Iel Ready To Settle Business On Gridiron

With four weeks left in the regular season, the battle for the Inland Empire League’s three state football playoff berths heats up in a hurry.

After single openers in each of the past two weeks, the IEL schedule features two games Friday. Defending State A-1 Division I champion Lewiston (4-0-1 overall, 1-0 in league) visits Lake City (4-1, 0-1) and Sandpoint (3-2, 1-0) is at Coeur d’Alene (1-4), which is making its league debut under coach Shawn Amos.

Both games, like all night contests in the Panhandle, begin at 7.

Although both games could end up being lopsided, the Lewiston-Lake City game could be closer than some might expect.

Lewiston coach Nick Menegas, for one, is not expecting a cakewalk.

Menegas has been scrambling all week in search of healthy bodies.

“We’re very concerned about who we’re playing, but we’re so banged up our concern right now is ourselves,” Menegas said. “I said three years ago that this was going to be their (the Timberwolves’) class. They’re proving me right.”

Injuries aside, LC coach Van Troxel still sees Lewiston as a team capable of lighting up the scoreboard.

“They’re still the best team in the Inland Empire League no matter who they’ve lost,” Troxel said. “They have plenty of firepower left.”

Troxel said his team has Friday’s game in perspective.

“This is an opportunity to close the ground on the team that’s been the champion for a while,” Troxel said. “It’s a possibility for a win. But as we look at the big picture it’s not life or death. We can put ourselves in great position with a win. But our most important games are still ahead of us.”

Post Falls (1-3-1) plays its final non-league game before finishing with three league contests when it takes on first-year Mt. Spokane (0-4) tonight as the first game of a doubleheader at Albi Stadium in Spokane. Kickoff is at 5.

In a pair of Intermountain League games Friday, league-leading Lakeland (3-1-1, 2-0) welcomes outmatched Bonners Ferry (1-4, 0-1), and Kellogg (0-5, 0-3) plays at Moscow (2-3, 1-0).

In a non-league game, Priest River (5-1) will be out to secure the most wins in modern school history when it travels to Wallace (3-3).

The North Star League afternoon schedule features Clark Fork (3-3, 3-2) at Mullan (0-4, 0-4) and Kootenai (2-4, 2-3) at Falls Christian (3-3, 2-3).

St. Maries and Lakeside have byes.

This ‘n that

Struggling CdA will start a third quarterback Friday.

Amos will start junior Nate Ferguson. Sophomore Ryan Holland has been moved back to junior varsity and will back up Ferguson.

Holland was promoted to varsity two weeks ago to replace senior Andy Molenaar, who was moved to tight end and defensive end.

“Ryan understands it’s not a demotion,” Amos said. “We just don’t want to break his confidence. He’ll be battling with Nate for the job next year.”

Post Falls is looking forward to returning to league play next week.

“This thing is far from over; league is still wide open,” first-year Trojans coach Jeff Choate said. “Like I’ve told the kids, we’ve got to keep our eye on the prize - the last three weeks of the season. Our kids know they didn’t get their butts kicked by Lewiston (34-20). It wasn’t like last year. Lewiston’s a beatable team.”

Sandpoint coach Satini Puailoa saw much improvement in his team’s 33-21 win over Lake City, calling it the Bulldogs’ best game. And he also had praise for the upstart T-Wolves.

“We had them down 14-0 and 21-7 and in past years they would have gone home,” Puailoa said. “They battled back.”

, DataTimes