Viks Look Ahead After Whipping Crosstown Rivals

For the Coeur d’Alene High School football team, the 1996 season began Thursday evening.

Salvaging some pride in a season of lost opportunities, the Vikings proved they’re still the best team in the City by the Lake with a convincing 27-0 whitewash of the Lake City Timberwolves in a regular-season finale at Lake City.

CdA ends its season at 2-7 overall, 1-3 in the Inland Empire League. Lake City, coming off its first victory in school history last week, finishes at 1-8 and 0-4.

The Viks’ 2-7 mark is the worst record since 1971 (3-5-1).

It took nearly a quarter for the Viks to establish control. And even on the first scoring march of the game, CdA had its share of problems - sort of a microcosm of the season.

The Viks drove from their 37-yard line in 10 plays. Senior running back Eli Daly finished the scoring drive when he dashed 25 yards for a touchdown. However, the Viks were penalized five times on the drive, and an apparent 47-yard TD romp by Mark Scates was called back two plays before Daly scored because of a holding call.

On Lake City’s next possession, Timberwolf quarterback Dave Nelson would throw the first of five interceptions. Vik defensive back Ben Davis picked off the errant pass and returned it 24 yards to the LC 25.

Six plays later, David Goodwin scored from 1 yard out, and Davis’ point-after put the Viks ahead 14-0 with 10:55 left before halftime.

But the T-Wolves stalled again, and CdA’s Ryan Corbeill returned the punt to the LC 33.

A 20-yard run by Daly gave the Viks first-and-goal at the 5. But the Viks couldn’t convert, settling for a 24-yard field goal by Davis, the first of two.

CdA piled up 196 yards of total offense in the first half, 103 of which came on nine carries by Daly. He finished with 123 yards.

More importantly, though, the Viks stuffed LC’s offense, holding the T-Wolves to 28 yards in the first half, and 20 yards came on LC’s next-to-last play before intermission.

Goodwin put the Viks ahead 24-0 midway through the third quarter when he returned an interception 42 yards.

A 33-yard Davis field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter completed the scoring for CdA.

The win snapped a five-game losing streak. CdA’s first win was a 46-7 win over Deer Park, a Class A school located north of Spokane.

CdA coach Bill Anderson’s wish in the final game was fulfilled. He said the Viks desperately needed a win to build on for next year.

Though LC played as poorly as it has all season, the T-Wolves will point to their 15-6 win over Lakeland last week as something positive to build on for next season.

Coeur d’Alene 27, Lake City 0

Coeur d’Alene 7 10 7 3 - 27 Lake City 0 0 0 0 - 0

C-Daly 25 run (Davis kick)

C-Goodwin 1 run (Davis kick)

C-Davis 24 FG

C-Goodwin 42 interception return (Davis kick)

C-Davis 33 FG

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: Cut in the Spokane edition.