T-Wolves win with trickery

It’s a play the Lake City High football team had worked on for the last month.

With most of Coeur d’Alene’s defensive players keying on the run, Lake City coach Van Troxel pulled out a pet trick play – a halfback pass.

The Timberwolves hadn’t used it all season.

On first down at the Vikings’ 36-yard line midway in the fourth quarter, junior running back Seth Sanders took a pitch from quarterback Garren Hammons. Sanders found just enough footing on the soaked field to stop just before lofting a pass to seldom-used junior wide receiver Charlie Chadderdon, who had to come back slightly to catch the ball. After making the reception, Chadderdon spun around and dove into the end zone as a Viking tried to catch him from behind.

It proved to be the winning score as LC held off CdA 26-20 in a State 5A playoff opener Friday played before a crowd estimated at 4,500.

The catch, with 6:52 remaining, was just the second of the season for Chadderdon. If he hadn’t made the catch, it’s likely the game would have gone to overtime.

“We’d been working on it for a month, waiting for the right time,” Troxel said. “It was the right time. Those guys came up big. That’s what we talked about before the game. We said, ‘Somebody’s going to have to step up and make plays. Somebody needs to be a hero.’ And those guys were.”

Second-ranked LC (9-1) will travel to No. 1 Meridian (9-1) in the semifinals Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST). Meridian had no problems in its opener, handling Capital 55-25.

In another opener, Centennial downed Mountain View 36-21. The Highland-Idaho Falls matchup was still being played at deadline.

The LC-CdA rematch was played in a steady chilly drizzle. The miserable weather conditions hampered both teams at times.

Like it did last week in a 59-41 win, LC started quickly. The Timberwolves took advantage of a fumble and a short field to take a 13-0 lead.

CdA running back Kevin Ah-Hi sprinted 39 yards untouched to pull the Vikings within 13-7 at the 9:34 mark of the second quarter.

But LC seized the momentum back when Steve Novotny forced CdA running back Neal Goodwin to fumble and T-Wolf Chris Delport recovered the ball off a bounce and bounded 29 yards for a touchdown to extend the lead to 20-7 with 1:54 before halftime.

CdA rebounded in the third quarter, scoring on back-to-back possessions. Ah-Hi scored on runs of 20 and 12 yards as the Vikings pulled even at 20 with 6:43 to go in the period.

Each team had three more possessions before the deciding gadget play.

“It was a game of spurts and momentum,” Troxel said. “We had some early and they had some and we got it back. It was a matter of don’t screw yourself into the ground and don’t make a mistake.

“We had some adversity and they dealt with it. That’s a sign of a good football team.”

LC’s defense – led by Byron Hout, Nick Vaudreil, Matt Widmyer and Dave Bobbitt to name a few key standouts – came up big in the final 14 minutes.

“We had to play physical and tough and hit them in the mouth,” Bobbitt said. “We wanted it to be a physical ballgame. We knew we could pick up the team and play better.”

Bobbitt said LC had to answer CdA after it tied the game.

“They’re a great football team,” Bobbitt said of CdA. “They rebounded but we responded, too.”

CdA coach Shawn Amos knew his team would fight back in the second half.

“Our kids did all they could. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They played their hearts out,” Amos said. “Both teams played a great game. It was a battle.”

Ah-Hi came into the game needing 154 yards to break the school’s career-rushing record set by Paul Ziegler (3,124).

He broke the mark with 184 on 27 carries.

“You can’t say enough about the way they competed. They came roaring back,” Troxel said of the Vikings. “They showed a lot of character, a lot of toughness, a lot of grit.

“I’m so pleased with our guys. Our defense played superbly. We did some things that we haven’t done (this season).”

LC is looking forward to a rematch with Meridian, which handled the Timberwolves 41-14 at LC in early September.

“We’ve got a chance to redeem ourselves,” Troxel said. “It’s part of the dream.”