Dawgs Junior Tackle team wins playoff bracket
SPOKANE — The Sandpoint 5th/6th grade Jr. Tackle Dawgs No. 3 team won their playoff bracket with a dominating defense that scored twice, downing Ferris 16-0 last Saturday.
The Dawgs were once again short players due to illness, with only 16 players in uniform, most playing both ways.
“I am so proud of our team; they all stepped up with most playing the entire game,” said a beaming coach Martin Rodriguez. “Ferris had a large roster and was bringing in fresh players all game. Our guys just knuckled down and played smash-mouth football. Our defense caused four turnovers.”
In the second quarter, Michael Plaster batted down a pitch from the Ferris quarterback to the running back, then picked the ball up and ran 30 yards to pay dirt. He then put two more points on the board with the PAT. Ferris started to move the ball down the field on the next drive but Troy Nutt stopped a sure touchdown run with a hit so hard the ball flew 10 yards, before being recovered by Kalib Samsel, who had three tackles on the day.
Levi Irish also had three tackles on the day and eight yards rushing, while recovering a big fumble.
Quarterback Bear Youngdahl had a solid game going 3-5 in the air for 20 yards. The running game ground out 93 yards, with Tyler Presser gaining 40 yards on six carries, Michael Plaster adding 26 yards on three carries, to go with five yards receiving and two PAT’s, Irish carried once for eight yards and Donovan Nix added a four yard run. Nix also had two tackles on defense.
The Dawgs closed the door on Ferris midway through the fourth quarter when Kyle Perry recovered a fumble in the Ferris backfield and sprinted 45 yards for the second and final touchdown of the game. Perry also had three tackles and two receptions for six yards.
Chris Jones had a game-high five tackles, Tyron Larsen had four tackles, Zach Alamillo three tackles, and Sean Fitzgerald, Nick Stangel and John Humrich each had two tackles. Humrich added a 10 yard punt return, and Malcom Curto and Lane Rasmussen each had a tackle.
The parents and players want to thank Coach Martin Rodriguez and All Seasons Moving for a great season.