One team is trying to build on some recent momentum, the other still trying to find its way under new management, as Lake City (2-1-1, 1-0 5A Inland Empire League) travels to Lewiston (2-1, 0-0) tonight.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Bengal Field in Lewiston.

Lake City is coming off a 45-24 victory over Post Falls last week in the league opener. That coming on the heels of Lake City's 52-14 win over W.F. West of Chehalis, Wash., in the Idaho Football Classic at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

"Right now, it's kind of fun again, it's exciting, because they're slowly starting to believe in themselves," Lake City coach Van Troxel said. "From the last three years, this group's going forward. And that's all we talk about is each day, try to get a little bit better."

Lewiston, under first-year head coach and former Bengal assistant Shawn Nilsson, opened with wins over Lakeland (20-7) and Clarkston (37-20), then lost to Sequoia (Calif.) 21-13 at the Idaho Football Classic. The Bengals had their game last week at Hermiston, Ore., canceled due to poor air quality from area wildfires.

Nilsson brought back former Lewiston head coach Nick Menegas, whom he worked under in the 1990s. Together, Nilsson and Menegas co-coordinate the offense.

“It’s been kind of a mentality change,” Nilsson said of the program. “It’s still a work in progress, trying to get them to play hard every down. I think they’re buying in to what we’re trying to do, but it’s not going to happen overnight.”

The Bengals took one step back when returning quarterback Cole Zacha suffered a broken leg late in the Clarkston game, and might miss the rest of the season. Nilsson moved junior Drew Melton from tailback to quarterback, where he got his first varsity start in the Sequoia game.

As you might expect, Melton is more of a runner than Zacha. Also, Nilsson said Melton was his best defensive back as well, but he won’t play there nearly as much now that he is the No. 1 quarterback.

Lewiston’s last win over Lake City came in 2008.

Coeur d’Alene (3-2) is idle, then opens 5A IEL play at Post Falls next Friday.

Post Falls (1-3) at Lakeland (2-2): 5A Post Falls is coming off a pair of losses where they gave up an average of 40 points per game. 4A Lakeland is coming off a pair of wins.

Post Falls has won the past four meetings in the “Battle of the Prairie.”

Timberlake (1-3) at Kellogg (0-5): In the Intermountain League opener at Teeters Field, Timberlake comes in on a rare three-game losing streak. Kellogg was routed in its first four games before losing only 34-32 at now-2A St. Maries last week.

St. Maries (2-2) at Priest River (2-2): Still have to remind myself this is no longer an IML game. Priest River has lost two straight, most recently a 55-19 setback at Chewelah.

Clark Fork (2-3) at Lakeside (0-3): This will be the only meeting between the 1A Division II Wampus Cats and the 1A Division I Knights. Clark Fork has lost three straight, including a 58-12 defeat at the hands of Wallace last week at home. Wallace beat Lakeside 44-14 three weeks ago.

Kootenai (3-2) is idle, then visits Lakeside next Friday.

STANDINGS

5A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE

League Overall

W L W L T

Lake City 1 0 2 1 1

Coeur d’Alene 0 0 3 2 0

Lewiston 0 0 2 1 0

Post Falls 0 1 1 3 0

Friday’s Games

Lake City at Lewiston

Post Falls at Lakeland

Coeur d’Alene is idle

4A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE

League Overall

W L W L

Lakeland 0 0 2 2

Sandpoint 0 0 1 3

Moscow 0 0 0 4

Friday’s Games

Post Falls at Lakeland

Cheney at Sandpoint

Raymond (Alberta) at Moscow

INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE

League Overall

W L W L

Priest River 0 0 2 2

Timberlake 0 0 1 3

Bonners Ferry 0 0 0 5

Kellogg 0 0 0 5

Friday’s Games

Timberlake at Kellogg

St. Maries at Priest River

Bonners Ferry is idle

CENTRAL IDAHO LEAGUE

League Overall

W L W L

Grangeville 0 0 3 1

St. Maries 0 0 2 2

Orofino 0 0 2 2

Friday’s Games

St. Maries at Priest River

Grangeville at Coeur d’Alene JV

Orofino at Ontario (Ore.)

1A DIVISION I

NORTH STAR LEAGUE

League Overall

W L W L

Wallace 1 0 3 2

Lakeside 0 1 0 3

1A DIVISION II

NORTH STAR LEAGUE

League Overall

W L W L

Kootenai 2 0 3 2

Clark Fork 1 1 2 3

Mullan 0 2 1 3

Friday’s Games

Clark Fork at Lakeside

Mullan at Wallace

Kootenai is idle

Prep football

Tonight's Games

All 7 p.m.

Lake City at Lewiston

Post Falls at Lakeland

Timberlake at Kellogg

St. Maries at Priest River

Clark Fork at Lakeside