COEUR d’ALENE — They were gashed up the middle by the run the entire first half.

But when it mattered most, in the second — and, especially, in overtime — the Lake City Timberwolves were able to stop the Capital Eagles on the ground.

Lake City stuffed Capital inches short of the goal line three straight times from the 1-yard line in a wild finish to overtime, securing the Timberwolves’ 41-34 victory over the Eagles in the quarterfinals of the state 5A high school football playoffs.

“You just have to give these guys credit,” Lake City coach Van Troxel said. “We’re not always the biggest, we may not always be the best, but they just find a way. Early in the game, Capital ran it up and down the field. Got it in a small box, boy did they raise up and they played their tails off. And that’s what winners do.”

Lake City (9-1) advances to play at Mountain View (8-2) of Meridian next weekend in the state semifinals. The Mavericks beat visiting Madison of Rexburg 27-19.

Lake City led 34-24 with 8:24 to play, but Capital (8-3) scored 10 points in the last 50 seconds, including a field goal with no time remaining, to force overtime.

Lake City got the ball first in overtime, and Jerry Louie-McGee ran the ball three straight times from the 10, scoring from 2 yards out on third down.

Capital quarterback Conner Poulson, who rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns, ran 9 yards on first down. But he was stopped short of the goal line on three straight plunges up the middle. On fourth down, Lake City linebacker Dylan Torres soared over the center at the snap, and the T-Wolves stopped Poulson inches short of the goal line.

Lake City players raced off the field in excitement, while a few Capital players fell to the field in disbelief.

“Very frustrated right now with how it ended,” Capital coach Todd Simis said. “We were in three times, is what it looked like. But, it’s a judgment call, and when the ball’s this far away ... ”

Capital rushed for 258 yards in the first half, mostly on runs up the gut by Paulson and Tomas Idoeta, who ran for 163 yards on 19 carries. The Eagles scored on four straight possessions to lead 24-20 at halftime.

Lake City stopped Capital on its first four possessions in the second half, helped by a fumble recovery by Louie-McGee (forced by Torres) at the Lake City 1, and an interception by Drew Shipley.

“(Linemen Jacob) Ramey and (Zion) Dixon and (Brandon) Dotson, those guys play every down, and they just didn’t quit,” Troxel said. And (Blake) Brunetti plays every down. It was neat for this whole program, and especially the seniors.”

Capital kept the ball away from Louie-McGee with short kickoffs. The one time they punted to him, he picked up the ball off the bounce at the Eagles 45, eluded several defenders and scurried to the Capital 4. Kirk McKenzie sailed into the end zone on the next play, putting Lake City up 34-24 with 8:24 left.

Shipley intercepted Poulson on the next series, but Lake City had to punt the ball back. Capital took over at its 17 with 2:53 left. Poulson connected with Sam Brixey on a 40-yard pass on fourth and 19 at the Lake City 49, and the two hooked up again for a TD on the next play, pulling the Eagles with 34-31 with 50 seconds left.

Capital squibbed the onside kick up the middle and recovered it at the Lake City 49. A reverse pass from Tarik Littlejohn to Poulson for 12 yards, followed by a pass interference penalty on Lake City, moved the ball to the T-Wolf 12 with 8.9 seconds left. With 4.4 seconds left, following an incomplete pass, and with Troxel trying to call a timeout, Colby Larson kicked a 29-yard field to force overtime.

“I’m really proud of what we did to get it into overtime,” Simis said.

Capital outgained Lake City 599-324.

Lake City scored on three of its first four possessions in the first half, as neither team could stop the other.

Connor Newby capped an 80-yard, 10-play drive with a 3-yard run for a 7-0 lead. Poulson answered with a 40-yard dash up the middle, running over a T-Wolf defender at the 30, to tie the game.

Louie-McGee got behind the defender and hauled in a 62-yard pass from Michael Goggin, but Poulson answered again with a 48-yard sprint up the middle, putting Capital up 14-13.

The Eagles added a field goal, but Goggin’s 1-yard sneak put Lake City on top, 20-17. Poulson’s 2-yard run with 1:26 left in the half gave Capital the halftime lead.

Lake City scored in three plays and 31 seconds to start the second half. Colin Hunter caught a short pass from Goggin, faked out a defender and raced into the end zone to complete the 18-yard scoring play.

“At times we looked really good offensively, and at times we looked a little bit in disarray,” Troxel said. “But the message for these guys was, it doesn’t matter; the only way you get to advance is if you win. And they did whatever it took to win the game, and that’s what’s the most important thing is right now.”

Capital 14 10 0 10 0 — 34

Lake City 13 7 7 7 7 — 41

First quarter

LC — Connor Newby 3 run (Casey Bourque kick), 6:21

Cap — Conner Poulson 40 run (Colby Larson kick), 3:53

LC — Jerry Louie-McGee 62 pass from Michael Goggin (kick blocked), 3:02

Cap — Poulson 48 run (Larson kick), 1:39

Second quarter

Cap — FG Larson 28, 9:51

LC — Goggin 1 run (Bourque kick), 4:43

Cap — Poulson 2 run (Larson kick), 1:26

Third quarter

LC — Colin Hunter 18 pass from Goggin (Bourque kick), 11:29

Fourth quarter

LC — Kirk McKenzie 4 run (Bourque kick), 8:24

Cap — Sam Brixey 9 pass from Poulson (Larson kick)

Cap — FG Larson 29, :00

Overtime

LC — Louie-McGee 2 run (Bourque kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Cap, Idoeta 19-163, Spiegel 3-13, Brixey 6-27, Poulson 23-172, Fontenot 1-12, Team 1-(minus 19). LC, Goggin 13-22, Newby 10-58, Louie-McGee 12-53, McKenzie 4-44.

PASSING — Cap, Poulson 11-25-1-219, Littlejohn 1-1-0-12. LC, Goggin 13-20-1-145.

RECEIVING — Cap, Littlejohn 4-144, Larson 1-5, Spiegel 1-8, Brixey 4-61, Idoeta 1-1, Poulson 1-8. LC, Louie-McGee 5-100, Newby 5-18, Hunter 3-27.