Bengals hand SHS 43-28 loss
SANDPOINT - Lightning quick Lewiston running back Joey Walton proved to be the difference in the game Friday night at Barlow Stadium, running for 243 yards and four scores to lead the No. 2 ranked 5A Bengals to a 43-28 win over the Bulldogs.
Every time Sandpoint (3-3) seemed to gain momentum and close to within a touchdown, Lewiston (5-0) and Walton had an answer. While the Bengals never trailed, they were unable to put the resilient Bulldogs away until the very end, when their size and speed finally proved too much.
Sandpoint was led offensively by the workhorse effort of running back Ben Fisher, who carried 29 times for 170 yards and two scores as the Bulldogs featured the run more than they have all season. It was the running attack that kept Sandpoint in the game in the second half as the offensive line was able to open enough holes to gash the Bengals and keep the chains moving.
"We had lots of great individual efforts," said Sandpoint coach Mike Mitchell. "We didn't play good defense like we needed to, but I liked the effort."
After Lewiston scored on its opening drive, Sandpoint marched down and answered when receiver Brandon Lawrence ran an out and up, then out-jumped a Lewiston defender in the corner of the end zone to bring down the Jake Semones pass.
Lewiston's mammoth quarterback Justin Podrabsky scored the first of his two touchdown runs to put the Bengals up 13-7 after a missed extra point. On the next possession, Semones threw the first of three interceptions on the night, which led to a Walton touchdown run and a 19-7 Lewiston lead.
Like they did each time the Bengals went up by two scores, the Bulldogs had an answer, as Fisher scored his first touchdown to make it 19-14. Walton would score again, and the Bulldogs would come up with a key stop on 3rd and goal to end the first half down 27-14.
Sandpoint looked crisp on their first second half possession, mixing the run and pass and ending the drive with a Fisher five yard scoring plunge to make it 27-21. The Bengals would capitalize on another Semones interception to go up 35-21.
In the typical never-say-die fashion that has become their trademark, the Bulldogs answered when Semones threw a ball into the back of the end zone intended for tight end A.J. Smith, but caught by Mike Hubbard, who was coming in the exact opposite direction and seemed to catch the Lewiston defense off guard.
Lewiston would score the final points on the ensuing drive, and neither team would score in the last six minutes.
Sandpoint plays an exhibition again Raymond in Canada next Friday.
SHS 7 7 7 7 - 28
Lew 19 8 8 8 - 43
Lew - Devon Brown 11 yd run (Chris Schrette kick)
SHS - Brandon Lawrence 21 yd pass from Jake Semones (Crossingham kick)
Lew - Justin Podrabsky 12 yd run (kick blocked)
Lew - Joey Walton 24 yd run (kick fail)
SHS - Ben Fisher 5 yd run (Crossingham kick)
Lew - Joey Walton 2 yd run (Nilsson pass from Podrabsky)
SHS - Ben Fisher 5 yd run (Crossingham kick)
Lew - Joey Walton 7 yd run (Walton run)
SHS - Mike Hubbard 9 yd pass from Jake Semones (Crossingham kick)
Lew - Justin Podrabsky 1 yd run (Walton run)
Team Stats SHS Lew
First Downs 27 22
Rushes-yds 44-235 14-244
Passing yds 203 200
Passes 19-31-4 14-22-0
Punts-Ave 1-44 2-33.5
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 0-0
Penalties-yds 6-55 14-85
Rushing: Ben Fisher 29-169, Jake Semones 10-43, Ricky Lang 5-23
Receiving: AJ Smith 1-8, Jordan Hammack 1-8, Ricky Lang 3-31, Ben Fisher 2-22, Brandon Lawrence 3-33.
n Spartans down Badgers
BONNERS FERRY - Priest River senior running back Brian Nelson scored on a 2-yard run with 2:30 left in the third quarter, breaking a tie with Bonners Ferry to give the Spartans a 12-6 victory.
The Badgers scored first on a 16-yard from quarterback Rob Gust with 11:53 remaining in the second quarter. Junior Colton Watt's kick failed.
Spartans senior quarterback Brian Fulp connected with junior running back Zack Miller, who 69 yards for a touchdown with 1:17 remaining in the second quarter. The kick failed, tying the game 6-6 at the half.
Bonners Ferry 0 6 0 0
Priest River 0 6 6 0
BF - Rob Gust 16 run (Colton Watt kick failed)
PR - Zack Miller 69 run
PR - Brian Nelson 2 run (Run failed)