Clarkston Keeps Knights In Funk

Frontier League

What began like a dream for East Valley’s football team became its worst nightmare Friday.

Clarkston parlayed six interceptions, a bad punt snap and fumble recovery into a 39-10 victory on a night when the balance of Frontier League power shifted.

“I’m speechless,” said shocked Knights coach Jim Clements.

He wasn’t the only one. Not only did the Bantams win in stunning fashion over last year’s second-place league finisher, but Colville shocked defending champion Cheney 28-11 in its league opener.

And Pullman, last in the conference a year ago, used its quickness to defeat Riverside 34-14.

East Valley moved 65 yards in seven crisp plays to grab a 7-0 lead on the game’s first series. And the Knights recovered a fumble on Clarkston’s ensuing possession.

But they failed to capitalize and the Bantam trio of Adam Johnson, Kyle Stiffarm and Aaron Jelinek took over.

Those three accounted for four of the five interceptions against EV quarterback Brian Lamarche - two of which led directly to Bantam scores.

They also combined for 11 pass receptions from quarterback J.D. Burns for 165 yards and a touchdown.

But the back-breaker was Stiffarm’s 84-yard kickoff return that resulted in a touchdown and upped Clarkston’s lead to 26-10 with 16 seconds left in the first half.

“We had a few breaks. I guess we made some of them with the kickoff return and a couple of picks,” said Bantams coach Dave Curtis.

Burns hit 14 of 24 passes for 186 yards and scored a touchdown. Brett Wheeler rushed for 111 yards on 27 carries and scored twice.

“We’re in a terrible funk right now,” said Clements. “Somehow we’ve got to regroup.”

Clarkston 0 26 7 6 -39

East Valley 7 3 0 0 -10

E-Eastman 18 pass from Lamarche (Pratt kick) C-Johnson 5 pass from Burns (Wheeler kick) C-Wheeler 15 run (Wheeler kick) C-Burns 1 run (kick failed) E-Pratt 43 field goal C-Stiffarm 84 kick off return (pass failed) C-Wheeler 12 run (Wheeler kick) C-Holman 47 pass interception

Colville 28, Cheney 11

Jimmy Day completed 13 of 18 passes for 151 yards, passed for three touchdowns and rushed for the other as Colville scored in every quarter.

Day hit Richie Lowry for the game’s first score and Ryan Blume for a 14-11 halftime lead.

Day’s 16-yard third-quarter run and 6-yard pass in the fourth quarter to Paul Smith added insurance.

Cailen McCurdy rushed for 117 yards on 12 carries.

Cheney 0 11 0 0 -11

Colville 6 8 7 7 -28

Co-Lowry 12 pass from Day (kick failed) Ch-Reynolds 24 field goal Co-Blume 12 pass from Day (Salina pass from Day) Ch-Parker 53 pass from Stiffler (Parker pass from Stiffler) Co-Day 16 run (Noble kick) Co-Smith 6 pass from Day (Noble kick)

Pullman 34, Riverside 14

Aaron Linehan completed 15 of 22 passes for 198 yards and the Greyhounds shut out the Rams until the fourth quarter.

Linehan threw three touchdown passes to Nathaniel Brown as the Greyhounds built a 27-0 lead after three periods.

Riverside 0 0 0 14 -14

Pullman 7 14 6 7 -34

P-Brown 20 pass from Linehan (Hurlbert kick) P-Brown 27 pass from Linehan (Hurlbert kick) P-Dorvil 2 run (Hurlbert kick) P-Linehan 1 run (kick failed) R-Baker 6 run (Baker kick) P-Brown 32 pass from Linehan (Hurlbert kick) R-Beckham 15 pass from Leaf (Baker kick)

Sandpoint 43, West Valley 6

In a non-league game, visiting Sandpoint scored all of its points in three quarters to win handily.

Jeremy Thielbahr scored twice, including on a 75-yard run and Carson Jeffries caught three touchdown passes, of 58, 45 and 50 yards.

Sandpoint 15 14 14 0 -43

West Valley 0 0 0 6 - 6

S-Thielbahr 75 run (Eller run) S-Jeffries 58 pass from Taylor (Eller kick) S-Thielbahr 8 run (Eller kick) S-Jeffries 45 pass from Taylor (Eller kick) S-Munson 3 pass from Taylor (Eller kick) S-Jeffries 50 pass from Taylor (Lindgren kick) W-Saba 14 pass from Brumback (run failed)

, DataTimes