Moments after his team put the finishing touches on a 38-point beatdown of Lake City, Sandpoint High football coach Ryan Knowles had a message for his team, as they gathered after the game on the Timberwolves’ home field.

“Now it’s Lakeland week,” Knowles reminded his Bulldogs.

Sandpoint (2-3) travels to Lakeland (6-1) tonight at 7 p.m. at Corbit Field in Rathdrum in the 4A Inland Empire League opener for both schools. Both will still have to play Moscow, but barring a colossal upset or two in the next couple weeks, tonight’s game will determine the top seed to the state playoffs.

And that’s even more important this year, as the 16-team 4A bracket, as posted on the Idaho High School Activities bracket, was recently changed to where eight of the top finishers in their league statewide (including only one team from the 4A IEL) will be seeded 1-8, and host a first-round playoff game in three weeks. The eight automatic qualifiers will be seeded 1-8, based on MaxPreps rankings.

The loser of tonight’s game will almost certainly receive an at-large bid to the state playoffs, but will be seeded 9-16, and have to travel in the first round. Those seeds will also be determined by MaxPreps rankings.

As of this week, Lakeland is ranked fifth, Sandpoint sixth in 4A by MaxPreps. So before the format was changed, both teams could have hosted first-round playoff games, based on MaxPreps rankings — but now one will have to travel.

IHSAA executive director Ty Jones said 4A coaches and athletic directors voted on the playoff format last December, and submitted it to the IHSAA, where its board of directors voted to approve it.

But only recently did someone notice they had sent the “wrong” 4A bracket to the IHSAA, Jones said. And Jones said after “multiple people” confirmed the original bracket was the wrong bracket, the current bracket was sent to the IHSAA, and approved by the board.

Under the original, “wrong” 4A bracket, there were 12 automatic bids statewide — but still only one from the 4A IEL. However, only the five league champs would be seeded 1-5; the other 11 teams that qualified for the playoffs would be seeded 6-16, based on MaxPreps rankings.

After losses to Alta (Utah) and Coeur d’Alene to open the season, Sandpoint has won two of three following its bye week, the lone setback being a wild 40-38 loss at Lewiston in overtime.

“Nice going in with some momentum,” Knowles said.

Lakeland’s lone loss was a one-point defeat by Coeur d’Alene, a team that downed Sandpoint 27-15. Lakeland won at Lake City 30-21 in its second game.

“We keep an eye on them, just like we keep an eye on them all offseason, them and Moscow, everything they do because they’re in league,” Knowles said. “Clearly they’re playing some good football. Physical run game, opportunistic pass game, and solid defense.

“They (the Hawks) said it in the paper a few weeks ago — we’re coming for you. I would hope they’re coming for us — that’s what league is.”

Lakeland is one point from being undefeated.

“I think our kids are physically ready to play,” first-year Lakeland coach Mike Schroeder said. “Last year in some spots, I’m not sure we could match them. We’re more evenly matched. I think they (the Bulldogs) are more experienced and calloused; they’ve been in more big games. We’re going to have to play a near-perfect game.”

Sandpoint has won the last five meetings with Lakeland, including the last four since Knowles took over as coach.

Two years ago in Rathdrum, Sandpoint won 6-0 in 8 inches of snow.

Thankfully, there is no snow in the forecast for tonight.

“This is a big game,” Knowles said. “And it has been the last four years we’ve played them.

“It’s Lakeland week. I keep saying that, but it’s on, man. Let’s go.”