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Sandpoint stumbles in second half, falls to Lake City 21-13

by DYLAN GREENE
Sports Editor | October 3, 2020 1:00 AM

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Senior Tag Benefield tackles Lake City quarterback Chris Irvin during Friday's game.

COEUR d'ALENE — Heading into the second half of Friday's game, Sandpoint football was feeling pretty good.

They had established a consistent passing attack and held a 13-6 lead over Lake City.

But the Bulldogs hit a wall in the second half and the defense started to crack. The Timberwolves capitalized scoring 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to steal a 21-13 win.

Head coach Ryan Knowles said the game was a tale of two halves.

"I felt like we had great energy in the first half," he said, "and were really moving the ball and playing good defense, and then in the second half we kind of got a little tight like let's just hold onto this lead as opposed to attacking, and that's not a good way to stay on top."

After Lake City scored a touchdown and converted a two-point conversion with 9:12 left to take a 14-13 lead, Sandpoint got the ball back with a chance to respond. On a 4th and 2 from around midfield, sophomore quarterback Parker Pettit tried to sneak the ball for a first down and got stuffed by the Lake City defense.

The Timberwolves got the ball back and marched down to the SHS 5-yard-line. Two plays later, Lake City quarterback Chris Irvin dumped a pass off to Parker Howard in the flat and he walked into the end zone.

The touchdown essentially sealed the win for the Timberwolves and handed Sandpoint its fourth loss of the season.

"They converted on key downs and executed at some critical junctures," Knowles said. "We had our chances and we had our third and fourth downs to get off the field ... Guys know what to do, we just didn't get it done."

In the first matchup between these two teams on Sept. 11, Irvin threw four interceptions. Friday night, he passed for 171 yards and two touchdowns.

Knowles said he felt his defense let up a bit in the fourth quarter and lost their edge.

"I just saw a passiveness in a couple spots that we just can't afford," he said. "That's why they started to establish a little bit of a run game. That's the part that frustrates me ... that's not who we are."

Pettit scored the sole touchdown for the Bulldogs on a 12-yard run in the second quarter. Pettit finished with 135 passing yards and 78 rushing. Junior running back Gerrit Cox had 43 yards on 12 carries and senior Max Thielbahr caught four passes for 71 yards.

Sandpoint failed to complete a pass in the second half.

The Bulldogs started to establish a running game in the third quarter, but it seemed like every drive was stalled by a costly penalty.

"It's like they just keep reoccurring," Knowles said about the mistakes, "and we keep trying to look for a solution. We try and shuffle guys around and try and find the right combination."

Knowles was proud of the effort on special teams. Senior Elek Christoferson converted a pair of field goals in the first half.

Knowles said the Bulldogs need to stop putting themselves behind the chains.

"I feel like a broken record this year," he said. "It's like, OK we got to keep getting better and guys got to keep getting more experience and at some point guys need to step up and make a play somewhere. Lake City made them tonight and we made them in the first round against them, so I give them credit. We know how it feels.

Sandpoint (1-4) has a bye next Friday and returns to action on Oct. 16 to host Moscow at War Memorial Field.

Sandpoint 3 10 0 0 — 13

Lake City 6 0 0 15 — 21

First quarter

Spt — FG, Elek Christoferson 20, 4:38

LC — Xander Webb 6 pass from Chris Irvin (kick failed), :00

Second quarter

Spt — Parker Pettit 12 run (Christoferson kick), 7:17

Spt — FG, Christoferson, 29, :00.

Fourth quarter

LC — Zach Johnson 14 pass from Irvin (Jace Bowman pass from Irvin), 9:12

LC — Parker Howard 7 pass from Irvin (Kyrus Condon kick), 2:35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Spt, Cox 12-43, Pettit 15-78, Benefield 1-0. LC, Hardin 3-9, Irvin 8-37, Howard 2-(-1), Webb 13-55.

PASSING — Spt, Pettit, 11-25-1-135. LC, Irvin, 16-24-0-171.

RECEIVING — Spt, Kappen 3-23, Thielbahr 4-71, VanDenBerg 1-24, Cox 2-13, Newhart 1-11. LC, Whitcomb 4-59, Bauman 2-18, Howard 2-12, Webb 1-6, Rosenau 2-15, Johnson 4-69, Stephens 1-3.