Madison comes back to defeat Coeur d’Alene in Idaho 5A quarterfinal

COEUR d’ALENE – The Coeur d’Alene Vikings defense was dominant for three quarters Friday night, but the final quarter belonged to the Madison Bobcats.

Senior quarterback Konner Stoneberg threw two fourth-quarter TD passes and the Bobcats scored 19 straight points in the final frame for a 22-12 state 5A quarterfinal victory over Coeur d’Alene at Viking Field.

“They have as good a chance as anybody to win the whole thing,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said of the Bobcats (9-1), who will face Mountain View (10-0) next week in a semifinal matchup at Holt Arena.

The Vikings (7-3) led 6-3 after the third quarter in a game that featured plenty of good defensive plays, lots of penalties and several dropped passes.

The only touchdown of the first half came early in the second quarter following back-to-back personal-foul penalties against Madison. Junior wideout Brody Lundblad took a lateral pass from sophomore quarterback Cole Yankoff, turned it up field and scampered in for a 20-yard score.

Bobcats outgained the Vikings 153-151 in a first half that featured 100 yards in penalties.

The third quarter was much of the same as the teams combined for just 71 yards from scrimmage in the quarter. Madison did have a 51-yard Stoneberg-to-Zach Anderson touchdown wiped off the board by a holding call with 10 seconds left in the quarter and while it didn’t count, the play seemed to give the Bobcats the confidence to make big offensive plays down the stretch.

The Vikings went three-and-out to start the fourth quarter – it was one of five second-half possessions in which Coeur d‘Alene failed to make a first down – and the Bobcats finally got rolling, taking the lead for good with 8:46 left when Stoneberg found Josh Crane on a swing pass. On the play, Crane cut back and tip-toed past four Viking defenders for a 6-yard score and a 10-6 lead.

The Vikings tried to answer on their next possession, but a Yankoff floater was tipped and intercepted Madison’s Brycen Siddoway. On the next play, Anderson found pay dirt at the end of a Stoneberg 44-yard rainbow, giving the Bobcats a 16-6 lead.

Coeur d’Alene turned the ball over on downs after just four plays on its next possession, and the Bobcats offensive line took advantage of the Vikings’ tiring defense. Six Madison running plays later, Connor Wills rumbled in from the 2 to give the Bobcats a 22-6 lead, essentially putting the game out reach.

“You get there because of your defense,” Madison coach Mitch Buck said. “Both defenses played really well … ours did a little better.”

The Vikings threw in a late touchdown when Yankoff found senior Cayden Bonacci on a 23-yard toss and run, capping a 68-yard drive with 1:36 left. Prior to that drive, Coeur d’Alene managed just 42 yards from scrimmage in the second half.

“They made the key plays in the end,” Amos said. “But I’m proud of our guys.”

5A

Lewiston (9-2) was eliminated after a 65-20 quarterfinal loss to Rocky Mountain in Meridian, Idaho.

4A

Davan Norris threw four touchdown passes to Wyatt Cox and Sandpoint beat Kuna 34-13 in the quarterfinals in Sandpoint.

Cox finished with seven receptions for 198 yards.

The Bulldogs (6-4) will play Rigby in the semifinals next weekend.