Coeur d’Alene 27, Mountain View 14

Top-ranked and unbeaten Coeur d’Alene got the kind of high school football game it has been looking for all season in Friday night’s quarterfinals of the Idaho 5A state playoffs. Visiting Mountain View throttled CdA’s high-octane offense for most of the first half and forced the Vikings to reach a little deeper than they had previously in racing past nine straight opponents and claiming another Inland Empire League title. But in the end, courtesy of a 98-yard scoring drive in the final 1 minute, 12 seconds of the first half and a pair of touchdowns that came within a 90-second span in the third quarter, the Vikings were able to turn back the Mavericks 27-14. The victory earned CdA (10-0) the opportunity to host next Friday’s semifinal against Capital, which posted a 58-26 quarterfinal win over Skyline/ Steve Bergum , SR. More here. (SR file photo, of Vik QB Chad Chalich throwing against Centennial in 2010 5A title game won by Coeur d’Alene)

• Also: Eagle rolls into semi-finals with 58-7 win over Lake City /Rachel Roberts, Statesman
• Also: Capital crushes Skyline 58-26 to win trip to Coeur d’Alene /Jordan Rodriquez, Statesman

DFO: I watched the game tonight w/my brother-in-law. I was happy to see the Viks tested and respond. That 98-yard drive in 50 seconds at the end of the half, when most teams would have run out the clock, was amazing. Ditto for the Viks first drive of the game when they faked a punt FROM THE OWN 25 and made 30 or 40 yards. The O & D lines seemed much smaller than Mountain View’s. But the Viks are quick. They seem to be coached by a River Boat Gambler (Shawn Amos), who has passed that attribute onto mega-talented QB Chad Chalich. I can’t wait for next week’s semi-final game in Coeur d’Alene.