Here's the scoop: Post Falls battles past Coeur d'Alene, clinches top seed to state 5A playoffs

Editor's note: This story has been updated from the print edition to correct who scored Coeur d'Alene's touchdown.

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

POST FALLS — Cooper Craig knocked the ball loose from the Coeur d’Alene quarterback, Jose Laguna scooped it up and was off to the races for Post Falls.

And soon thereafter, the Trojans were racing off the field, a berth to the state 5A playoffs clinched.

“The win was the most important win we could have this year,” Post Falls senior defensive lineman Trevor Miller said after the Trojans finished off a 21-6 victory over the Coeur d’Alene Vikings at Trojan Stadium. “Our guys worked all year, basically for this moment. We knew that we wanted to be league champs; the practice we put in. We work hard, we push each other, it’s competitive all the time.”

The win clinches a playoff berth for Post Falls (6-2, 2-0 5A Inland Empire League) for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The Trojans missed the playoffs last year after being the odd team out in a three-team Kansas tiebreaker.

“Last year was a huge win (over Coeur d’Alene); a dramatic win where we came from behind and got ‘em,” Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett said. “This year, our defense did a great job. We put some pressure on their quarterback. They (the Vikings) have a physical defense, but our defense really showed up tonight. We got after them a little bit in the backfield.”

Post Falls can win its first outright league title in football as a 5A school next Friday, when the Trojans travel to Lake City (2-6, 0-2) in the regular season finale. Post Falls, which beat Lewiston last week at home, has already clinched the top seed to the playoffs from the North, and will have a first-round bye and host a quarterfinal game in three weeks.

Coeur d’Alene (4-4, 1-1) travels to Lewiston (6-2, 1-1) next Friday, with the winner getting the second seed to the state playoffs.

“Same things that have plagued us this year continued to plague us,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “Right now, honestly, we have to win at Lewiston to give ourselves a chance. So we have to change gears as quick as possible. Post Falls deserved to win; they played a good football game, so we’ve got to go back to work.”

Coeur d’Alene, which did not score an offensive touchdown in last week’s 14-2 win over Lake City, started strong on Friday night.

The Vikings marched 71 yards in five plays, with Kruz Wheeler’s 47-yard run setting up a 5-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jamison Kizziar for a 6-0 lead. Wheeler, a junior, finished with 111 yards on 15 carries.

Post Falls, which went three-and-out on its first two possessions, finally got untracked when junior Tevin Burns broke a 42-yard TD run early in the second quarter.

Post Falls led 7-6 at halftime, but not until a crazy finish to the half. With the Trojans driving late in the half, Burns powered up the middle, into a rugby scrum around the Coeur d’Alene 15. Somehow, the ball popped free, and the Vikings’ Tristan Wamsley emerged from the behind the pack with the ball, and dashed all the way to the Post Falls 11 before a Trojan made a TD-saving tackle.

That proved big, as Kizziar was stopped at the 3 on a scramble as the clock ran out in the half.

Coeur d’Alene had the ball first in the third quarter. On second-and-1 at the 49, Kizziar was hit attempting to pass by Craig, a junior. Laguna picked up the ball at the 40 and raced for a touchdown midway through the quarter.

“I think my helmet knocked it loose, and Jose Laguna took it home,” Craig said. “That was great.”

After a three-and-out by the Vikings, Post Falls drove to a clinching touchdown, Jake Bustamante taking it in from a yard out late in the third. Bustamante finished with 164 yards on 29 carries.

Miller had three of Post Falls’ four sacks, and wreaked havoc in the backfield on several other plays.

“Trevor Miller had a great game,” Bennett said. “Just a breakout game. A senior, and what a great night for all our seniors. We have 33 seniors in the program, so it was a memorable win for those guys.”

This game was decided in the trenches, as the teams combined for just 43 yards on 10 completions. Post Falls ran for 206 yards and outgained Coeur d’Alene 219-184.

“I think both teams played good defense,” Amos said. “They just played a more complete game than we did, so, as coaches and players, we all have to go back to work. That’s all you can do.”

Coeur d’Alene 6 0 0 0 — 6

Post Falls 0 7 14 0 — 21

First quarter

Cd’A — Jamison Kizziar 5 run (kick failed), 8:55

Second quarter

PF — Tevin Burns 42 run (Andon Brandt kick), 10:43

Third quarter

PF — Jose Laguna 40 fumble return (Brandt kick), 6:30

PF — Jake Bustamante 1 run (Brandt kick), 2:12

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Cd’A, Kizziar 12-20, Wheeler 15-111, Maciosek 10-23. PF, Bustamante 29-164, Triano 1-3, Burns 4-57, McKeown 2-(minus 10).

PASSING — Cd’A, Kizziar 7-17--0-30. PF, McKeown 3-9-0-13.

RECEIVING — Cd’A, Whitby 1-6, Short 2-5, Wheeler 2-8, Brown 1-3, Robertson 1-8. PF, Triano 1-5, Bowie 2-8.