Timberwolves get defensive, reverse fortunes on Bengals

LEWISTON – Funny what a sense of urgency will do to a high school football team.

Forced to make a road trip to Lewiston for the second time in two weeks, the Lake City Timberwolves bounced back from arguably their worst outing of the season to extend their season one more week.

Behind an inspired defense and a ground-mulching offense, Lake City handled Lewiston 32-12 in a State 5A playoff opener Friday at Bengal Field.

The defending state champion Timberwolves (8-2) travel to Capital of Boise (8-2) Friday. Kickoff at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium is 6 p.m. PST. Capital topped Vallivue 49-22 in another opener, while Meridian breezed past Mountain View 35-3.

The Highland-Idaho Falls opener started late in Pocatello.

In winning, LC accomplished a first in the school’s 14-year history. The victory was the T-Wolves’ first road playoff triumph (excluding neutral-site games at the Kibbie Dome) in six tries.

Almost from the opening play one could tell LC’s play was decidedly different from a week ago when Lewiston forged a tie for the Inland Empire League championship and earned the right to play host to a first-round rematch with a 26-14 victory.

“Our kids came out and played very hard,” LC coach Van Troxel said. “I liked the way they came out early in the game and competed. Yeah, we made some mistakes, but more importantly they blocked and tackled much better than they did a week ago. They took the steps of having a chance to going to Boise and being successful.”

It started with defense.

LC pinned Lewiston at its 2-yard line. Six plays later, senior linebacker/fullback Jared Heston, who blitzed untouched around the left side of Lewiston’s offensive line, tackled Bengals quarterback Tom Kerr in the end zone for a safety at the 7:11 mark of the first quarter.

“Defense. What can you say?” Troxel said. “They got after them early.”

On LC’s ensuing possession, T-Wolves quarterback Zach Clanton hit wide receiver Kyle Graves on a 25-yard post that put LC ahead 9-0.

LC was just getting started.

After forcing Lewiston to go three-and-out on the Bengals’ next possession, LC again enjoyed a short field, starting at Lewiston’s 48. This time, Heston, who started in place of B.J. Palmer, got behind an offensive line that pushed forward Friday instead of being pushed backward by the Bengals as it was last week. On Heston’s seventh carry of the drive, he plunged 1 yard into the end zone to give LC a 16-0 lead with 10:35 to go before halftime.

Linebacker Billy Clifford, who also teamed with Heston in the backfield at times on offense, gave LC another scoring opportunity when he put a teeth-rattling, fumble-causing hit on Kerr. Matt Jereczek recovered the fumble at the Bengals’ 10. Two plays later, Heston scored from 4 yards out to extend the lead to 22-0.

LC place-kicker Jimmy Williamson allowed the T-Wolves to take a 25-0 lead into halftime when he made a 37-yard field goal with 1:40 left in the second quarter.

The T-Wolves’ defense limited Lewiston to just 4 yards total offense in the first half. The Bengals rushed for minus-7 yards on 12 attempts in the first two quarters. LC had 225 yards total offense in the first half, 171 of which came on the ground.

LC extended the lead to 32-0 late in the third quarter when Clanton, on an option keeper, sprinted 37 yards for a touchdown.

Lewiston’s two TDs in the fourth quarter were against LC reserves. The Bengals were held to no yards rushing on 21 attempts while Kerr managed to throw for 141 by completing 11 of 26.

LC rushed for 261 yards on 51 attempts. Heston had 82 on 18 rushes, Clanton had 76 on eight carries and Palmer, who saw playing time beginning late in the second quarter, had 73 on 12 attempts.

“The offensive line just dominated,” Clifford said. “Heston’s a powerful guy. He’s a great football player. Props to him.”

Clifford said the T-Wolves knew they had to play better than they did last week.

“We just turned up the knobs and it finally popped in our heads that this could be our last chance,” Clifford said.

Troxel praised LC’s offensive line.

“Their defense stood us up on the offensive line (last week) so we made a real emphasis to get better,” Troxel said. “I’m really proud of what coach (Henry) Hamill and the O-line did. They came off the ball, they hit people, they opened some holes. Lewiston came out and played hard, but our guys just stepped up and played even harder.”

Lewiston coach Emmett Dougherty said it was obvious what the difference was over last week.

“I don’t know if it was so much a difference in our team as it was in their defense,” Dougherty said. “They had field position all night. That was a huge change from last week’s game. Last week they had to go the whole field in most of their drives. Their defense put them in positions where it made it a lot easier for their offense.”