part of our game plan. We had a lot of kids step up and play hurt and battle against a really good football team. That was a gut check, and our kids responded." 

Comstock had touchdown receptions of 9, 35, 66 and 1 yards from senior Tannar Stern, who passed for 292 yards. On the middle two TD catches, Comstock got behind the Rigby defense on deep balls. His final score was set up by an 85-yard completion from Stern to senior Davis Whittaker. 

Comstock finished with six catches for 119 yards. 

He also saw quite a bit of action on defense, and late in the first half, he stepped in front of Rigby receiver for an interception at the goal line to preserve Coeur d'Alene's 14-7 halftime lead. 

The Vikings pushed their lead to 27-7 late in the third quarter, and stopped Rigby twice on downs in the quarter, both on hits by Riley that stopped the Trojan player short of the line to gain. 

On the second stop, Rigby senior quarterback Evan Freeman was hit as he threw and suffered a hit pointer, and sat out the rest of the game. 

Senior Gunnar Davis came in at quarterback for Rigby early in the fourth quarter and led the Trojans on three straight scoring marches. 

The first two pulled Rigby within 27-20, only to see Coeur d'Alene answer on the first play after the kickoff when senior Oliver Strait broke loose for a 70-yard TD run.  

Rigby got it back within a score, then forced a punt and drove to the Coeur d'Alene 32 in the final minute. 

There, Riley intercepted a pass from Davis, and Coeur d'Alene kneeled out the clock. 

"I saw him look left, right, and I thought he was going out to scramble, he pump-faked and I just read it perfect," Riley said.  

"Our two inside 'backers (Riley and Drake Speelman) are just tough. And that was a super physical game; I'm glad we have a bye after this; we need to heal up a little bit. To win a game like that, that's what really good teams do — find a way. You knew Rigby wasn't going to go away." 

Davis threw for 197 yards in the fourth quarter for Rigby, which totaled 474 yards, 315 through the air. Coeur d'Alene totaled 419 yards. 

"We can't put ourselves in that position early," Rigby coach Armando Gonzalez said. "Give credit to Coeur d'Alene; they were ready. We weren't ready. They got on top of us, but we showed some fight. That could have turned ugly quickly." 

In the past, Coeur d'Alene and Rigby liked to play because it was a good measuring stick game. Now, with MaxPreps rankings determining playoff seeding — and the higher-ranked team getting to host through the semifinals, rather than pre-determined hosts — Coeur d'Alene figures to jump Rigby in the rankings. 

"It was pretty big; it was actually huge," Amos said. "But if we lose one of the next two games, then all this is for nothing. We still have to finish, but now it's our spot to lose. Or at least it should be." 

"The MaxPreps is nice, and the home-field advantage is a nice carrot, but ... if not, you still have to win the rest of your games," Gonzalez said. "I said (after the game) 'I hope we see you guys again.' With that team, there's a chance we could." 

Following a bye, Coeur d'Alene plays host to Lake City on Oct. 16 in its 6A Inland Empire League opener.

Rigby     0    7    0    20    —    27 

Coeur d'Alene     7    7    13    7    —    34 

First quarter 

Cd'A — Gibson Comstock 9 pass from Tannar Stern (Frankie Lopez kick), 1:37 

Second quarter 

Rigby — Jack Sharp 3 pass from Evan Freeman (Andrew Jaynes kick), 7:43 

Cd'A — Comstock 35 pass from Stern (Lopez kick), 6:02 

Third quarter 

Cd'A — Comstock 66 pass from Stern (Lopez kick), 10:36 

Cd'A — Comstock 1 pass from Stern (kick failed), 2:58 

Fourth quarter 

Rigby — Kue Kofe 5 run (kick failed), 9:20 

Rigby — Chandler Faulkner 3 run (Jaynes kick), 6:27 

Cd'A — Oliver Strait 70 run (Lopez kick), 6:10 

Rigby — Faulkner 1 run (Jaynes kick), 4:23 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS  

RUSHING — Rigby, Kofe 15-52, Freeman 11-44, Faulkner 13-61, Davis 2-2. Cd'A, Stern 15-47, Murray 1-6, Coleman 1-0, Strait 2-74. 

PASSING — Rigby, Freeman 15-20-1-118, Davis 13-18-1-197. Cd'A, Stern 18-25-1-292.  

RECEIVING — Rigby, Steffler 8-114, Hepworth 6-52, Kofe 4-43, Sharp 1-3, Olson 1-4, Erickson 2-21, Hoge 2-26, Oswald 2-32, No. 7, 1-7, Butikofer 1-13. CdA, Comstock 6-119, Whittaker 4-136, Hackett 1-10, Strait 2-4, Schillinger 2-17, Coleman 1-1, McClelland 1-(minus 2), Melville 1-(minus 1). 

    MARK NELKE/Press Coeur d'Alene senior Davis Whittaker (10) hauls in a 36-yard completion in the first quarter as Rigby senior Statton Butikofer (6) defends on Thursday night at Viking Field.