Nampa ends Hawks’ run
Lakeland coach Tim Kiefer called it one of the best seasons his team has had in long time.
Unfortunately for Kiefer and the Hawks, that season came to an end Saturday with a 21-14 loss to the visiting Nampa in the state 4A football playoffs.
The Bulldogs (9-3) advance to meet Blackfoot (11-0) Friday at Boise State University’s Bronco stadium.
The Hawks, who earned a third-place trophy, fell behind 14-0 in the first 4 minutes. They fought back to tie it up at 14 just after the half, but after that, Lakeland was unable to get over the hump.
“We didn’t execute as well as we should have early on,” Lakeland senior running back Shawn Hiebert said. “They put up two on us, and it’s hard to come back from that.
“But we were able to fight back, and they put up another one on us – they’re a hard-fighting team.”
Hiebert, holding the third-place hardware, had to choke back when he spoke about his teammates.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Hiebert said. “I’ll take these guys over a state-championship team any day.
“We have as much heart as all the other football teams combined.”
Nampa marched right down the field on the opening drive of the game, capping a five-play, 65-yard drive with a 19-yard run around left end by junior quarterback Quaid Morris.
On the ensuing kickoff, Bulldogs kicker Logan Cicora slipped just before the kick, resulting in a freak unintentional onside kick that Nampa recovered at the Lakeland 45.
Five plays later, junior tailback Cole Rivera punched it in from 5 yards out to increase the early advantage to 14-0.
The Hawks got on the board 2 minutes into the second quarter. After a 44-yard run by senior running back Scott Carr put the ball on the Nampa 10, Hiebert scored on a short touchdown plunge.
Lakeland tied it up 3 minutes into the second half, capitalizing on Nampa’s only turnover to score on a three-play, 31-yard drive capped by Dan Donoian’s 6-yard TD run.
The Hawks had just one turnover as well, on which the Bulldogs also capitalized. Nampa went up by the final margin on Cole Rivera’s 1-yard plunge after a short 24-yard drive 2 minutes into the fourth quarter.
Hawks coach Tim Kiefer said the early Nampa touchdowns hurt in more ways than one.
“I don’t know that the hole was too deep, but it definitely took us out of our game plan,” Kiefer said. “A 14-point deficit right at the beginning of a game is never fun, but our kids showed a lot of character and heart and fought back out of that hole.
“I just think that right at the end we didn’t execute – when we tied it up, the score was basically 0-0, and at the end we just didn’t get it done.”
Kiefer summed up the year for the Hawks, who finished 7-4.
“It was definitely a positive season for us – one of the best we’ve had in a long time,” Kiefer said. “That’s what I’m going to focus on when I go talk to them.”
Morris, who led all rushers with 100 yards on 26 carries and was on crutches after sustaining an ankle injury near the end of the game, described the victory.
“Dude, it was intense,” said Morris. “We’re up 14 points in, what, the first three minutes, and we’re all like, ‘Yes! Here we go, here we go.’
“Then we kind of got stopped, because Lakeland’s defense was tough – but when it came down to the end, we stepped up and showed our heart, like we’ve been doing all year long.”
Nampa coach Scott Wooldridge doffed his cap to the Hawks.
“Lakeland is an awesome team, and Coach Kiefer does a great job – we got that lead and then their defense got the fur on their backs up,” Wooldridge said. “One heck of a game, that’s all I can say.”