Vikings in the spotlight at Albi
MARK NELKE | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 4 months AGO
Mark Nelke covers high school and North Idaho College sports, University of Idaho football and other local/regional sports as a writer, photographer, paginator and editor at the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has been at The Press since 1998 and sports editor since 2002. Before that, Mark was the one-man sports staff for 16 years at the Bonner County Daily Bee in Sandpoint. Earlier, he was sports editor for student newspapers at Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University. Mark enjoys the NCAA men's basketball tournament and wiener dogs — and not necessarily in that order. | September 12, 2014 9:00 PM
Prep football
n Tonight's games
All 7 p.m. except where noted
Coeur d'Alene vs. Ferris at Joe Albi Stadium, Spokane, 8 p.m.
Lake City at Central Valley
University at Post Falls
Lakeland at East Valley
Medical Lake at St. Maries
Lakeside at Clark Fork
Better late than never.
Coeur d'Alene vs. Ferris has been a game high school football fans around here have been wanting to see for years.
Now that Greater Spokane League teams have made room in their schedules for nonleague games, the matchup finally takes place this season - tonight at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane.
The game is scheduled for 8 p.m., but follows a scheduled 6 p.m. kickoff between Moses Lake vs. Lewis and Clark at Albi, so figures to start later.
"I know Ferris is going to be good; we're excited to play them," Coeur d'Alene coach Shawn Amos said.
Ferris opened last week with a 20-13 loss at Olympia, ranked 10th in 4A in this week's Associated Press Washington high school football poll. The Saxons were picked to finish second (behind Gonzaga Prep) in the six-team 4A GSL this season by the league's coaches. Central Valley, which Coeur d'Alene (2-0) hammered 50-14 last week, was picked fourth.
Ferris went 8-2 last season, losing to Richland in a state 4A play-in game.
Speedy senior Jalen Hicks, Ferris' top returner who was third in rushing in the GSL last year with 916 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, tallied both of the Saxons' TDs vs. Olympia.
Lake City (2-0) at Central Valley (0-1): The Timberwolves have piled up 68 points and 944 total yards in two games. Central Valley allowed 434 yards to Coeur d'Alene last week in its opener.
University (1-0) at Post Falls (1-1): It's the Trojans' home opener, after beating Sandpoint and losing to Skyview of Nampa. One week after Post Falls beat Sandpoint 52-49, University built a 55-21 lead in the third quarter en route to beating Sandpoint 55-48.
Bryce Williamson rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and Logan O'Neil was 13 of 15 for 191 yards and two scores, and also rushed for two TDs.
Lakeland (2-0) at East Valley (1-0): The Hawks are 2-0 for the first time since 2006, and looking to start 3-0 for the first time since 2001, when they were still in 3A.
Lakeland and East Valley have met the last four seasons, each winning at home, including the Hawks' 26-16 triumph last year in Rathdrum.
East Valley rallied in the fourth quarter last week to beat Deer Park 27-20 as Conner Ramm threw three touchdown passes, two in the fourth quarter.
Medical Lake (1-1) at St. Maries (1-1): The Cardinals opened with a 41-30 victory last week over Orofino, which is in the Central Idaho League with St. Maries. Jackson Tappero rushed for 254 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries for Medical Lake. The Cardinals beat St. Maries 32-28 at home last season.
Lakeside (0-2) at Clark Fork (2-0): The Knights will be the latest team to try and slow down Brandan Bowen of Clark Fork, who scored his team's first 11 touchdowns this season.
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“I’ve been very impressed by Zach’s natural ability to rush the passer,” Eck said. “And he’s worked hard on his body, he’s up to about 222 pounds now, and I really think he can be a difference maker for us. He’s still doing some things with the linebackers, but I think his speed can give some offensive linemen problems (as an edge rusher).”
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“The whole process has been completely amazing,” said Nathan Williams, now in his fourth season as the Badgers boys basketball coach. “And the parents … it’s an hour and a half to Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, when we’d play an AAU game, and an hour and a half back, and there were so many times there was 6, 8 inches of snow. And we’ve got a game at 8 a.m. They’d always schedule us at 8 a.m., coming from Bonners. So we’re waking up at 5 … it was crazy. But the commitment from the parents and the kids has been amazing.”