Spt Jr. Tackle team in championship

SPOKANE — What wasn’t suppose to happen has happened, as the 8th grade Sandpoint Jr. Tackle football team knocked off No. 2 seed Ferris 8-6 in a physical game Saturday evening in Spokane. With the upset win, Sandpoint advances to the Gold Bracket Championship game for the first time.

Jackson Russo scored the only touchdown Sandpoint would need in the first quarter on a two yard scoring run in the first quarter. Jeffery Kappen would add an extremely important two point conversion for an early 8-0.

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Barlow Stadium on Saturday night but was moved to Spokane last week because the Ferris team refused to come to Sandpoint to play the game. Disappointed but determined, the Dawgs never relented with a dominating defensive performance lead by Kix Kamp and Christian Crossingham.

In the fourth quarter with the Dawgs backed up on their own seven yard line, Tyler Harris sealed the game by ripping off a 60 yard run, which eventually pinned Ferris deep in its own territory. After a Gabe Lutz punt was downed at the one yard line, the Dawgs defense took over as Ferris only managed to advance the ball to their own eight yard line.

Defensive team captain Nate Loutzenhiser and Skyler Speakman teamed on the final play to stop Ferris and seal the win for Sandpoint. Sandpoint faces Shadle in the championship game this Saturday at the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex in Spokane.