Bulldogs Outduel Hawks Sandpoint Runs Early-Season Record To 2-0 With 20-13 Win

For three quarters Friday, the Lakeland and Sandpoint football teams appeared to be taking turns trying to find new ways to lose - turnovers, penalties that stalled drives, mental mistakes. You name it.

The team that made the last mistake should lose.

last mistake loses.

But it was the Bulldog defense that stepped it up when it counted and led Sandpoint to a 20-13 come-from-behind non-league victory over the Hawks before a crowd of about 800 at Corbit Field.

But the last mistake almost belonged to the Bulldogs.

Clinging to a 14-13 lead, junior running back Jeremy Thielbahr broke loose for a 73-yard score with 1:49 to play.

With the score 20-13, Sandpoint’s extra point try sailed wide and gave Lakeland one more opportunity to come back.

And for a team like Lakeland, 1:49 can be an eternity.

After a Al Bevacqua completion to Josh Phelps, the Hawk quarterback found senior Matt Lowe on the right sideline for a 4-yard gain.

But before Lowe could get out-of-bounds to stop the clock, he was hit hard and fumbled.

Sandpoint recovered and was able to run out the clock.

The win improved the Bulldogs to 2-0. It’s the first time since 1990 they opened the season with two consecutive wins.

Lakeland fell to 0-2.

Sandpoint’s tough defense allowed the Bulldogs offense - in particular Thielbahr - a chance to correct itself.

Thielbahr, a 6-foot-2, 195 pound junior workhorse, finished with 173 yards on 23 carries. But over 100 of those yards came in the last quarter, the final 73 accounting for his last run of the night, a touchdown run that established the final margin.

“It’s about time,” Thielbahr said about Sandpoint’s first win over Lakeland in five tries. “Our offensive line stepped it up in the second half. They got a good talking to at halftime and they responded.”

After controlling most of the first half and leading 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, Lakeland stalled.

And Sandpoint gained the momentum just before the half when defensive back Andy Roget intercepted a Bevacqua pass and took it 62 yards for a tie.

Lakeland took the lead 13-7 with 1:24 to go in the third quarter on a 52-yard run by junior Randy Foote.

Then came the turnovers.

“With us having as many new kids as we do, you’re not going to play perfect games,” Lakeland coach Terry Kiefer said. “They came out and beat us tonight. Sure, we helped them out, but they helped us out, too. We probably helped them a little more.”

Sandpoint 20, Lakeland 13

S-0 7 0 13 20 LL-7 0 6 0 13

LL-Lowe 6 pass from Bevacqua (Pluiud kick)

S-Roget 62-yard interception return (Lindgren kick)

LL-Foote 52 run (kick failed)

S-Thielbahr 3 run (Lindgren kick)

S-Thielbahr 73 run (kick failed)