Sandpoint wins tiebreaker

Sandpoint was mad that it had to play, Lakeland felt fortunate to be playing after the way its season had gone the first eight games, and Moscow was thankful to have a second chance when the three teams met Monday to decide North Idaho’s lone 4A state football playoff berth.

So Sandpoint, stinging from being upset 38-28 by Lakeland three nights earlier to force the Kansas Tiebreaker, got a measure of revenge against the Hawks 6-0 and then stopped Moscow 7-0 to earn the playoff berth at Coeur d’Alene High’s Viking Field.

Sandpoint (4-5) will play host to District III runner-up Mountain Home (8-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.

“It scares you how quick it happens,” Sandpoint coach Mike Mitchell said of the tiebreaking format. “I thought our kids really came to play tonight – which we didn’t do (Friday).”

Moscow was determined the top seed by virtue of the combined point margins among the three teams in their league games. So the Bears got the first-round bye.

Sandpoint won the toss and elected to play defense first against Lakeland.

Things started where they left off for Sandpoint at Lakeland. The Bulldogs, who were called for 16 penalties Friday, were deemed offside on the first play, giving Lakeland first-and-5 at the 20-yard line. On the next play, Hawks running back Kyle McCrite bolted 15 yards, giving Lakeland first-and-goal at the 5.

That’s when Sandpoint’s defense stiffened. On fourth-and-goal, Lakeland sophomore quarterback Kyle English turned the wrong way after taking the snap and was tackled for a 1-yard loss.

Sandpoint needed just three plays to eliminate Lakeland (2-7) when fullback Jacob Knaggs scored from 1 yard out.

In the second tiebreaker, Moscow (6-2) won the toss and started on defense. On the second play, Sandpoint running back Ben Fisher dashed 14 yards to the 10. On the next play, Bulldogs quarterback Jake Semones hit Ricky Lang on a quick out and Lang vaulted over a Moscow lineman into the end zone.

Sandpoint locked up the playoff spot on Moscow’s second play, when A.J. Smith stripped the ball from Bears running back Jayson Washington and Jonas Cafferty recovered for the Bulldogs.

Volleyball

Odessa topped Columbia 25-16, 25-3, 25-15 in a Panorama/Bi-Co loser-out match to decide a berth to district.

Odessa will play Cusick at Cusick on Wednesday in the Northeast District 1B tournament.

Boys soccer

Northwest Christian defeated visiting Northport 2-1 in a District 7 2B loser-out playoff. Derek Buttrick scored NWC’s goals.

NWC will play Moses Lake Christian on Friday at Sunnyside in a regional match.