Timberwolves regain swagger
COEUR d’ALENE – In pouring rain, the Lake City Timberwolves poured it on in a 49-27 non-league football victory over Timberline of Boise Friday night at LCHS.
In the process, the T-Wolves gained a measure of redemption after a humiliating loss to Post Falls last week.
Senior running back Joey Symbal led the way for LC (2-1), rushing for touchdowns of 20, 1, and 23 yards. Senior Cole Rieben, moved into the backfield from tight end, added scoring runs of 1 and 47 yards.
“We needed to step up and get our confidence back after a week like last week,” Symbal said. “Last week we just shot ourselves in the foot, and we knew we were the ones who were solely responsible.
“We needed to make some changes, and we made them. We really came together as a team.”
LC led 28-14 at halftime and seemed to be in control after senior quarterback Ben Widmyer’s 27-yard, tackle-breaking scamper made it 35-14 just 90 seconds into the third quarter.
But 5 minutes later, Wolves senior quarterback Russell Hill, who threw four TD passes in the game, hit Kellan Minter from 5 yards out to cut the LC lead back to 14.
Timberline had a chance to cut the lead to seven, driving deep into LC territory at the beginning of the fourth quarter. But three penalties and a huge sack by LC’s Corey Morris forced the Wolves (1-2) to punt.
Three plays later, Rieben broke Timberline’s back, punching through arm tackles at the line and taking it in from the 47.
Widmyer was nearly flawless throwing the ball for LC. The senior was 11 of 13 for 164 yards, including a 61-yarder to junior wideout Chris Delport early in the second quarter.
LC coach Van Troxel had nothing but praise for his team’s play on both sides of the ball.
“I’m pretty pleased, because these guys played hard all night long,” Troxel said. “Whatever (Timberline) got, they earned it.”
He also said the boost in his team’s level of play was no accident.
“It just means that when you have something go wrong, hard work and determination really are the keys,” Troxel said. “And we did that all week long. … “Now we just keep doing this week after week. That’s the goal.”