Lc Believes This Could Be Its Week
After four straight losses to open the season - and 13 straight since the school opened last year - the Lake City High School football team faces what coach Van Troxel calls a critical game.
Not that any of the past 13 games were less critical to a team that hasn’t won a game. But Troxel believes his team, though underdogs going to Sandpoint (3-1) for an Inland Empire League opener Friday, has a legitimate opportunity to win.
“Right now our frustration level is very high,” Troxel said. “This (week) is pretty promising for us. Somewhere along the line we’re going to get the first win. And there’s no reason to believe it can’t happen (at Sandpoint).”
Kickoff at Barlow Stadium, as well as other locations in the Panhandle, is at 7:30 p.m.
The other three IEL teams take on non-league opponents tonight and Friday. Second-ranked Post Falls (4-0), fresh off a brilliant win over Lewiston, will meet Shadle Park (1-2) tonight at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane in the first game of a doubleheader at 5.
In other games Friday, struggling Coeur d’Alene (1-3), goes to much-improved Moscow (3-1) while Lewiston (3-1) takes on cross-river rival Clarkston (0-3).
Elsewhere, Lakeland (1-0 in league, 2-2 overall) goes to Priest River (0-2, 3-2), third-ranked St. Maries (1-0, 5-0) visits Kellogg (1-1, 2-2-1), Libby, Mont. (3-1), is at Bonners Ferry (1-3), Wallace (2-2-1) goes to Garfield-Palouse (0-2), Falls Christian (2-2, 3-2) is at Clark Fork (1-3, 1-3) and Kootenai (0-4, 0-5) is at Lakeside (3-1, 4-1).
Lake City at Sandpoint
With Post Falls and Lewiston locks to claim two of the three state playoff berths in the league, the winner here will have the inside track for the third berth.
Troxel hinted of personnel changes, and the bottom line after four weeks is he must play his best players as often as possible on both sides of the ball.
It may not be enough to counter the young but opportunistic Bulldogs.
For LC to knock off Sandpoint it will have to contain bulldozing junior running back Jeremy Thielbahr and put pressure on junior quarterback Brett Taylor.
“What I like about our team is we’re 3-1 and we haven’t come close to hitting on all cylinders yet,” second-year Sandpoint coach Satini Puailoa said. “I see us continually improving and at some point we’ll hit stride. When that point is nobody ever knows.”
Despite the fact the Timberwolves are winless, Puailoa tips his hat to Troxel.
“They’re doing all the right things. They’re continually making efforts to improve,” Puailoa said. “At some point in time they’re going to win.”
, DataTimes