Coeur d’Alene holds off Central Valley behind impressive performance by backup QB Brady Thompson

Brady Thompson knows he’s just keeping the seat warm.

The Coeur d’Alene senior backup quarterback is one of two options coach Shawn Amos has until University of Washington-commit Colson Yankoff returns from knee surgery.

In perhaps the most critical possession of the game, Thompson engineered a 98-yard scoring drive, capped when he hit Josh Wilson on a 14-yard pass to give the visiting Vikings a two-score advantage with 6:23 remaining.

The touchdown would prove vital as Central Valley cut the lead to 29-27 before the Vikings held on Friday.

Just when Yankoff returns is still a mystery. But Thompson’s play Friday gives Amos a proven option along with Carter Friesz until he does get back.

“Those other guys are scrapping and fighting and doing good things,” Amos said. “It’s building some depth for us at that position. Brady was running around like Colson.”

Thompson completed 18 of 26 attempts including his last seven in a row for 189 yards.

“We’re all hoping for Colson to come back but it’s good for these guys,” Amos said. “A lot of guys have a chance to step up in leadership roles and battle a lot of adversity, which will pay dividends down the road no doubt about it.”

CdA (1-1) took a 15-7 lead into halftime after an otherwise uninspiring first half.

Then a game broke out the final two quarters.

Austin Tomlinson was a huge force at defensive back and wide receiver for CV. He knocked the ball out of Cole Ramseyer’s arm just as the CdA receiver reached the goal line. The Bears recovered in the end zone.

Tomlinson finished with 11 receptions for 222 yards and touchdown catches of 36, 44 and 43 yards.

CdA never relinquished the lead in the second half, but the Bears kept fighting. They answered every time the Viks scored but they couldn’t get a critical stop when they needed it.

Tomlinson’s last big catch came on a slightly deflected pass. He somehow caught it off his shoe tops and scored untouched to complete a 43-yard scoring play, pulling CV within the final margin with 4:25 to go.

The Bears would get one more possession, taking over at their 20-yard line with 2:26 to go and no timeouts.

CdA’s defense stiffened as the clock ran out.

“That was worth the price of admission. It got crazy,” Amos said. “It was a sloppy good high school game.”

Amos praised both teams for being gritty at times.

“I’m proud of the kids, they kept playing and CV kept playing,” he said.

It was obvious to CV coach Ryan Butner that CdA had played a game.

“They’re football players,” Butner said of the Viks. “They have that mindset when they come in. They had game legs and we didn’t and that showed. They have an extra week and a half on us.”

Butner planned to use two quarterbacks early in the season – sophomore Matt Gabbert and senior Grant Hannan. He’s down to Hannan after Gabbert suffered a broken collarbone. He did the same thing early last season, too.

Hannan gave CV a spark after Gabbert left the game. He completed 15 of 27 for 233 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 87 yards.

“He’s an extremely good athlete,” Butner said. “Obviously not how we wanted it to end. It was a competitive game between two really good teams.”