Vikings grow in another tough loss
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 4 years, 1 month AGO
MERIDIAN — The score might not show it, but Coeur d'Alene High coach Shawn Amos said there was growth from Game 1 at the University of Montana to the second at Rocky Mountain High on Friday for the Vikings.
Even if the score doesn’t show it.
Junior linebacker Cruz Wheeler scooped up a fumble and scored on a 76-yard return for the Vikings to cut the deficit to 23-7 with 3:08 remaining in the third. The Vikings were unable to get any closer in a 30-7 loss to the Grizzlies, who are ranked No. 1 in 5A.
“We made strides in the areas we wanted to make strides in this week,” Amos said. “We wanted to be physical and we took a step in the right direction and stayed together through the whole thing.”
Coeur d’Alene (0-2) plays Sandpoint in its home opener next Friday at Viking Field.
Rocky Mountain is 2-0.
Coeur d’Alene opened the season with a 24-0 loss at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula on Aug. 19 against second-ranked Rigby, the defending state 5A champs.
“They’ve got speed all over the field and are really good,” Amos said of Rocky. “They’ve got good players and you’ve got to play really good football against teams like that.”
Rocky Mountain capped the scoring on a 68-yard punt return by Troy Wilkey, who also scored on a 55-yard interception return before halftime.
“Our defense is showing a lot of promise,” Amos said. “They’re playing pretty solid right now. We just need to catch up on offense. But we grew a lot the last two weeks.”
Rocky Mountain tailback Art Williams had nine carries for 145 yards, including a 76-yard carry in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Coeur d’Alene 0 0 7 0 — 7
Rocky Mountain 6 14 3 7 — 30
First quarter
RM — Luke Luchini 22 pass from Tegan Sweaney (pass failed), 10:38
Second quarter
RM — Art Williams 2 run (Dawson Anderson kick), 9:42
RM — Troy Wilkey 55 interception return (Anderson kick), :29
Third quarter
RM — FG, Anderson 38, 7:03
Cd’A — Cruz Wheeler 76 fumble return (Cooper Prohaska kick), 3:08
Fourth quarter
RM — Wilkey 68 punt return (Anderson kick), 8:57.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Cd'A, Wheeler 11-9, Kizziar 8-(minus 15), Maciosek 12-33, Speelman 3-2. Rocky, Williams 9-145, Albert 4-14, Staab 1-(minus 7), Sweaney 5-1, Hanchett 2-2, Reece 10-42.
PASSING — Cd'A, Kizziar 5-14-0-37. Rocky, Sweaney 7-17-0-140, McClure 1-1-0-5.
RECEIVING — Cd'A, Hagel 1-11, Robertson 2-10, Whitby 2-16. Rocky, Williams 1-13, Luchini 3-60, Adams 1-12, Reece 1-5, Reed 1-12, Simmonsen 1-43.