Timberlake defense keys win over BF

It’s a pretty safe bet that Timberlake senior tackle David Howard slept like a log last night. He deserved it.

Howard was forced to play every down of Friday’s 27-13 Intermountain League win over Bonners Ferry because of a teammate’s illness. The Howard-led defense gave the Badgers’ offense nightmares.

The win, before a senior-night crowd at Spirit Lake’s Van Tuinstra Memorial Field, gave the Tigers (5-2 overall, 2-0 IML) sole possession of first place in league play and put them in position to earn the league’s only state playoff berth.

Bonners Ferry fell to 3-5, 2-1.

The Tigers were fueled by a suffocating defensive effort in the second quarter.

Following a Bonners Ferry score on its first possession – a six-play, 45-yard drive ending in a Matt Bennett 1-yard run – Timberlake put the clamps on the Badgers.

Bonners Ferry was held to zero yards of offense in the second quarter, and Howard and the rest of the defense had Badgers quarterback Sam Botkin running for his life.

Botkin carried the ball four times in the second quarter for nine yards in losses.

“I think their game plan was to throw a lot against us and I can’t say enough about our defense,” Timberlake coach Roy Albertson said. “After their first score, we looked to be a little shell-shocked, but as the game wore on, we seemed to gain confidence and we scored enough points to win the ballgame.”

Timberlake made it 7-all with 4:45 left in the first quarter when quarterback Tim Brennan faked a handoff to running back Matt Douglas and followed him through the hole for a 35-yard score.

The Tigers stretched their lead to 21-7 at halftime thanks to their defense, a 19-yard pass from Brennan to wide receiver Eric Lambert and a touchdown run of three yards by Douglas.

The Badgers struck quickly again to open the second half when Botkin found Travis Stolley streaking down the right sideline. Botkin hit Stolley in stride for a 43-yard score, cutting Timberlake’s lead to 21-13.

But the Tigers responded on their next possession. Senior Nate Anderson, who finished with 134 yards on 20 carries, went off right tackle, bounced outside, shook off a tackle at the 38, and scored from 69 yards out.

The Tiger defense did the rest, keeping Bonners Ferry from mounting another threat.

“They had a good defensive scheme in and they’re big and strong up front,” Badgers coach Caleb Arceneaux said. “It came down to making plays. We needed guys to step up. At times, they did and at other times, they didn’t.”

Bennett gained 83 yards on 14 carries for the Badgers, but because of negative yardage plays, Bonners Ferry finished with just 67 rushing yards. Botkin had 13 carries for minus-16 yards.

“We just wanted to get in there deep and stuff the quarterback,” Howard said. “And we were able to do that.”