Late field goal lifts Post Falls to upset Coeur d’Alene
COEUR d’ALENE – Neither team was playing for much Friday night, but one team was playing for each other, and that proved to be just enough for the Post Falls Trojans.
Nathan Gregory’s 35-yard field goal with 29 seconds left lifted Post Falls to a 24-21 upset victory over the second-ranked Coeur d’Alene Vikings, snapping the Viks’ seven-game winning streak.
“It was a great team effort offensively and defensively,” said Post Falls coach Jeff Hinz, whose Trojans outgained the Vikings 308-299. “We just told these guys that they needed to play for each other, and that’s what they did.”
Coeur d’Alene (7-2, 2-1) had already clinched the 5A Inland Empire League title with league wins over Lewiston and Lake City. The Vikings will take a week off before hosting a state quarterfinal game, likely on Nov. 6.
Early on, it looked like the game might turn into a blowout as Coeur d’Alene scored on two of its first three possessions. Brody Lundblad started the scoring by reeling in a sideline pass from Austin Lee, breaking a tackle and racing 50 yards to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead.
The Trojans (4-5, 1-2) didn’t do much on their next possession and had to punt. But two plays later, Preston Bourgard picked off Lee at midfield and a few tough runs by Austin Jackson set up Gregory for a 24-yard scamper, tying the game at 7.
Coeur d’Alene came right back though, taking a 13-7 lead on Lee’s 31-yard strike to fellow senior Jakob Lynn. However, the Vikings failed to score on their next six possessions against a diligent Post Falls defense.
The Trojans pulled ahead 14-13 with 15 seconds left in the first half as Gregory found Jayden Gering from 20 yards out, capping a six-play drive.
On Post Falls’ second possession of the second half, Kaden Nelson – filling in for Jackson, who was injured in the second quarter and didn’t return – started asserting his will on the Vikings, and Collin Hilldreth’s short touchdown run gave the Trojans a 21-13 lead with 5:10 left in the third. Nelson finished with 81 yards on 21 carries.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Viks’ offense found life behind the stellar running of junior tailback Joseph Vang and sophomore quarterback Cole Yankoff. Yankoff’s speedy 33-yard run and two-point conversion tied the game at 21 with 11:02 left, and after the Trojans turned it over on downs, it looked as if the Vikings might escape.
But on the ensuing possession, a 50-yard TD run by Yankoff was called back because of a holding penalty – the Vikings finished with 12 penalties for 95 yards – stalling the drive and setting up the Trojans for their final 12-play drive.
“I was just thinking about my guys,” said Gregory, who said he was just thinking about practice on the game-winning kick. “We are family, and family comes together, and that’s what we did tonight.”
For Hinz, it was tough to hold back the emotion.
“I love their attitude and I love everything that they’ve done,” Hinz said of his team. “This is what they deserve.”