CHENEY — Gritty doesn’t even begin to describe the Post Falls Trojans defense on Friday against the University Titans at Eastern Washington University’s Roos Field.

But it was the Titans of Spokane Valley that did just enough in the nonleague game, taking the lead for good on a Tyler Rickel 1-yard touchdown run with 8:10 remaining in a 14-7 victory.

After allowing a touchdown on the second play of the game, a 54-yard touchdown pass from Logan O’Neil to Tanner Chase, the Trojans buckled down. Preston Bourgard had two interceptions and Post Falls delivered a goalline stand at the 1-yard line and trailed by just the 7-0 score at halftime.

“We played fantastic on defense,” said Post Falls assistant coach Sean Dorris, who was filling in as head coach for the ailing Jeff Hinz, who missed the game after having surgery earlier this week. “Those guys flew around all night long. We just put them in some bad situations — especially in that first half — and we really didn’t move the ball all that well.”

Post Falls tied the game on a 59-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Gregory to Zach Hillman with 10:36 remaining in the third quarter.

“They’re a very physical team up front,” Dorris said. “We were behind the chains that entire first half. I’m proud of the effort the guys had. We just didn’t put enough points up on the board.”

Hinz, who has been fighting cancer for nearly two years, was under doctor’s orders not to travel to the game, according to Dorris.

“Our kids just kind of rally around each other,” Dorris said. “We’re certainly a family and without coach Hinz, it was hard to do tonight. But we’ve got a next-guy-up attitude. We’d loved to get this one for him, but we just came up a little short.”

Bourgard, a 5-foot-11 senior cornerback, added that it was his coaches that helped him have a career night on defense.

“I’ve never had a game like that,” Bourgard said. “Our coaches put us in a great position and studied night and day to get us ready for this game. I really owe it to our defensive line. Everything they did tonight was amazing.”

Post Falls held University to 107 yards rushing, but allowed 234 yards passing, 54 coming on Chase’s TD reception..

“Preston absolutely kept us in this game tonight,” Dorris said. “Our defense was just fantastic tonight. Our defensive backs really played the ball really well and attacked it. We just need to score some more points.”

University (2-0) won at Sandpoint 43-23 last Friday. Post Falls lost to Sandpoint 20-19 in its season opener.

Post Falls (1-2) travels to East Valley next Friday.

Post Falls 0 0 7 0 — 7

University 7 0 0 7 — 14

First quarter

Uni — Tanner Chase 54 pass from Logan O’Neil (Adam Drassen kick), 11:23.

Third quarter

PF — Zach Hillman 59 pass from Nathan Gregory (Braden Vaughan), 10:26.

Fourth quarter

Uni — Tyler Rickel 1 run (Drassen kick), 8:10.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — PF, Vaughan 16-65, Gregory 7-15, Brown 1-0, Harman 4-6, Nelson 1-1. Uni, Tuggles 22-60, O’Neil 5-19, Chase 4-14, Rickel 6-11, Anderson 1-2.

PASSING — PF, Gregory, 8-21-2-89, Brown, 0-3-0-0. Univ, O’Neil 15-29-2-234, Thorson 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING — PF, Hillman 5-80, Vaughan 3-9. Uni, Chase 8-138, Thorson 2-36, Anderson 1-4, Brantley 2-21, Tuggles 1-(-2), Moore 1-29.