Bulldogs host Hawks in playoff opener

SANDPOINT — The win-or-go-home portion of the season, also known as the playoffs, kicks off tonight when Sandpoint hosts Skyview in the opening round of the 4A state football playoffs.

The Bulldogs (4-5) are coming off a dramatic double-overtime win over Moscow, and are hoping to keep the momentum rolling against a dangerous Skyview team, the No. 2 seed out of the Southern Idaho Conference.

The Hawks (7-2) are riding a four-game win streak, during which they’ve outscored their opponents 161-50, and their two losses were by a total of six points to Bishop Kelly and Twin Falls. In last week’s win over Middleton, quarterback Hunter Hyde completed 19-24 passes for 235 yards, and Sandpoint head coach Mike Mitchell said they like to throw a lot.

“The secondary will get tested,” said Mitchell, likening the Hawks to Moscow. “We need to help them by getting pressure on the quarterback.”

The Bulldogs will be without the services of four players, including three starters, who were suspended earlier this week for SHS athletic rule infractions. To help offset the losses, Mitchell will lean heavily on four seniors to help pick up the slack in running back Eric Nikssarian, fullback Luther Morgan, quarterback Brandon Hawkins and center Kyle Bush.

“We have to have Kyle Bush do a good job at center and Luther Morgan has to show up on defense,” said Mitchell, who will lean heavily on the legs of Nikssarian at running back. “We need big plays out of Nikssarian, and he’s been pretty explosive.”

The play of defensive linemen Tyler Navarro, Derek Lang, Josh Mathews and William Myers will be important to generate a pass rush to  disrupt Skyview’s passing game.

Should the game be tight, Mitchell trusts the kicking leg of senior Cole Fuhrman. Last week Mitchell told Fuhrman they were going to kick the game-winning field goal, then the teams had a prolonged wait while an injured Moscow player — who was ultimately all right — was tended to by paramedics.

“Talk about freezing a kid,” laughed Mitchell. “Cole knew he was going to kick for about 20 minutes and he puts it right down the middle.”

IHSAA sportsmanship rules will be in effect tonight, including no face painting, no artificial face painting, no balloons and no bare chests. General admission is $5, senior citizens and students $4 and kids under six admitted free.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Barlow Stadium.