RATHDRUM - A suffocating Lakeland defense allowed just 197 yards of total offense as the Hawks clinched their first state 4A playoff berth since 2007 with a 38-7 victory over Moscow in a 4A Inland Empire League game Friday night at Corbit Field.

"Coach (Jimmy) Hoffman and the rest of our defensive staff had a solid gameplan tonight," Lakeland coach Tim Kiefer said. "Our kids are playing hard. They are hitting hard and playing physical, and it is exactly what we need. The kids are really making it happen."

With 8 minutes and 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter, junior linebacker Troy Carr jumped in front of a Josh Helbling pass and returned it for a touchdown to put the Hawks up 38-7.

"I was waiting all game for them to throw that slant," Carr said. "And when they did, I just stepped up and made the play. I just wanted to get in the end zone fast. It felt amazing."

The Hawks (6-3, 2-0) got off to a fast start, executing on offense and making plays on special teams.

Running back Corey Hansel put Lakeland up 7-0 on a 5-yard touchdown run with 6:34 left in the opening quarter.

On the next possession, Jeff Good set the Lakeland offense up with great field position after blocking Helbling's punt.

"Special teams is very important to us," Kiefer said. "It is something we have worked on a lot."

Hansel scored 37 seconds later with a 15-yard touchdown run.

"The fast start was huge with our kids," Kiefer said. "We've had a couple of previous games where we didn't start fast and we kind of let teams hang around and it came back to get us."

Hansel finished off a three-touchdown night with a 1-yard run with 5:01 left in the third quarter to put the Hawks up 32-7.

Hansel ended the game with 15 carries for 90 yards and kept numerous drives going by fighting for extra yards.

"That's how I always do things," Hansel said of his running style. "When you fall forward and keep your feet moving that's how you get the bigger plays."

The Bears had a chance to climb back into the matchup when Helbling connected with receiver Lane Brooks for a 55-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to make it 19-7.

But Moscow continued to make pivotal mistakes for the remainder of the game, including a muffed punt and three personal foul penalties.

“I’ll have to look at the film tomorrow,” Moscow coach John Sheaff said. “I don’t know if it’s what they did, or if it’s what we’re doing (that caused us to lose).”

The Bears needed a win Friday and a win next week against Sandpoint to make the state playoffs.

“It was do or die for us,” Sheaff said. “But they got the win and it’s off to state for them.”

“It’s ... awesome,” Kiefer said of his team heading to state. “It is something that our program has needed and I’m glad we did it.”

Lakeland quarterback Eric Cooper completed 11 of his 19 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Taylor Campbell had two receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Jeremy McKinney had one reception, a 3-yard touchdown catch from Cooper.

The excitement of a Lakeland lead was silenced for over 20 minutes at the 7:33 mark in the third quarter when Brooks ran into a Moscow teammate on a crossing route.

Brooks laid motionless on his back while coaches and medical personnel looked over him.

Sheaff said after the game that it sounded like Brooks had a ‘stinger.’ The 5-foot-10 senior was moving his hands and feet, and was conscious when emergency personnel lifted him onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

Brooks did hold on to the ball for a 15-yard reception.

Moscow 0 7 0 0 — 7

Lakeland 13 12 7 6 — 38

LL — Corey Hansel 5 run (Derek Bayley kick)

LL — Hansel 15 run (pass failed)

LL — Jeremy McKinney 3 pass from Eric Cooper (kick failed)

Mos — Lane Brooks 55 pass from Josh Helbling (Tommy Behre kick)

LL — Taylor Campbell 43 pass from Cooper (kick failed)

LL — Hansel 1 run (Bayley kick)

LL — Troy Carr 41 interception return (kick failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Mos, Brooks 9-44, Braun 9-18, Helbling 9-13, Morgan 2-10, Quezada 2-4. LL, Hansel 15-90, Cooper 3-14, Campbell 4-26, Carr 4-7, Miller 3-22, Webb 1-6, McLeod 2-14, Bayley 2-5, Butcher 6-30.

PASSING — Mos, Josh Helbling 8-15-1-108; LL, Eric Cooper 11-19-0-116.

RECEIVING — Mos, Brooks 5-81, Lunning 1-15, Morgan 1-12. LL, Horne 4-32, Dickens 1-5, Poirier 1-19, McKinney 1-3, Hansel 1-2, Campbell 2-55.