Lake City Faces Tough Sandpoint

The Lake City High School football team is vastly improved over last season.

Friday night, the Timberwolves (2-2 overall) will find out whether even vast improvement is enough to make them competitive against the state’s elite prep teams when they entertain Sandpoint (4-0) in an Inland Empire League opener. Kickoff at LC - and at most other stops in North Idaho - is 7:30.

The other IEL teams play non-league games. Across town at Viking Field, Coeur d’Alene (2-2) will be seeking its third straight victory when it plays host to Moscow (1-3); Post Falls (3-1) will try to rebound from an embarrassing loss to Lewiston when much-improved Shadle Park (2-1) of Spokane visits, and the annual cross-river battle takes place when Lewiston (4-0) treks to Clarkston (2-1).

In a pair of Intermountain League games, Kellogg (4-1, 1-1) travels to St. Maries (3-1, 1-0) and Lakeland (1-3, 1-0) entertains Priest River (2-3, 0-2).

Elsewhere, Garfield-Palouse (2-1) visits Wallace (1-4), Bonners Ferry (2-2) travels to Polson, Mont., and Lakeside (4-1, 3-1) is at Clark Fork (3-1). In a single game this afternoon, Mullan (3-1) goes to Falls Christian (0-4) at 3:30.

Sandpoint at Lake City

How serious is Sandpoint approaching its league opener against the team expected to finish last in league?

As serious as if a state playoff berth was on the line.

Sandpoint coach Satini Puailoa wasted no time Monday getting the attention of his players.

“The Minnesota Vikings were 4-0 last weekend when they went to New York to play the Giants,” Puailoa said. “The Vikings were seen around town having steak and lobster Saturday night. Then during pregame warmups many of their linemen were kicking extra points and field goals. They left New York 4-1.”

Puailoa was warning his players not to take the Timberwolves lightly because they can’t afford to “stub their toe” going into league play.

“Lake City is a lot where we were at last year,” Puailoa said. “They’re improving every week. But we have to improve every week if we want to be where we want to be at the end of the season.”

LC coach Van Troxel expects his team to face its toughest test to date.

“Look at their record, look at who they’ve beaten and they’re real impressive,” Troxel said of the Bulldogs. “They’re a very solid team. What I’m most impressed with is they don’t make a lot of mistakes.”

Still, Troxel expects his team to give Sandpoint a test, too.

“It could be a great game,” Troxel said. “We need to play excellent. We’re getting better all the time. What’s exciting for us is we’ve been in every game so far, we’ve had opportunities to win in every game. As impressive as Sandpoint is, we still feel like we can play with them. We couldn’t say that about league teams last year.”

Notes

Post Falls running back Josh Mort will play Friday.

Mort pulled a muscle under his rib cage in the Trojans’ 49-6 loss to Lewiston last week. He also suffered dehydration, Post Falls coach Jerry Lee said.

Lee said the Trojans were more sore mentally than physically following the loss to Lewiston. “Our pride’s hurt,” he said. “Our daubers were down Monday (at practice). But it’s our homecoming this week and I think our kids will give it a good go.”

Lee expects a tough struggle with Shadle Park, which has wins over Gonzaga Prep and Ferris.

Adam Fehling will replace Ben Sharon at quarterback, Lee said. Fehling also will play sparingly at free safety. “(Adam) gives us more of a dimension of running the ball. He made some good decisions (in relief last week). Ben (Sharon) understands what’s going on.”

, DataTimes