Lakeland stumbles in road test against Sandpoint

SANDPOINT — A few plays here and there, it’s a different outcome for Lakeland. 

But up there, it just wasn’t the Hawks' night on Friday 

Sandpoint, which blocked an extra point and field goal on the night, recovered an onside kick to open the second half and scored on the next play, a 50-yard touchdown pass from Braden Buckhout to Brock Yarbrough, propelling the Bulldogs to a 31-27 5A Inland Empire League win over the Hawks at Barlow Stadium. 

“We were prepared, and the kids were ready to go tonight,” Lakeland coach Mike Schroeder said. “But I don’t think the seriousness of the environment, it being a league game and senior night was something we were ready for. Sandpoint was ready to play and we did not start off well. We were inconsistent and didn’t play well up front on both sides of the ball. If you do that, you open yourself for error in any program.” 

Lakeland (7-1, 0-1 5A IEL) must beat visiting Lewiston (3-5, 1-0) next Friday at Corbit Field in Rathdrum to force a three-way tie for the league title. Lewiston beat Sandpoint 54-27 on Oct. 10 in Lewiston. 

Sandpoint (6-2, 1-1) is idle next week. 

“It was a great football game,” Schroeder said. “Both teams really put on a show. I felt bad for our kids because they’ve been working hard all season. But other teams work hard too.”

Lakeland was driving late in the second quarter, but had a field goal attempt blocked just before halftime. 

“We were unable to score, jumped offsides and the timing on the kick was poor,” Schroeder said. “When they recovered the onside kick after the half, it was a little bit of a backbreaker.” 

Junior running back Griffin Tamagni scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 11:03 remaining to tie the game 21-21 for Lakeland. 

Sandpoint regained the lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Jeremiah Palmer with 5:37 remaining in the fourth, then extended the advantage on a 38-yard field goal by Yarbrough with 3:41 remaining. 

Buckhout threw for two touchdowns for Sandpoint. 

Lakeland    7    0    7    13    —    27 

Sandpoint    0    7    14    10    —    31 

First quarter  

LL — Griffin Tamagni 18 run (Parker Sterling kick), 3:45 

Second quarter 

Spt — Jack Schriber 2 pass from Braden Buckhout (Brock Yarbrough kick), 11:55. 

Third quarter 

Spt — Yarbrough 50 pass from Buckhout (Yarbrough kick), 11:52. 

LL — Cash Lund 20 pass from Peyton Hillman (Sterling kick), 7:11. 

Spt — Jensen Sheetz 2 run (Yarbrough kick), 4:20 

Fourth quarter 

LL — Tamagni 4 run (Sterling kick), 11:03. 

Spt — Jeremiah Palmer 2 run (Yarbrough kick), 5:37. 

Spt — FG, Yarbrough, 38. 3:41. 

LL — Hunter Clark 33 pass from Hillman (kick blocked), 2:35. 

    JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Lakeland junior running back Griffin Tamagni reaches for the endzone during Friday's 5A Inland Empire League football game against Sandpoint at Barlow Stadium.