T-Wolves awake to overcome Post Falls

When the Lake City Timberwolves came out a bit sluggishly in their Inland Empire League football game against Post Falls on Friday, the situation called for a bit of a wake-up call.

Fortunately for the T-Wolves, the alarm sounded early.

LC woke up from a case of opening-moment sleepwalking in time to post a 36-20 win over the Trojans at Lake City.

The results of LC’s first two offensive plays were probably not what the game plan called for – a lost fumble by Kyle Ferebee on the Wolves’ first offensive play and a 5-yard motion penalty to start their second series.

But Ferebee made up for his fumble two plays after the penalty. Taking a pitch from quarterback Garren Hammons, the senior running back turned the corner around the left side of his offensive line and scooted 57 yards for the first score of the game.

The extra point failed, leaving the score 6-0.

The second shock to LC’s system came on the first play of the second quarter.

With the Trojans facing a third-and-16 at their own 41-yard line, quarterback Danny Matthewson lofted a pass deep down the right sideline to wide receiver Nick Mehalechko.

The pass was tipped by an LC defensive back, but Mehalechko kept his concentration and pulled it in for a 43-yard gain to the T-Wolves’ 16.

Two plays later, junior Mike Aune scampered 14 yards on an inside reverse to give Post Falls (0-2 overall, 0-1 IEL) a 7-6 lead with 10:52 left in the first half.

But that score also seemed to light a fire under the T-Wolves (2-0, 1-0).

Ferebee, Hammons and junior running back Brandon Hanna, behind some impressive blocking from their offensive line, took over midway through the second quarter.

LC put together two scoring drives before the half ended, the first resulting in a 20-yard run by Hanna and the second ending in a 36-yard field goal by Jim Valiquette making it 17-7 LC.

The T-Wolves rolled up 170 yards rushing in the first half, 76 of those by Ferebee.

“We have to give all the credit to our offensive line,” Ferebee said. “We worked all week on blocking, and our rushing game was just awesome tonight. We didn’t throw the ball much, but we didn’t need to.”

LC opened the second half the same way it closed the first, scoring on its first two drives after intermission. Ferebee made it 23-7 with an 11-yard run, and his 20-yarder made it 29-7 with 4:24 left in the third quarter.

“The offensive line did a nice job tonight,” LC coach Van Troxel said. “I was really pleased with the way they knocked people down and made things happen. Post Falls came to play and played hard. It took us some time to get some things figured out.”

Troxel also had praise for his defense, which held PF to 108 total yards in the first half.

PF added two fourth-quarter touchdowns on pass plays from junior quarterback Jake Salisbury to sophomore wide receiver Levi Buckles, the first covering 22 yards with 3:07 left, and a 39-yarder with 36 seconds to play.

LC finished with 391 yards rushing. Ferebee led the way with 183 yards on 18 carries. Hanna added 119 yards on 11 carries and Hammons chipped in 78 yards on 11 carries.

PF had 100 yards rushing and 124 yards passing. Salisbury, who entered the game in the second half, completed 4 of 7 passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns.

“We just need to get better,” PF coach Jeff Hinz said. “There are some things we need to clean up or it’s going to be a long season.

“They had some big plays and they wore us down. They ran it right down our throats.”