POST FALLS — The Coeur d’Alene Vikings were hoping to beef up their running game, and were also looking to see what Reece Mahaffy could do carrying the ball.

Viking coach Shawn Amos was happy on both counts Friday night, after Mahaffy rushed for 198 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries, and Coeur d’Alene totaled 287 yards on the ground in a 51-7 victory over the Post Falls Trojans in 5A Inland Empire League football action at Trojan Stadium.

“Mahaffy’s been a running back all the time, and the funny thing is, we were talking about getting him in the game a little bit more,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “And then Marques (Mort) gets hurt, and Mahaffy carries the load. One of the biggest things we needed — we need a running game. We can’t throw the ball 41 times a game and expect to win against good teams. So we found a running game. Gunnar (Amos) started running with more authority, and that certainly helps too.”

Mahaffy, a standout at outside linebacker, got the start at running back after Mort was injured in Coeur d’Alene’s last game two weeks ago vs. Highland of Pocatello.

The senior broke a 71-yard TD run up the left sideline early in the second quarter to open the scoring. Early in the third quarter, he broke a tackle early (like he did on the previous score) and scooted 66 yards up the left sideline for a 21-0 lead.

He scored from 1 yard out late in the third, and his 22-yard TD scamper midway through the fourth looked a lot like his first two scores.

“Going into the game I thought I had an opportunity to make some big plays,” the 5-foot-9, 180-pound Mahaffy said. “I just capitalized on them. It (running back) is definitely my favorite position; I’ve played it pretty much my entire career.”

After weathering Post Falls’ attempt at keepaway in the first half, the Vikings (4-2, 1-0 5A IEL) scored 37 second-half points to bounce back nicely from losses in their last two games — albeit to a pair of powerhouses in Skyline of Sammamish, Wash., and Highland.

“The first half was a battle; Post Falls certainly did a good job,” Amos said. “I won’t say it took us a while to get untracked, I’ll just say Post Falls came ready to play.”

PF (1-5, 0-2) controlled the ball through much of the first half, running 40 plays to Coeur d’Alene’s 20 — including a 15-play drive following the opening kickoff that ended on downs at the Viking 20. All told, the Trojans marched deep into Viking territory three times but came away empty each time.

On their second possession, the Trojans had a 2-yard touchdown run negated by a chop block, and that drive ended at the 13.

With strong-legged kicker Timmy Mueller sidelined with a leg injury, the Trojans eschewed any field goal attempts on those possessions.

“You’ve also got to convert some touchdowns if you want to beat Coeur d’Alene,” Post Falls coach Jeff Hinz said. “You have to convert in the red zone and we didn’t in the first half. We could have used those two touchdowns and maybe gained a little momentum.”

Post Falls closed within 24-7 late in the third quarter on Joey Pfennigs’ 24-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Morris. The score came two plays after the Trojans faked a punt and blocking back Kurtis Wiltse connected with Braden Davenport up the middle for 28 yards.

But Coeur d’Alene answered in four plays. Gunnar Amos connected with Camden Doering on a 57-yard pass-and-run to the Trojans 1, and Mahaffy walked in on the next play.

Next Friday, Coeur d’Alene travels to Lewiston in 5A IEL play, and Post Falls plays at Richland (Wash.).

Coeur d’Alene 0 14 17 20 — 51

Post Falls 0 0 7 0 — 7

Cd’A — Reece Mahaffy 71 run (Parker Wilson kick)

Cd’A — Gunnar Amos 8 run (Wilson kick)

Cd’A — Mahaffy 66 run (Wilson kick)

Cd’A — FG Wilson 43

PF — Ryan Morris 24 pass from Joey Pfennigs (Reece Jackson kick)

Cd’A — Mahaffy 1 run (Wilson kick)

Cd’A — Jackson Carlson 8 pass from Amos (Wilson kick)

Cd’A — Mahaffy 22 run (kick failed)

Cd’A – Carlson 72 punt return (Wilson kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Cd’A, Amos 12-78, Mahaffy 12-198, Holgate 4-9, Daniels 2-2. PF, McLeod 23-64, Pfennigs 4-6, Agueros 1-(minus 1), McKeown 1-3, Lickfold 7-18.

PASSING — Cd’A, Amos 9-15-0-177. PF, Pfennigs 15-31-0-149, Wiltse 1-1-0-28.

RECEIVING — Cd’A, Carlson 2-38, DeHaas 3-52, Johnson 2-25, Doering 1-57, Blakley 1-5. PF, Morris 8-102, McKeown 4-37, Gomer 1-4, Davenport 1-28, Buschbacher 1-6, Liebergot 1-6.