COEUR d’ALENE — In the spotlight of sorts for the first time in five seasons, Lake City showed some fight Friday night.

But the up-and-coming Timberwolves also showed there is still room for improvement.

Lake City started with a flash, but ultimately was worn down by a grueling Ferris running attack as the Saxons prevailed 41-27 in nonleague play at Lake City.

“We got out-physicalled for three quarters of the game,” second-year Lake City coach Brian Fulp said. “Blocking and tackling, we didn’t do either of those very well for three quarters, so we had to dig out of a big hole.

“Ferris came out and gave it to us; they just crammed it down our throats, and there was nothing we could do about it.”

Logan Jeanselme scored three touchdowns for Lake City (1-2), the first one on the game’s first play, when Ferris (2-0) bit on a play fake by Chris Irvin and Jeanselme streaked past the secondary and hauled in an 85-yard scoring pass.

Jeanselme returned a line drive punt 70 yards for a touchdown and a 13-12 Lake City lead late in the second quarter.

But for most of the first three quarters, Ferris ran the ball straight at the T-Wolves, out of I-formation and one-back sets. Running behind a sizeable line averaging a 250 pounds per man, the Saxons rushed for 320 yards. Jovan Ruffin ran for 151 yards on 15 carries. Nate Schlosser rushed for 146 yards on 12 carries, including a 37-yard touchdown run on fourth and one that put Ferris ahead 12-6 in the second quarter.

Schlosser also sprinted down the right sideline and caught a 47-yard TD pass from Jack Clavel.

Clavel threw just seven times, completing seven, but three of them went for touchdowns, including a 43-yarder to sophomore Kobe Smith, who out-fought the T-Wolf defender for the pass on a seam route, then took it the final few yards into the end zone.

“We have an experienced offensive line, and some talented running backs,” Ferris coach Tom Yearout said. “If we can rotate them in and keep them fresh, it does keep the other team off the field.”

Ferris scored late in the first half for a 20-13 halftime lead, then scored on its first two drives of the second half, and three of the first four. The Saxons would have scored on all four, but Lake City’s Matt Whitcomb chased down Schlosser on what was looking like a 35-yard touchdown run. He punched the ball loose just before Schlosser crossed the goal line, and the ball went into the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback.

Ferris built its lead to 41-13 before Lake City came back on Irwin’s 4-yard TD toss to Jeanselme in the right flat with 5:19 left in the game.

Pete Negron’s onside kick was recovered by Damon Rosenau, and Irwin connected with Nicholas Webb on an 11-yard swing pass for a TD to pull the T-Wolves within two scores with 2:14 left.

Jace Bowman of Lake City recovered a fumble at the T-Wolf 45. Lake City drove to the Ferris 13 before the Saxons forced an incompletion on fourthdown.

“I am really proud that they stayed mentally involved, and they believed, and they kept fighting. There’s a bunch of warriors over there,” Fulp said of his team. “You know what, we’re close. We weren’t mentally quite there tonight. This doesn’t happen overnight.”

Jeanselme finished with four receptions for 103 yards and two scores — and several other near misses on deep passes where the T-Wolves were just a bit off. Irvin finished 18 of 34 for 283 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.

“Ten (Jeanselme) is a heckuva player,” Yearout said. “We saw how dominant he was against (Lewis and Clark); we knew who their best guy was.”

Lake City plays host to Lakeland next Friday.

Ferris 6 14 14 7 — 41

Lake City 6 7 0 14 — 27

First quarter

LC — Logan Jeanselme 85 pass from Chris Irvin (kick failed), 11:38

Fer — Brent Jones 20 pass from Jack Clavel (kick blocked), 3:06

Second quarter

Fer — Nate Schlosser 37 run (kick failed), 6:07

LC — Jeanselme 70 punt return (Dante Hardin kick), 2:54

Fer — Schlosser 47 pass from Clavel (Jones pass from Clavel), 2:10

Third quarter

Fer — Jones 1 run (Mason Backlund kick), 8:04

Fer — Kobe Smith 43 pass from Clavel (Backlund kick), 3:23

Fourth quarter

Fer — Charlie Markham 2 run (Backlund kick), 8:02

LC — Jeanselme 4 pass from Irvin (Hardin kick), 5:19

LC — Nicholas Webb 11 pass from Irvin (Hardin kick), 2:14

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Fer, Schlosser 12-146, Ruffin 15-151, Jones 5-14, Qadir 1-1, Clavel 4-0, Markham 3-8. LC, Chavez 15-40, Jeanselme 3-23, Irvin 8-(minus 8), Hayes 1-(minus 1), Webb 1-2.

PASSING — Fer, Clavel 7-12-0-170. LC, Irvin 18-34-1-283.

RECEIVING — Fer, Jones 1-20, Qadir 1-6, Schlosser 1-47, Hocking 2-52, Smith 2-45. LC, Jeanselme 4-103, Chavez 3-14, Whitcomb 5-98, Russell 1-6, Rosenau 2-28, Bowman 1-11, Webb 2-23.