GRIDIRON GUESSES Sept. 26, 2025: Unbeaten Sandpoint comes to town to challenge Coeur d'Alene

Coming off a state 5A semifinal appearance last year, the Lakeland Hawks were expected to be really good this year. 

As so far, the Hawks have been, punctuated by their dominant 35-7 victory at 6A Post Falls last week. 

But Lakeland’s biggest rival in the 5A Inland Empire League, the Sandpoint Bulldogs, have been really good this year as well — a pleasant surprise in what was considered a bit of a rebuilding season. 

Sandpoint, like Lakeland off to a 5-0 start, plays at 6A Coeur d’Alene (2-2) tonight at 7 at Viking Field. 

Sandpoint is averaging 41 points per game. More impressively, the Bulldogs have traveled a combined more than 3,200 miles roundtrip for the four games away from Barlow Stadium. 

Sandpoint quarterback Braden Buckhout has thrown for 1,160 yards and 12 touchdowns in five games, with two interceptions. Maverick Gomez has six of those TD catches, on 23 receptions. Jensen Sheetz has rushed for 499 yards and nine touchdowns for the Bulldogs. 

Coeur d’Alene’s defense, meanwhile, has 13 sacks and five interceptions this season. The Vikings have given up 20 points in their last two games, both wins, and are coming off a bye. 

“I think we’ve gotten better each week,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. "Sandpoint’s another ranked team (No. 5 in 5A), and we’ll go back to work.” 

Elsewhere in town tonight, Lake City plays host to Eisenhower of Yakima in the Timberwolves’ homecoming game. Note that kickoff has been moved up an hour, to 6 p.m. 

Post Falls plays Glacier Peak of Snohomish, Wash., tonight at 7 at Roos Field on the campus of Eastern Washington University in Cheney. 

The aforementioned Lakeland Hawks are home tonight against fellow 5A school Moscow, which is in its second season playing down in the 4A Intermountain League in football.  

As for the picks, it was a rough week with Jason Elliott going 4-3, and Mark Nelke and Josh McDonald going 3-4. 

For the season, Mark is 27-10, Josh 25-12, Jason 22-15.

Sandpoint (5-0) at Coeur d’Alene (2-2), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: This could be a high-scoring game — though Coeur d’Alene’s defense should have something to say about it. 

Coeur d’Alene, 27-14 

ELLIOTT: Coeur d'Alene, but close.

Coeur d'Alene, 30-27

McDONALD:  The Bulldogs look really good, but Coeur d’Alene appears to be rounding into form.

Coeur d'Alene, 24-17

Eisenhower (0-3) at Lake City (0-4), 6 p.m. 

NELKE: The Cadets have been outscored 96-7 in its three losses. Last week, Ike lost 28-7 to Wenatchee, a team that won 23-13 at Lake City three weeks ago. 

Lake City, 7-6 

ELLIOTT:  Lake City, 17-16

McDONALD: All right, this one feels like it should be the one ...

Lake City, 28-17

Glacier Peak (3-0) vs. Post Falls (2-2) at Eastern Washington University, Cheney, 7 p.m. 

NELKE: The Grizzlies have not allowed a touchdown thus far. The Trojans could be on their third quarterback of the season tonight. 

Glacier Peak, 28-16 

ELLIOTT: Post Falls will be improved from last week. But ...

Glacier Peak, 30-20

McDONALD: This was a shootout a year ago, but the Trojans might not be on the same level they were in 2024. The good news is the Trojans get to play on EWU’s awesome red turf. The bad news is that their opponents are one the better teams in Washington’s 4A classification.

Glacier Peak, 35-28

Moscow (4-1) at Lakeland (5-0), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: The Hawks are coming off an emotional win, but are playing at home. 

Lakeland, 35-7 

ELLIOTT:  Lakeland is playing some really, really good football right now.

Lakeland, 48-14

McDONALD:  The Hawks look more like championship contenders every week. Moscow hasn’t exactly played a murderer's row of opponents, but they’re still a 4-1 team midway through the season.

Lakeland, 41-21

Timberlake (0-5) at St. Maries (3-2), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: St. Maries, 34-32, OT 

ELLIOTT: St. Maries, 42-36

McDONALD: St. Maries is big, with a ton of weapons, and skilled. Timberlake is going to have to play desperate if the Tigers want to get into the win column.

St. Maries, 31-21

Kellogg (2-1) at Bonners Ferry (3-2), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: Two weeks ago, Keenan Maas carried the ball a staggering 50 times for a school-record 395 yards and scored five touchdowns for the Badgers. 

Bonners Ferry, 42-20 

ELLIOTT: If Kellogg can keep it close, the Wildcats have a shot.

Bonners Ferry, 38-34

McDONALD: Last week, the Wildcats defense showed up when it absolutely needed to, but they’re going to have to be much better if they want to get past a competitive Badger squad.

Bonners Ferry, 35-21

Wallace (4-0) at Troy (1-3), 7 p.m. 

NELKE: Depends on how mad Wallace still is. The Miners are inching closer to being ranked. 

Wallace, 68-12 

ELLIOTT: Mad or not, Wallace is mighty tough, no matter where the Miners are playing right now.

Wallace, 44-14

McDONALD: The Miners are averaging 67 points per game, and they’ve scored 80% of them in the first half of those games. If Troy wants to win, the Trojans are going to have to do something that only Carey has been able to do over the past 10 games ... stop Cooper Miller.

Wallace, 65-35

6A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE 

             League      Overall 

    W    L    W    L 

Post Falls    0    0    2    2 

Coeur d’Alene    0    0    2    2  

Lake City     0    0    0    4 

Friday’s Games 

Sandpoint at Coeur d’Alene 

Eisenhower (Yakima, Wash.) at Lake City 

Post Falls vs. Glacier Peak at Eastern Washington University, Cheney 

5A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE 

             League      Overall 

    W    L    W    L 

Lakeland    0    0    5    0  

Sandpoint     0    0    5    0 

Lewiston     0    0    2    3 

Thursday’s Game 

Lewiston vs. Rigby at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Missoula, Mont. 

Friday’s Games 

Moscow at Lakeland 

Sandpoint at Coeur d’Alene 

INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE 

             League      Overall 

    W    L    W    L 

Moscow    0    0    4    1 

Bonners Ferry     0    0    3    2  

Timberlake     0    0    0    5 

Friday’s Games 

Timberlake at St. Maries 

Kellogg at Bonners Ferry 

Moscow at Lakeland 

CENTRAL IDAHO LEAGUE 

              League      Overall 

    W    L    W    L 

St. Maries     1    0    3    2  

Priest River    1    0    2    3  

Kellogg     1    1    2    1  

Grangeville     0    1    2    3  

Orofino     0    1    0    3 

Friday’s Games 

Timberlake at St. Maries 

Kellogg at Bonners Ferry 

Grangeville vs. West Jefferson at Nampa 

Columbia (Wash.) at Orofino 

Priest River is idle 

NORTH STAR LEAGUE 

             League      Overall 

    W    L    W    L 

Coeur du Christ    1    0    4   1  

Wallace    0    0    4    0  

Clark Fork     0    0    1    2 

Lakeside    0    1   0    5 

Thursday’s Game

Coeur du Christ 54, Lakeside 32

Friday’s Games 

Wallace at Troy 

Clark Fork vs. Sho-Ban at Hamilton, Mont.