Trojans stop Bulldogs
SANDPOINT – The game of football often times can be too complex, especially at the high school level.
Many times, the winner is determined by which team tackles best or worst – depending on how one looks at it.
That was certainly the deciding point Friday when visiting Post Falls snapped a losing streak to Sandpoint dating back to 1998.
The Trojans played much better defense as Post Falls held off Sandpoint 21-12 in a non-league game at Barlow Stadium.
Post Falls limited usually potent Sandpoint running back Kurt Stoll to 46 yards, 10 in the first half, while the Trojans, featuring four running backs, piled up 378 yards.
While the final margin wasn’t as decisive as the yardage differential, the Trojans, making their season debut, nonetheless controlled the Bulldogs (0-2).
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, couldn’t tackle their shadows for a second straight week.
For the young Trojans, it was a big way to open their season.
“We’ve got a lot of young players and we needed to kick off the season right,” second-year coach Jeff Hinz said. “Our defense stepped up. Jake Salisbury (quarterback) stepped up. The Aunes played hard (twin running backs Mike and Jon). That’s what we wanted to do.”
Sandpoint’s defense did a good job reading Post Falls’ fly offense as the teams played to a scoreless first quarter. But then Hinz decided to go with split backs in the backfield – featuring the Aune twins – and the move allowed the Trojans to take a 14-0 lead into halftime.
Post Falls’ objective, on defense, was apparent from the opening play. The Trojans weren’t about to let Stoll get untracked.
“After watching the Coeur d’Alene game (last week) our job was to put a hat on (Stoll) and contain (Stoll) wherever he was – whether he was in the slot or the backfield,” Hinz said. “That’s their offense. At the Coeur d’Alene game last week, that’s what they went to in the second half and made their identity, and we wanted to take their identity away a little bit.”
The Trojans welcomed Sandpoint to beat them passing, and first-year starting quarterback Ryan Armbruster responded gamely in the second half.
Sandpoint took the opening kickoff of the third quarter and marched quickly down the field. Stoll got loose for his biggest gain, a 25-yard scamper when he cut back against the grain. Armbruster scooted in on a 2-yard bootleg to pull Sandpoint within 14-6.
After both teams exchanged possessions, Post Falls put together what would prove to be the game-sealing drive.
On fourth-and-5 at Sandpoint’s 15-yard line, Salisbury lofted a jump ball into the end zone, and junior wide receiver Levi Buckles outjumped Sandpoint defensive back Kyle Gibson for the TD grab as the Trojans extended their lead to 21-6 just 7 seconds into the final quarter.
Sandpoint’s lone highlight on defense came when the Bulldogs caused a fumble at the PF 20 with 11:04 remaining.
Six plays later, Armbruster scored from 4 yards out.
The Bulldogs went for two points, but failed, and Post Falls led 21-12 with 9:04 to go.
Post Falls secured the victory when Andy Crateau caused Armbruster to fumble as he sacked the Sandpoint quarterback and Mark Czapla scooped up the loose ball with 3:33 remaining.
“I think our kids’ effort is there, we’ve just got to tackle better,” first-year Sandpoint coach Mike Mitchell said. “Defensively, we gave up a lot of big plays, and that’s an offense where the whole thing is predicated on getting you out of position. We’re going to tackle so much this week (in practice), it’s scary. I didn’t expect us to tackle poorly tonight. We put a lot of concentration into it this week.”