Lake City at Meridian highlights opening night

Eleven North Idaho high school football teams step under the lights for the first time tonight.

In two games in Kootenai County, Sandpoint visits Coeur d’Alene and Bonners Ferry treks to Lakeland.

In one of the most intriguing season-opening matchups, Lake City, ranked third in the 5A preseason poll, travels to defending state champ Meridian.

Elsewhere, Priest River goes to Moscow; and 1A 8-man Wallace steps up to 11-man at St. Maries. All games begin at 7.

Sandpoint at Coeur d’Alene: This is new Bulldogs coach Mike Mitchell’s sixth high school head coaching job.

It will likely be his last. Mitchell, 60, moved to Sandpoint from Cupertino, Calif., where he had been the head coach the past five years at DeAnza College. He takes over for Sean Dorris, who resigned abruptly this spring after two seasons when he claimed he and school officials had philosophical differences.

Mitchell has been around a little more than two months. While he’s had to play catch up in a hurry, he said his players have adjusted well.

“It’s been tough on them, but they’ve bought in in a hurry,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell will find out quickly tonight how his team is adjusting.

The Bulldogs will face a Coeur d’Alene team that will feature multiple weapons on offense.

Vikings coach Shawn Amos predicts as many as seven or more players will run or catch the ball in games this season.

The biggest adjustment CdA must make is in the offensive line, where the Vikings lost three potential starters to injuries or defection.

“We’ve had some adversity already,” Amos said. “But I like the leadership from the senior class.”

Lake City at Meridian: There probably isn’t a better opening-game faceoff anywhere in the state.

The Timberwolves are in tough with having to travel to Meridian, which is not only the defending state champ but also was tabbed No. 1 in the preseason rankings this week.

LC will be banking on its defense to give it an early lift. The T-Wolves return seven starters on defense. Six of the returners line up on the line and at linebacker.

“We’ve never had six guys coming back with that much playing time,” LC coach Van Troxel said. “Defensively, we can be the best we’ve ever been.”

Meridian will break in a new quarterback in more ways than one.

Junior A.J. Storms, a starter at defensive back last year, was slated to start at QB, but he suffered a broken throwing arm in practice.

LC will likely put as much pressure on the new QB as possible.

The game will be Web-streamed live on Idahosports.com.

Bonners Ferry at Lakeland: Back in the old Intermountain League days, these teams were the fiercest of rivals.

With Lakeland’s ascension to 4A two years ago, this game lost a little luster. But it’s still an important matchup.

Probably more so this year for Lakeland than the Badgers. The Hawks believe their third year in 4A could be their best. But they need to get off to a good start, beginning today.