Late Boise Comeback Deals Viks 15-14 Defeat

Coeur d’Alene football coach Bill Anderson had a hunch his Vikings would be facing a fired-up Boise team when CdA opened its season against the Braves Friday at Viking Field. He was right.

But if one listened closely, a collective sigh of relief could be detected amidst the victory cheers eminating from the Boise team following its come-from-behind 15-14, non-league victory.

Following a CdA score, the Braves found themselves trailing 14-7 with 5:40 to play. But still smarting from a 28-0 loss to Pocatello last week, Boise rallied.

Taking the ball on their own 20, the Braves wasted little time. On the first play, senior running back Ty Gaston took a pitch from quarterback Tom Peters and sprinted 45 yards to the CdA 35.

Three more runs (one by Gaston and two by senior Ivan Donaldson) put Boise on the 5. After two CdA defensive stops, Peters found tight end Gordon Matlock in the right corner of the end zone.

Boise elected to go for a two-point conversion and Peters found Jake Wimer open and connected for the winning points.

CdA had one more chance, but a screen pass from quarterback Nick Rook to tight end Max Peebles came up just short and Boise ran out the clock to preserve the win.

Despite the loss, the Viks seemed to dominate most of the game and can point to wasted opportunites in analyzing this one.

CdA fumbled the ball away on its first two possessions of the second half, and penalties hurt the Viks.

But according to Gaston, the key might have been CdA’s inability to score at the end of the first half despite a first-and-goal at the Boise 4-yard line.

“Our defense had that goal-line stand at the end of the first half and that was huge,” he said. “We came out fired up for the second half.”

Boise scored on its first drive of the game when Peters hit Donaldson with a 16-yard pass.

But CdA dominated the rest of the half and tied it with 5:56 left when Rook hit Peebles, who was wide open over the middle on a 28-yard scoring strike.

After missing out on its next three scoring opportunities, CdA took the lead 14-7 when junior running back Mark Scates took a Rook pitch and carried a Boise tackler into the end zone.

Despite the loss, Anderson said he felt good about what he saw from his Viks their first time out.

“I’m real proud of our kids as young as we are,” Anderson said. “A break here or there and we win the game. We made a few mistakes, but we hung in there.

“All I can see is them (Viks) getting better and better. It’s a hard loss for us, but I think the kids still believe in what we are doing.”

Scates had a big night for the Viks, gaining 103 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.CdA outgained Boise 289 yards to 198 yards in total offense.

Boise 15, Coeur d’Alene 14

Boise 7 0 0 8 15

Coeur d’Alene 0 7 0 7 14

B-Donaldson 16 pass from Peters (Johnson kick)

C-Peebles 28 pass from Rook (Davis kick)

C-Scates 4 run (Davis kick)

B-Matlock 5 pass from Peters (Wimer pass from Peters)