COEUR d’ALENE — Once starting linebacker Kaden Cripps had his number called on offense, in a key moment leading in the fourth quarter, he didn’t let his teammates down.

Cripps, in at tight end, scored on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Derek Pearse — his third touchdown pass of the night — to give the Trojans a 35-21 lead before they had to hold on late for a 42-35 nonleague win over the Lakeland Hawks on Friday at Trojan Stadium.

“It was a rush of adrenaline,” said Cripps, who also recovered a fumble in the second quarter. “Especially when they call my number. You just go into the game trying to score and keep the lead up. Lakeland was giving us some challenges in the first half, but our safeties started making some plays.”

“Our guys love those plays a lot,” Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett said. “But we just don’t run them that much. For Kaden to go out and catch a touchdown, that was big for him.”

Lakeland cut the deficit to 35-28 after Ammon Munyer’s 17-yard touchdown reception from Brandon Furey with 4:27 remaining. Pearse scored on a quarterback draw 21 seconds later to increase the advantage to 42-28 before Lakeland answered again as Furey hit Colton Boettcher on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 2:32 remaining.

Post Falls recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.

“Lakeland’s a good football team,” Bennett said. “They played Lake City really, really tough last Friday (a 34-28 overtime loss by the Hawks) and had a couple of chances to win that game. They’re well coached, have a lot of talented players and are big and strong. They’re going to put some points on the board.”

And they did, taking a 21-14 lead as Ezra Grigg scored on a 37-yard touchdown pass 11 seconds into the second quarter.

“Ez was puking all day yesterday,” said Lakeland coach Tim Kiefer, who said Grigg was battling the flu on Thursday. “He was a champ today. He kind of Michael Jordan-ed it tonight. He sucked it up and played hard. I’m proud of him.”

Grigg finished with 13 receptions for 164 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half.

“I think I aged about 10 years,” Kiefer said. “I’m proud of my kids. I really am. Trying to simulate the tempo they play with was really hard for us. Our gameplan was pretty solid, but we hard a hard time with the tempo, lining up, going and matching that. Our guys are going both ways, and it makes it kind of tough.”

Furey finished with 393 yards passing and five touchdowns.

Eli Gondo ran for 174 yards and two touchdowns for Post Falls.

“That’s another big day for him,” Bennett said. “They put a couple of extra guys out on (Tommy) Hauser, and we missed a couple opportunities to him. It’s a team game, and to put up 42 points, that’s what this offense needs to do.

Post Falls (4-1) faces Lewis and Clark at Joe Albi Stadium next Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Lakeland (2-3) hosts district rival Timberlake next Friday at 7 p.m.

“It just doesn’t get any easier,” Kiefer said. “Playing Lake City, Post Falls tonight and Timberlake is really, really good and having a great season. West Valley, and then league games. It’s tough for us. What I’m hoping our kids get from this is a little confidence. We can play with these guys. We beat Lake City last week, but it didn’t work out on the scoreboard. Tonight, I think we played really hard and hung with them. I hope we get some confidence from this.”

Lakeland 14 7 0 14 — 35

Post Falls 14 7 7 14 — 42

First quarter

PF — James Lee 14 pass from Derek Pearse (Josh Brisendine kick), 9:59

LL — Ezra Grigg 67 pass from Brandon Furey (Colin Bell kick), 9:14

PF — Josiah Shields 3 pass from Pearse (Brisendine kick), 5:39

LL — Grigg 8 pass from Furey (Bell kick), 4:26

Second quarter

LL  — Grigg 37 pass from Furey (Bell kick), 11:49

PF — Eli Gondo 2 run (Brisendine kick), 9:14

Third quarter

PF — Gondo 1 run (Brisendine kick), 7:33

Fourth quarter

PF — Kaden Cripps 2 pass from Pearse (Shields kick), 5:31

LL — Ammon Munyer 17 pass from Furey (run failed), 4:27

PF — Pearse 7 run (Shields kick), 4:06

LL — Colton Boettcher 3 pass from Furey (Alden Waddington pass from Furey), 2:32

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — LL, Munyer 4-14, Vandever 8-34, Grigg 3-3, James 9-17, Furey 1-6. PF, Gondo 32-174, McLeod 12-74, Hauser 3-6, Pearse 2-15.

PASSING — LL, Furey, 34-51-0-393. PF, Pearse, 17-30-0-194.

RECEIVING — LL, Boettcher 3-20, Grigg 13-164, Munyer 8-110, Waddington 6-47, Foley 4-55. PF, Rodriguez 7-54, Lee 3-30, Burton 3-28, Shields 1-3, Hauser 4-68, Curlee 2-11, Cripps 1-2.