Defense Gets Sandpoint Off 3-0 Big Plays Help Bulldogs Defeat The Bantams 26-7
Satini Puailoa knows how good his Sandpoint High football team can be.
“We’re going to be really scary when our offense clicks,” said Puailoa, whose team posted its third straight victory Friday despite shooting itself in the feet on offense most of the contest.
Three big plays - an 84-yard kickoff return, a 34-yard fumble return and a 73-yard option keeper - and solid defense overwhelmed Clarkston 26-7 in a Border League game at Memorial Field.
The game was 14 seconds old and Sandpoint led after Matt Reifsnyder returned the opening kickoff 84 yards.
Nearly 10 minutes later, Bulldogs quarterback J.C. Davault provided the lone highlight offensively when he dashed 73 yards to extend Sandpoint’s lead to 12-0.
On Clarkston’s next offensive play, quarterback Brian Baugh hit Jason Clovis on a deep post for a 70-yard touchdown.
Although the Bantams doubled the Bulldogs in first downs (18-9), Sandpoint held Clarkston scoreless the final 38 minutes.
It was an impressive feat, especially considering Clarkston scored 55 unanswered points after falling behind 17-0 at Post Falls last week.
“I thought they had an offense that could come back and put some scores on the board,” said Puailoa, whose Bulldogs also went scoreless in the second half after building the 26-7 margin. “I didn’t think we’d shut them out, basically, except for that one post pattern where our (defensive back) got tangled up. Other than that, I thought our defense played outstanding.”
The league-leading Bulldogs must give most of the credit for their 3-0 start to the defense, which scored a touchdown for a third straight game.
Senior linebacker Gerad Lopshire, who was in on five of six sacks, forced Baugh to fumble at Clarkston’s 34-yard line and Bulldogs end A.J. Allard scooped up the ball in stride and rambled into the end zone to account for the game’s final score with 8:38 left in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs sacked Baugh six times for minus 56 yards.
But while Sandpoint controlled things defensively, it misfired frequently on offense. The Bulldogs were missing four linemen because of injury and illness.
“Basically, we really played with our No. 2 offensive line,” Puailoa said. “And they played pretty good against a good Clarkston team.”
The majority of Sandpoint’s 12 penalties came on offense.
“When we get a settled group - when we get some reps - we’ll play better,” Puailoa said. “It’s just going to take time.”
At least Sandpoint’s offensive struggles are coming in a four-week stretch where it plays the four teams from the west side of the border. Cheney visits next week and the Bulldogs travel to Colville the following week before taking on in-state opponents.
Davault, who completed just 1 of 5 passes for 19 yards, led all rushers with 104 yards on 16 carries.
Baugh completed 15 of 29 attempts for 246 yards.