Skyline demolishes Coeur d’Alene’s long streak
MOSCOW, Idaho – Coeur d’Alene got the test it wanted, but Skyline didn’t.
In a classic mismatch, the defending Washington State 4A champs from Sammamish throttled the two-time defending Idaho 5A state champs 71-20 in the finale of the Idaho Football Classic at the Kibbie Dome on Saturday.
It was eerily similar to CdA’s 55-6 win over Whitney (Calif.) when the Vikings romped all over the field in the first half.
Lake City, meanwhile, overwhelmed the outmatched W.F. Bearcats 52-14.
Skyline 71, Coeur d’Alene 20: University of Southern California-bound quarterback Max Browne operated with the precision of a surgeon in the first half.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder completed 24 of 31 attempts for 380 yards and six touchdowns – all in the first half as the Spartans built a 50-13 lead. He played into the third quarter before finishing with 446 yards passing.
Skyline (3-0) scored four TDs before CdA (3-1) could respond. The Vikings watched as their 24-game winning streak was snapped.
Nine receivers divided up Browne’s passes in the first half, with Matt Sinatro leading the way with three TD receptions and eight catches for 126 yards.
Skyline amassed 432 yards total offense in the first half.
Although the Vikings struggled, junior quarterback Gunnar Amos kept firing away. He completed 13 of 22 attempts in the first half for 196 yards and two TDs, the last one a 78-yard connection with junior receiver Addison Johnson.
Lake City 52, W.F. West 14: The Timberwolves needed a win and they got it and more.
And the Timberwolves benefitted mightily from a bye week.
In the middle of LC’s quick start was senior slotback Mitch Bevacqua, who scored on three big plays. He caught two touchdown passes and ran for another. He finished with five catches for 159 yards and had two rushes for 69 yards.
“It was a good victory. We needed one going in against Post Falls (next week),” Bevacqua said of his team’s 5A Inland Empire League opener. “We have potential. If we do our assignments right, we’re pretty good.”
LC came out firing, opening a 24-0 lead before W.F. West (2-1) could blink.
Sloppy special teams and a miscue late on defense are what kept the T-Wolves (1-1-1) from throwing a first-half shutout. LC outgained the Bearcats 346-73 in the first two quarters.
Three of LC’s touchdowns in the first half came on big plays. The first was a 69-yard run by sophomore Jerry Louie-McGee; the second on a 47-yard pass from Bruce Shipley to a wide-open Bevacqua; and the third on a 67-yard inside reverse by Bevacqua.
LC lost its focus in the third quarter before rebounding for three TDs in the fourth.
“We’re still trying to figure out where we’re at and what we can do,” LC coach Van Troxel said. “I was real pleased with both sides of the ball.”
Shipley did a nice job directing LC’s offense.
“Mitch and Bruce, we finally got that connection going really well,” Troxel said. “We just have to maintain our discipline and focus for us to be really good. We need to learn how to focus for four quarters. It’s part of growing up and learning how to win again. These guys really need to feel good about themselves.”
Shipley completed 8 of 12 passes for 176 yards and two TDs.
“We had nothing to show for our first two weeks,” Troxel said. “Now we need to take the confidence into next week.”
Sequoia (Calif.) 21, Lewiston 13: Dylan Anderson scored touchdowns on three long runs and Sequoia of Redwood City, Calif., rallied to defeat the Bengals.
Tanner Dickeson hauled in a 21-yard pass from Drew Melton to stake Lewiston to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
But Anderson knotted the score with a 42-yard run in the second quarter and then ripped off TD runs of 21 and 36 yards in the fourth quarter to help the visitors pull out the victory.
Anderson finished with 147 yards on nine carries.
Sutter (Calif.) 58, Clarkston 20: The visitors from Yuba City, Calif., piled up 37 first-half points and breezed to a victory over the Bantams.
The Bantams scored on three Austin Hansen-to-Zac Dwyer passes covering 3, 11, and 72 yards.