Sandpoint finds Albi Stadium to its liking

Visiting Sandpoint took to Joe Albi Stadium like it was home, scoring on its first four possessions en route to a 40-7 victory over the host North Central in a non-league Thursday afternoon football game.

The Bulldogs (3-3) drove seamlessly for their first two touchdowns after Kyle Gibson’s 85-yard return for a touchdown on the opening kickoff was nullified by penalty.

They converted twice more following NC turnovers for a 27-0 lead 2 minutes into the second quarter.

The takeaways were among four by Sandpoint that ultimately led to touchdowns.

A number of penalties were about the only thing that went wrong on either side of the ball for the visitors.

Not that it mattered. Sandpoint scored again before halftime on Matt Shay’s 55-yard fumble return. Its final touchdown came after Sione Pauiloa lost a fumble at NC’s 19-yard line, but the Bulldogs got it right back.

The host Indians (1-4) had the football for nearly all the second half, finally scoring with 1:03 remaining in the game.

NC had the ball for 15 plays in the fourth quarter, covering 67 yards in 6 minutes and converting on David Butler’s 15-yard catch of Justin Materne’s pass.

Sandpoint went from its 25 to a touchdown in chunks on the game-opening series and Gibson, fittingly, scored on a 32-yard reception from quarterback Ryan Armbruster.

Then the Bulldogs scored twice in a minute, covering 54 yards in seven plays, recovering a fumble shortly thereafter and scoring from the 20 in two more plays.

Both scores were on 13-yard runs, by Pauiloa and backup QB Mat Lawrence.

An interception to open the second quarter led to another Armbruster passing score to Gibson.

It was 33-0 before half when Shay picked up the football sitting unattended on the turf and rumbled for the score.

When Pauiloa fumbled in the third quarter, dragging a horde of Indians on a 19-yard carry, it only took one play to get it back. And it took only one play to score.

Ethan Vest, who finished with 87 yards on eight carries, lumbered 22 yards for the score with 5:03 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs offense’s day was done.

Pauiloa finished with 71 yards rushing and Armbruster completed 8 of 9 passes for 133 yards, split mainly between Gibson and Shay.