Party like it's 1995: Burns runs for seven touchdowns as Post Falls romps to first outright league title since 1995

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

COEUR d’ALENE — You already knew Post Falls had a bruiser of a starting running back.

Turns out the backup is pretty good, too.

With senior starter Jake Bustamante sidelined with an ankle injury, junior backup Tevin Burns ran for 204 yards and seven touchdowns on 30 carries — all in the first half — and the playoff-bound Trojans won their first outright league title since 1995 by routing the Lake City Timberwolves 49-19 in the Inland Empire League and regular season finale for both teams Friday night.

“I showed up tonight, and they told me I’m starting, and I was like ‘OK, I’m going to pick it up and I’m going to do my work,’” Burns said.

Post Falls (7-2, 3-0 5A IEL) is the top seed from the North for the 12-team state 5A playoffs. After a first-round bye, the Trojans will host the winner of a first-round matchup between Rocky Mountain and Kuna.

Lake City finished 2-7, 0-3.

Bustamante twisted an ankle during practice this week, and tried to give it a go before the game, but it wasn’t going to happen, said Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett, who added Bustamante should be ready for the playoff opener in two weeks.

“We’ve liked him all year,” Bennett said of Burns, “it’s just that he hasn’t had as many carries as Jake. I think we did a nice job up front, and Tevin actually ran the ball really well.”

Burns scored on runs of 9, 11, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 yards — the final five TDs coming in the second quarter.

Post Falls led 49-0 at halftime, and played its backups throughout the second half. Dylan Wolfe and Blair Crane had interceptions for the Trojans, one in each half.

“I was very, very pleased with our linemen; our linemen blocked very well,” Burns said. “Every play, I wasn’t touched within the first 10 yards; they did phenomenal tonight.”

Post Falls has shared league titles in the past, most recently last year as part of a three-way tie. And there are some current Trojan ties to that past outright league title 27 years ago.

“That’s exciting,” Bennett said. “Mike Blowers was coaching in 1995, and he’s still on our staff. Mike McKeown, our O-line coach, he was playing on that team, so it’s pretty special for those two guys.”

Post Falls scored on seven of its eight possessions in the first half. Cooper Craig blocked a Lake City punt, the Trojans harassed the Lake City punter several other times, and one snap flew over the punter’s head late in the first half for a 33-yard loss.

At halftime, Post Falls had outgained Lake City 257 yards to minus 6.

“I was really pleased with how our defense played that first half,” Bennett said. “And I was really pleased with how our offense played that first half. I thought everything came together. When you dominate a first half like that, that doesn’t happen very often.”

Lake City, which played its best football of the season in its first two league games, finally showed some fire in the second half Friday night. Zach Johnson and Brayden Ross each caught TD passes from Jackson Pettit, and Ross also ran it in for a score.

“They kicked our butts, plain and simple,” Lake City coach Brian Fulp said. “They came out with a lot more intensity, they played like they wanted it a little more, and it showed. That first half, we did not play the same (as the past two weeks), that’s for sure.”

Post Falls 14 35 0 0 — 49

Lake City 0 0 13 6 — 19

First quarter

PF — Tevin Burns 9 run (Andon Brandt kick), 6:04

PF — Burns 11 run (Brandt kick), 4:51

Second quarter

PF — Burns 1 run (Brandt kick), 11:58

PF — Burns 2 run (Brandt kick), 9:11

PF — Burns 4 run (Brandt kick), 7:55

PF — Burns 6 run (Brandt kick), 1:06

PF — Burns 9 run (Brandt kick), :16

Third quarter

LC — Zach Johnson 25 pass from Jackson Pettit (Alex Green kick), 10:11

LC — Ross 3 run (kick blocked), 4:50

Fourth quarter

LC — Ross 5 pass from Pettit (run failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — PF, Burns 30-204, French 8-45, McKeown 1-9, Hansen 1-3, Zepeda 2-0. LC, Ross 14-56, Whitehead 4-11, Pettit 4-17, Cogley 2-22, Mahnke 1-(minus 3).

PASSING — PF, McKeown 4-7-0-24, Ludwig 1-5-1-5. LC, Pettit 10-30-2-113.

RECEIVING — PF, Bowie 2-6, Triana 1-10, Lyons 1-8, Giard 1-5. LC, Ross 3-15, Morris 2-22, Cogley 2-38, Johnson 1-25, Hill 1-13.