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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Post Falls Looks For The Payoff Once Lowly Class Of 1997 Has Its Sights Set On Playing For The State Football Championship

The football players in the Class of 1997 at Post Falls High School didn’t start their careers auspiciously.

Three years ago, the Post Falls freshmen team posted a 1-7 record, and that team included future standouts Austin Lee and Josh Mort.

Of the 40 players who suffered through that dismal campaign, 27 reported to camp for their final season and 11 of those have earned starting jobs.

Lee, a three-year starter at tight end and defensive end, and Josh Dolan, a three-year starter at linebacker and two-year starter at fullback, are slated as the Trojans’ lone two-way starters.

The 16 other seniors who dot the depth chart are as important as their starting peers.

“They’ve hung together well since their freshman year,” the coach, Jerry Lee, said.

Things improved dramatically for the Class of ‘97 following its first season. A handful of players stepped up to varsity the following year and enjoyed a 9-2 season. The same fall, the majority of that sophomore group played key roles on an 8-1 junior varsity team.

The class was reunited last season and counted the school’s first victory over Lewiston since the schools began playing in 1980 among several feats in a 9-2 campaign.

One goal remains, though.

“Obviously, we want to get to the state title game,” Lee said. “But there’s a lot of season to play.”

Better than ever might aptly describe the league this year. The Trojans, picked by coaches to defend their league crown, hope that phrase will apply to them come season’s end.

Pick a theme

Most teams adopt a theme as a rally cry or focus point heading into the season.

For fun, we offer the following as possible themes for each IEL team.

Post Falls: Complete the task.

The Trojans shared the league title two years ago and captured the crown outright last fall. They also advanced to the state semifinals both seasons, but heartbreaking losses stopped them short of a trip to the state finale.

Lewiston: Continue the tradition. The Bengals avenged a regular-season loss to Post Falls by tripping the Trojans 30-27 on a field goal in the final seconds of last fall’s semifinals, advancing to the state title game for the third time in four years. The Bengals won a state title three years ago.

Sandpoint: Upwardly mobile.

Satini Puailoa took over a floundering program two years ago and immediately infused enthusiasm. The Bulldogs suffered lopsided losses to Post Falls and Lewiston last year but earned a playoff berth and posted a handsome winning record at 6-4. The next measure of the program’s growth will be knocking off one of the perennial powers, Lewiston or Post Falls.

Coeur d’Alene: About face. Forward march.

The Vikings stumbled to a startling 2-7 under first-year coach Bill Anderson. However, with five more timely points, the Viks could have finished 5-4. The former power of the 1980s will be out to wipe the sour taste of last season away.

Lake City: One step at a time.

It took nearly three seasons for the Timberwolves to post their first victory. It won’t take that long to record the second, or third, or fourth, for that matter. But LC is at least a season away from realistically competing for a playoff berth.

The more things change…

The more they stay the same. Or so it seems.

It’s not likely that the IEL’s final standings will change much over last season.

That doesn’t mean the 1996 season will be anti-climactic. In fact, all five league coaches expect their teams will be improved.

“It’s the toughest this league has ever been,” Jerry Lee of Post Falls said. “There aren’t any soft touches on the schedule.”

Added Van Troxel, whose Lake City team will be looking for its firstever league win in the school’s third year: “We could have the best league, top to bottom, in the state this year.”

Adding intrigue to what should be an intense battle for the league title is this year’s reduced allotment of two berths in the State A-1 Division II playoffs. As part of a rotation, the IEL sends three teams to the playoffs two years out of three. This is the odd year.

“There will be some classic games,” Troxel said. “Whoever comes out on top will have a legitimate chance to win a state championship. I think the league will help produce a state champion.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo