Vikings opportunistic
It was a must-win 5A Inland Empire League football game for Coeur d’Alene on Friday night when Lewiston came to town, and though not that many people saw it, the Vikings came through with a 42-28 victory.
Coeur d’Alene turned a 7-7 score at the end of the first quarter into an insurmountable 35-7 lead at the half, converting two of three Bengals turnovers in the second quarter into touchdowns and never looking back.
Junior quarterback J.J. Turbin summed up the feeling on the Vikings’ sideline after what can only be called a trying early season.
“It feels like all the hard work is paying off,” Turbin said. “We were this close in those four losses, and it feels so good to get it done finally.
“But this is just the first step.”
Coeur d’Alene (1-1 IEL, 3-4 overall) set the tone early, holding Lewiston, which started its first drive at midfield, to a three-and-out.
On their first possession, the Vikings marched 79 yards in 11 plays and cashed in when Turbin hit senior tight end Brandon Welch for 5 yards.
Lewiston (0-1, 3-4) pulled even at 7-7 when, on a third-and-18 at the Vikings’ 45, senior quarterback Tom Kerr hit well-covered wideout P.J. Munoz with a perfect strike down the right sideline.
Munoz, however, would fumble twice after catches in the second quarter, and Vikings junior defensive back Justin Knight picked it up and rambled 42 yards to paydirt.
CdA tailback Bubba Goodwin capped TD drives of 51 and 70 yards with short runs, the second just a minute and a half before the break.
The Vikings delivered the backbreaker seconds later after linebacker Eddy Hancock picked off a short Kerr pass over the middle and Turbin found Nate Clinton on a fade route with seven ticks on the clock.
Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos talked the same talk he’s been talking all season, only this time, his team had finally walked the walk.
“I’m so proud of these guys,” Amos said. “You know, after all the adversity, week-in and week-out in practice, you’d never know whether these kids won or lost the week before. They have been giving it their all from day one and tonight it really showed.”
Amos didn’t come right out and say it, but the lack of blue-and-white-clad fans in the seats was obviously a bit of a sore spot.
“We lose this one and we’re done,” Amos said. “Now we’re right in the middle of everything.
“I’ve been telling people that this team has the talent, and it is way too early to start jumping ship.”
Lewiston coach Emmett Dougherty credited Coeur d’Alene and lamented his team’s miscues.
“We buried ourselves – gave ourselves too big of a hole,” Dougherty said. “And mistakes – nobody up here has really played clean games; this is probably the cleanest game Coeur d’Alene has played, and we didn’t do it tonight – especially in the first half.
“I honestly believe if we play our best, and don’t have those mistakes, we can beat anybody up here.”