Post Falls Falls Like Rain Cheney Running Back Scores Three Times In His First Game As A Starter

Steady downpour, poor field conditions, top two running backs out due to injury.

Not exactly optimum conditions, but obviously Joe Wulczynski found them to his liking.

The Cheney running back ran for 205 yards on 33 carries and scored three times to lift the Blackhawks past Post Falls 26-13 in Border League football action Friday.

Not too bad for a guy seeing his first real playing time of the season.

Wulczynski, filling in for injured Jeremy Parker, carried most of the load in Cheney’s ball-control offense which accounted for 266 rushing yards despite a slick Trojan Field.

“It was the first time I’ve started in a game,” said a grinning Wulczynski, listed as a defensive tackle in the program. “But I’m from Kentucky and I’m used to playing in the rain, muck, and snow. I told the whole team before the game to dig their cleats in a little more. It’s going to be tough.”

And dig in they did.

Stunned by a 98-yard return on the opening kickoff by Trojan Jon Garrett, Cheney found itself in an early 7-0 hole.

However, the Blackhawks (3-1 Border League, 4-1 overall) put together three drives of over 50 yards on their next four possessions, and took a 20-7 lead at the half.

But it wasn’t that Post Falls didn’t have opportunities to keep it close. Trailing 14-6 following Wulczynski touchdown runs of 4 and 30 yards, the Trojans drove to Cheney’s 5-yard line. But on first-and-goal, quarterback Kyle Hutchison fumbled and Blackhawks nose guard Tristan Sanker recovered.

On their next possession, the Trojans, facing a fourth-and-3 at their own 41, attempted a fake punt. The Blackhawks weren’t fooled and dropped punter Jeff Johnson for a 3-yard loss.

Cheney scored nine plays later on a 23-yard pass from Aaron Madison to Ben Woodard to go up 20-7.

Adding to the Trojans’ woes, running back Doug Malar went down with a shoulder injury midway through the second quarter.

“It was a little frustrating,” Post Falls coach Jeff Choate said. “Offensively, we played well in the first half. Then the wind went out of our sails when we fumbled (at the 5) and once Doug went down.”

With Malar on the sidelines, the Trojans went to Garrett, who gained 62 yards on 17 carries. But it wasn’t enough as the Cheney defense held Post Falls to 93 total yards in the second half, 79 coming on the Trojans’ final drive. It was capped by a 12-yard touchdown run by Hutchison with under 2 minutes remaining.

“We were missing some kids offensively tonight,” said Cheney coach Tom Oswald. “But our offensive line just did a great job and the defense played just fabulous.”

Post Falls (3-3 overall, 3-2 league) plays host to Sandpoint next Friday while Cheney travels to Coeur d’Alene.

Coeur d’Alene 42, Clarkston 13

The Vikings rebounded from the loss of quarterback Kyle Ahlf in a huge way, running over the Bantams in a Border League game at Clarkston.

Junior quarterback Jason Rupp, starting for Ahlf, who was lost for the season last week, completed 10 of 15 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

CdA (4-3 overall, 4-1 in league) took a 35-0 lead into halftime. Linebacker A.J. Ballensky had a 45-yard interception return and defensive back Chris Goodwin added a 42-yard interception return a minute later in the second quarter. The Viks finished with five interceptions.

“We wanted to send a statement that we’re not dead,” CdA coach Shawn Amos said. “We miss Kyle, obviously, but we’re not a one-player program.”

Also in the Border League, Ryan Bradeen threw a pair of second-half TD passes to send Colville (1-4, 1-4) to a 27-14 win over visiting West Valley (0-5, 0-5). Bradeen finished 19 of 30 for 168 yards. Chris Lowry rushed for Colville’s other TDs, and finished with 68 yards on 14 carries.

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Panhandle scoreboard Cheney 26, Post Falls 13 Lake City 42, Moscow 21 Coeur d’Alene 42, Clarkston 13 Sandpoint 56, Lewiston 21 Kellogg 21, Grangeville 10 Lakeland 47, St. Maries 13 Priest River 21, Bonners Ferry 9 Timberlake 30, Orofino 16