Lakeland’s Offense Rolls Hawks To Iml Crown

Lakeland’s offense was nearly unstoppable Friday night. And when it was stopped, Moscow came to the Hawks’ rescue.

Lakeland piled up 535 total yards and used a handful of critical Bears penalties to march to a 34-20 victory at Corbit Field, clinching the Intermountain League championship.

“Some days you run it well, some days you pass it well,” Lakeland offensive coordinator Mike Bayley said. “Tonight we did both well.”

Lakeland (6-2-1 overall, 5-0 IML) will entertain Emmett (6-3) at 1 p.m. next Saturday in the opening round of the State A-2 playoffs. Moscow (4-5, 3-2), St. Maries (7-2, 3-2) and Priest River (7-2, 3-2) will play a Kansas tiebreaker on Tuesday night at Corbit Field to determine the IML’s second seed. That winner travels to meet Weiser next week.

Kurt Reese passed for 276 yards and the Hawks added another 259 on the ground from an astounding 10 ball carriers. Those numbers were big, but just as big was the second-half shutout pitched by a Hawks defense that had surrendered three first-half touchdowns.

Each team scored on their first three possessions. But Moscow penalties contributed to Lakeland’s first and third touchdowns.

Moscow was flagged for pass interference on third-and-10 to aid Lakeland’s 63-yard opening drive. In the second quarter, another pass interference on fourth-and-3 gave Lakeland a first down at the Bears’ 1. Reese plunged in on the next play.

“Penalties hadn’t been a problem until tonight,” Moscow coach Eric Bjorkman said. “It was a good high school game and it’s too bad it wasn’t decided by the teams.”

Despite the penalties, Moscow answered each time. With Russ Cosgrove breaking tackles on virtually every carry en route to 133 first-half yards and Tony Rinaldi’s 4-for-4 passing, the Bears evened the score at 20 at half.

Lakeland had a chance to reclaim the lead, but Reese was stuffed on fourth-and-goal at the 1 late in the second quarter.

The Hawks moved in front with an impressive 96-yard drive in the third quarter. Harrison Bertsch, pressed into duty because of injuries to the Hawks’ first- and second-string backs, swept in from 4 yards for a 27-20 advantage.

Lakeland moved on top 34-20 as Tim Libby scored from the 10 with 6:23 remaining.

The Bears’ Jeremy Spencer returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown only to have another penalty erase the score.

Moscow’s offense was limited to 52 yards in the second half and Rinaldi didn’t complete a pass. The Bears were hindered when Cosgrove, who finished with 148 yards, missed significant time with a facial cut that he initially injured in last Friday’s game.

“Basically, they kept the ball the whole half,” Bjorkman said.

“We were scrambling a little bit in the secondary after an injury in the first half,” Hawks defensive coordinator Lee Libera said. “We put in some more stunts, got some more heat on the quarterback and our secondary played better in the second half.”

Lakeland 34, Moscow 20

Moscow 6 14 0 0 - 20

Lakeland 7 13 7 7 - 34

L - Dockter 1 run (Van Valin kick) M - Cosgrove 1 run (kick blocked) L - Felton 25 pass from Reese (kick blocked) M - Cosgrove 5 run (kick failed) L - Reese 1 run (Van Valin kick) M - Spencer 8 run (Gilmore pass from Rinaldi) L - Bertsch 4 run (Van Valin kick) L - Libby 10 run (Van Valin kick)

, DataTimes