Miners topple Wampus Cats in season opener

WALLACE — Nathan Cook ran for 184 yards and scored four first-half touchdowns, and the Wallace Miners kicked off the 2010 season with a convincing 60-12 victory over Clark Fork Friday night at Sather Field.

With the senior back leading the way, the Miners (1-0) struck early and often. Cook scored on runs of 15, 40, and 22 yards and added a pair of two point conversions for  a 22-0 lead less than nine minutes into the game.

Clark Fork (0-1) got on the board and back into the game on the following possession, when Stillman Berkley found Zack Klein for an 18-yard touchdown on fourth and ten, cutting the deficit to 22-6.

Wallace responded through the air as freshman Gavin Rasmussen found an open Jesse Needles for a 7-yard touchdown, and two plays after a Kidman Cook 65-yard interception return, Rasmussen found Jake Waters for a 27-yard scoring strike to up the lead to 38-6.

Berkley added a second touchdown following a Wallace turnover, when a fumbled punt gave the Wampus Cats the ball at the one-yard line. Berkley barreled across the line for a touchdown with 2:41 left in the half to cut the lead to 38-12.

Nathan Cook added a fourth score, this time from 19 yards out, to put the lead at 46-12 at the intermission, and touchdown runs by Derrick Arthun and Kidman Cook early in the second half iced the game.

“We came down here and were just a little bit out-manned. We just got beat in the trenches up front,” said Wampus Cats coach Brian Arthun, who was pleased with the play of Berkley at quarterback. “I think their size and their strength wore us down. We definitely have some things to build on. We’ll take this lesson and learn from it and become a better team down the road.”

Clark Fork makes its home debut next Saturday, when Noxon comes to town.