Gold leads Bulldogs to season-opening victory
Anthony Gold, above, rushed for more than 200 yards in the first half alone, and Luther Morgan, below, ran for two touchdowns and led a rock-solid defensive performance. (Photo by CORY MURDOCK/POINTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM)
SANDPOINT — There was plenty of electricity in the air in Sandpoint’s season-opening 35-14 win over East Valley Friday night at Barlow Stadium, both in the form of lightning striking all over the horizon and in the form of running back Anthony Gold.
Gold exploded for 244 yards on 23 carries to help steady an offense plagued by turnovers, and also returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, leaving a wake of would-be tacklers with some ankle-breaking cuts.
Big plays from Gold helped offset four fumbles and an interception on offense, as the Bulldogs (1-0) suffered through some early season miscues.
“He’s a real weapon and he showed that tonight,” said Sandpoint head coach Mike Mitchell of his cat-quick junior. “You can’t fumble five times in any league and win. I feel real fortunate.”
After a shaky first half, Mitchell told his team they were lucky to hold a 21-14 lead. Seniors Luther Morgan and Eric Mitchell both stepped up and spearheaded a defense that dominated the second half, making tackles from sideline to sideline and shutting down the Knights (0-1).
Nikssarian and fellow safety Joe Duarte each had interceptions, Duarte also broke up a pass on fourth down and defensive end Trevor Litzell shot into the backfield to register a tackle for loss on a fourth and one. The defense held the Knights to just 240 yards of total offense, and created four turnovers of its own.
“The defense came alive in the second half,” said Mitchell, noting his team is going to need to improve its conditioning in a big way. “It won’t be easy sledding, we’ve got a lot of places to get better. We’ve got some growing to do.”
Sandpoint got on the board first when quarterback Brandon Hawkins bootlegged left and threw a two yard strike to Nikssarian.
After East Valley’ Shane Quinn scampered in from 34 yards to tie the game at 7-7, Gold returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards, aided by a cut at midfield that broke the run open.
Quinn would add a 16 yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14-14, before a Hawkins two yard quarterback sneak gave the Bulldogs a 21-14 lead heading into half.
Luther Morgan set the tone for a bruising second half with a rumbling 36 yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 28-14 lead, breaking tackles and running over a host of tacklers along the way. Morgan would add a one-yard plunge later in the third quarter for the final score of the game.
Sandpoint hosts another Great Northern League school next Friday, when league favorite Clarkston comes to Barlow Stadium.
Sandpoint — 14 7 14 0 — 35
East Valley — 7 7 0 0 — 14
SHS — Nikssarian 3 catch from Hawkins (Fuhrman kick)
EV — Quinn 34 yd run (Brandon Rankin kick)
SHS — Gold 98 KO return (Fuhrman kick)
EV — Quinn 16 run (Brandon Rankin kick)
SHS — Hawkins 2 run (Fuhrman kick)
SHS — Morgan 36 run (Fuhrman kick)
SHS — Morgan 1 run (Fuhrman kick)
Team Stats SHS EVHS
First Downs 13 10
Yds Rushing 49-317 29-139
Passing Yds 21 98
QB 2-7-1 9-20-2
Punts-ave 3-85 4-44.3
Fumbles-Lost
5-4 4-3
Penalties-Yds
8-60 7-50
Rushing: SHS Anthony Gold 23-244, Luther Morgan 10-55, Brandon Hawkins 9-(-12), Matt Kingsley 4-22, Cole Fuhrman 1-2, Austin Aguirre 2-6, Ben Schmid 1-0. EVHS Shane Quinn 25-113, Dustin Hansen 4-8, Joey Strehlou 2-0, Alex Rockstrom 2-10, Myles Lowry 2-8
Receiving: SHS Cole Fuhrman 1-18, Eric Nikssarian 1-3. EVHS Adam Talley 1-3, Shane Quinn 2-9, Ronnie Jarvis 3-59, Jake Reynolds 2-27, Joey Strehlou 1-0
KO Returns: Anthony Gold 1-98, Matt Kingsley 1-8, Eric Nikssarian 1-18