A Howling Success Bushnell Leads T-Wolves Past Vikings

Three years of frustration finally came to an end Friday night for the Lake City High School football team.

“It’s been a long time coming for our kids,” said Lake City coach Van Troxel, who took seemingly just as long to collect his thoughts following his team’s first win over crosstown rival Coeur d’Alene.

Winless in four previous games against the Vikings, the Timberwolves couldn’t wait to get rolling in their 40-13 victory at Viking Field in a non-league season opener for both teams.

Lake City set the tone on its first offensive play when senior running back Scott Bushnell rambled 45 yards for a touchdown.

That would be just the beginning for the speedy Bushnell, who would score two more times en route to gaining 233 yards on 19 carries.

Coeur d’Alene, rebuilding under first-year coach Shawn Amos, was no match for Lake City. Although the Viks took the final possession and drove for a consolation touchdown, Amos found it difficult to recall many positive things his inexperienced team accomplished.

“We’re young, but we made more mistakes than we should have, even with our youth,” Amos said. “It was unacceptable.”

Troxel’s son, Chad, LC’s junior quarterback, led the T-Wolves through the postgame exchange of handshakes carrying the game ball.

“This is a nice change,” smiled Chad Troxel. “This is the first time we’ve had this type of feeling. It’s just a great feeling.”

By the end of the first quarter, the game was decided. Bushnell added a 7-yard TD run and Troxel, after a well-executed fake hand-off to Bushnell, snuck behind his line on a 2 yard touchdown run as LC took a 21-0 lead into the second period.

LC wasn’t flawless. Bushnell had the first of two fumbles in the second quarter, setting up CdA’s first score.

On third-and-7 from the 11-yard line, CdA quarterback Andy Molenaar found Bret Whiteman among a blanket of white T-Wolves jerseys for a touchdown.

On the next series, LC used trickery for a final touchdown before halftime. Backup quarterback Aaron Cohen took a pitch from Troxel and connected on a 21-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Richard Novotny. LC led 28-7 at halftime.

And LC probably should have scored once more before the half. But CdA stopped the T-Wolves, forcing a 29-yard field goal attempt that barely got off the ground.

Bushnell had 145 of his 233 yards in the first half. On the first play of LC’s second offensive possession of the third quarter, Bushnell busted loose again for a 63-yard TD.

LC’s final TD came with 1:29 left in the third period when Joey Kroetch zipped 13 yards behind a good block by Nick Granier that sprung him loose near the goal line.

The teams meet again in an Inland Empire League game the last week of the season.

“Our seniors, our offensive line and defensive line, they really rose up to the front (tonight),” Troxel said. “But as a coach you always think you’ve got them (the Viks) a second time around. We’ll have to play harder and better than we we did this time because they’ll definitely be a lot tougher the next time around.”

LC finished with 436 yards total offense to CdA’s 164, 64 of which came on nine carries by Pat Goodwin in the Viks’ final drive.

Lake City 40, Coeur d’Alene 13

Lake City 21 7 12 0 -40

Coeur d’Alene 0 7 0 6 -13

L-Bushnell 45 run (Stroh kick) L-Bushnell 7 run (Stroh kick) L-Troxel 2 run (Stroh kick) C-Whiteman 11 pass from Molenaar (Davis kick) L-Novotny 21 pass from Cohen (Stroh kick) L-Bushnell 63 run (kick failed) L-Kroetch 13 run (kick failed) C-Goodwin 1 run (kick failed)

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo