Trojans shift focus to league play

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

POST FALLS — The season starts over next week for the Post Falls Trojans.

Which might be a blessing in disguise at this point.

Thus far, things just haven’t gone their way.

And Friday was no exception.

Visiting Moses Lake jumped out to a 28-0 lead after the first quarter and went on to beat the Trojans 63-0 at Trojan Stadium, dropping Post Falls to 0-6.

Post Falls opens 6A Inland Empire League play at Lake City next Friday.

“We’ve really got one that matters next week, and we’ve got to turn it around,” Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett said. “That’s what we’re going to tell our players. Hopefully they buy into it and we have a good week of practice.”

Moses Lake forced three-and-outs on the Trojans’ first three possessions and scored on its first three possessions to take a 20-0 lead.

With Post Falls driving, Moses Lake senior Caden Barney intercepted a pass at the 30-yard line and returned it inside the red zone, setting up another Mavericks score.

“We’re just not executing on offense, and we’re not getting some stops on defense,” Bennett said. “Pretty soon, it’s 49-0. Give credit to Moses Lake. They’re a good football team. And I know Coeur d’Alene beat them earlier this season, but Coeur d’Alene’s a good team as well. We’ve got to get focused on getting better this week.”

The North receives two bids to the state playoffs.

Post Falls lost Noah Ingle, the team’s starting middle linebacker, on the first play from scrimmage to a leg injury.

“He’s a captain and he’s out for the season,” Bennett said. “So we’re going to have to move some things around. Our guys are playing hard, we just need to make sure we have a good week of practice this week.”

Post Falls gained 62 yards on the ground and 34 passing.

“We didn’t play well tonight,” Bennett said. “We’re going to regroup, and we’ve got a big game coming up with Lake City. We’ve got to take a look at our players. Where we have them and what we’re asking them to do. It’s league time.”

Junior Nolan Decubber threw for 330 yards and seven touchdowns for Moses Lake (4-1), which lost 42-7 at Coeur d'Alene. 

Post Falls had a three-year playoff streak snapped last season. Before that, the Trojans had appeared in the playoffs in seven of eight seasons.

“We’re 0-6, but it’s league time,” Bennett said. “We’ve had a tough season, but it’s not over. We’ve got to practice hard this week and get ready for Lake City.”

Moses Lake    28    21    7    7    —    63

Post Falls    0    0    0    0    —    0

First quarter

ML — Isaac Legault 23 pass from Nolan Decubber (Case Anderson kick), 9:35

ML — Anderson 46 pass from Decubber (Anderson kick), 6:26

ML — Romeo Moreno-Jackson 22 pass from Decubber (kick failed), 4:26

ML — Elijah Burns 1 run (Anderson run), 2:56

Second quarter

ML — Royce Reffett 49 pass from Decubber (Anderson kick), 10:11

ML —Taggart Rathbun 47 pass from Decubber (Anderson kick), 5:55

ML — Moreno-Jackson 8 pass from Decubber (Anderson kick), 1:33

Third quarter

ML — River Hutchinson 20 pass from Decubber (Anderson kick), 1:50

Fourth quarter

ML — Jackson Miles 26 run (Anderson kick), 7:46

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING — ML, Burns 16-111, Barney 1-18, Miles 3-33, Rodriguez 3-5. PF, Foreman 9-30, Tomlinson 4-15, Matthew 1-8, Schmitt 4-4, Diaz 1-(-5), Carpenter 1-15.

PASSING — ML, Decubber 18-24-0-330. PF, Schmitt 7-19-1-17, Carpenter 1-5-1-17.

RECEIVING — ML, Rathbun 6-133, Burns 6-43, Anderson 2-52, Legault 1-23, Moreno-Jackson 3-70, Reffett 1-49, Miles 1-(-5). PF, Matthews 3-1, Ostlund 2-22, Foreman 2-8, Tomlinson 1-3.

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Post Falls junior Kason Foreman attempts to turn upfield during a kickoff return during the second half of Friday's game against Moses Lake at Trojan Stadium.