Spark starts too late for Trojans

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

POST FALLS — Construction season appears to have been extended in Post Falls this year.

Not just on its interstate in town.

But with its high school football team as well.

After falling into a 33-3 halftime deficit, the Trojans came out and moved the ball in the second half, but fell short to the Boise Brave 53-17 on Friday at Trojan Stadium.

“We’ve got to be better, in all three phases,” Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett said. “We’ve got to go out and execute better. We’re going to learn from it. It’s a long season.”

Senior Philip Schmitt came in after halftime and threw for 179 yards and a touchdown, and also ran for another score in the third quarter for Post Falls (0-3).

Junior Griffin Carpenter started the game, leading the Trojans to a field goal early in the second after Boise opened a 13-0 lead after the first quarter.

“That wasn’t the plan going in, but the first half didn’t go quite like we wanted it to,” said Bennett of the quarterback change. “So we thought that would be a good opportunity to get Schmitty back in there. He’s a senior and does a lot of good things. He did a lot of good things come out of that third quarter and giving us a little shot of energy and excitement.

Schmitt was injured during the first half of the Lewiston game on Aug. 30, then missed the Trojans' game against Sandpoint last Friday.

“He was cleared and practiced this week,” Bennett said. “We wanted to give him a shot, and he played well with a lot of energy tonight.”

Senior running back Marshall Tomlinson missed Friday’s game with a high ankle sprain, leaving junior Kason Foreman as the lone running back for the Trojans against Boise.

“We’re thin right now,” Bennett said. “It’s hard to keep them fresh when there’s only one of them.”

Foreman finished with 67 yards rushing and another 33 yards receiving.

“We competed,” Bennett said. “And that’s what we talked about at halftime. We’ve got to be able to compete and play hard with some energy, and I don’t think we did that in the first half. The second half, we showed glimpses of a team that had some energy. But we’ve got to play with great effort. This is a team where if we don’t play with effort, we’re not going to have a lot of success. It’s going to take all 11 guys on every snap, and it’s a good opportunity to learn today.”

Boise sophomore quarterback Wayne Bower threw for 435 yards and four touchdowns, three coming in the second quarter.

Logan McDonald ran for five touchdowns for Boise (4-0), which defeated Lake City 14-13 in the season opener on Aug. 21 in Boise.

Senior Cody Matthews had eight catches for 132 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for Post Falls.

“Cody’s a talent,” Bennett said. “We’ve got some skill guys, but we’ve got to get them the football. And we’ve got to mix in the run and the pass, and our defense has to get off the field. It’s football, and all three phases have to play well and with better energy and effort in the first half.”

Boise (4-0) faces Borah next Friday.

Post Falls travels to Lakeland next Friday.

Boise        13    20    13    7    —    53

Post Falls    0    3    7    7    —    17

First quarter

Boise — Logan McDonald 1 run (pass failed), 7:13

Boise — McDonald 2 run (Alec Aburusa kick), :21

Second quarter

PF — FG, Bradyn Singleton, 37, 7:50

Boise — Max Walters 34 pass from Wayne Bower (kick failed), 6:43

Boise — McDonald 2 pass from Bower (Aburusa kick), 1:42

Boise — Walters 12 pass from Bower (Aburusa kick), :01

Third quarter 

PF — Philip Schmitt 8 run (Singleton kick), 9:04

Boise — William Saunders 58 pass from Bower (Aburusa kick), 6:56

Boise — McDonald 5 run (kick failed), :07

Fourth quarter

PF — Cody Matthews 65 pass from Schmitt (Singleton kick), 11:42

Boise — McDonald 11 run (Aburusa kick), 8:42

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Boise, Delfico 3-21, Bower 2-14, Tracy 6-30, McDonald 11-56, Terhaar 6-32. PF, Foreman 19-67, Carpenter 2-(-11), Schmitt 6-21.

PASSING — Boise, Bower, 24-36-0-435. PF, Carpenter, 11-19-0-62, Schmitt, 12-18-0-179.

RECEIVING — Boise, Walters 7-93, Marcum 6-104, Heikkinen 4-50, Saunders 6-137, McDonald 1-2. PF, Ostlund 6-41, Smith 2-24, Matthews 8-132, Spencer 2-17, Foreman 3-33, Bresee 1-6.

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Post Falls senior Cody Matthews attempts to break a screen pass for a big gain as Boise defensive back Jeremih Smith defends during the second quarter of Friday's game at Trojan Stadium.