Vikings Overcome Turnovers, Put Away Moscow

Ah, homecoming. The pomp, the pageantry. The turnovers, the penalties, the rain.

So the night had some glitches. It turned out pretty well for the Coeur d’Alene Vikings, who overcame three first-half turnovers to stuff Moscow 34-10 in a non-league prep football game on Friday at Viking Field.

From CdA’s perspective, the win might be a tad bigger than it would appear. In past games, particularly last season, the Vikings might have had trouble winning a game in which they committed so many early mistakes.

“Last year we do that and we probably lose,” said CdA coach Bill Anderson, whose club improved to 3-2 against the 1-4 Bears. “This year we’re playing harder and more together.”

CdA’s miscues started on the opening kickoff when Mark Scates fumbled and Moscow recovered at the Viks’ 9. But the Viking defense pushed Moscow back to the 12 and then turned in a key play on special teams.

Moscow attempted a 29-yard field goal, but Brian Goodwin blocked the kick into the waiting arms of Nick Rook, who scooped it up and ran 76 yards for a touchdown.

Rook, a cornerback and quarterback, had a productive night. He passed for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He scored on the blocked-kick return and added a 5-yard TD run late in second quarter as the Viks took a 21-10 halftime lead.

Rook’s most impressive play was probably his most painful. Just as two Bears collided into Rook’s chest, the senior QB delivered a 14-yard strike to Ben Davis in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.

That gave the Viks a 27-10 lead and Rook left the field a bit wobbly.

“We gave them too many chances to stay in the game, but in the second half our kids played pretty well,” Anderson said.

Moscow helped out. The Bears finished with five turnovers, four on interceptions, that put the Vikings in favorable field position.

Moscow’s starting quarterback, Adam Miller, was hurt two weeks ago, leaving the throwing chores to Blake Jenson. He forgot his uniform in Moscow and might have become the first QB ever to don No. 99.

Jenson played gamely, passing for 150 yards and one touchdown - a dandy 41-yard connection to Chad Curtis in the second quarter. Russ Cosgrove put in a steady day at the office, running for 158 yards.

All the yardage was wiped out by the turnovers.

“I thought we played harder than we have all year with the possible exception of the Clarkston game,” said Bears coach Eric Bjorkman. “But it’s been the same things all year. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Jenson was clobbered several times while attempting to pass by the Viks’ Max Peebles and Dusty Gatten. For the seventh time this season, CdA had a touchdown wiped out by a penalty as Scates’ 31-yard scamper was called back because of a hold.

Coeur d’Alene 34, Moscow 10

Moscow 0 10 0 0 -10 Coeur d’Alene 7 14 0 13 -34

C-Rook 76 blocked kick return (B. Davis kick)

M-Jenson 19 field goal

C-Peebles 67 pass from Rook (B. Davis kick)

M-Curtis 41 pass from Jenson (Jenson kick)

C-Rook 5 run (B. Davis kick)

C-B. Davis 14 pass from Rook (run failed)

C-Ziegler 1 run (B. Davis kick)

, DataTimes