Bulldogs fall in offensive shootout with Bantams

by Eric Plummer Sports Editor
| October 20, 2012 7:00 AM

SANDPOINT — There were plenty of big plays and solid stretches of football, but in the end it wasn’t quite enough, as Sandpoint lost 42-35 to Clarkston in nonleague football action Friday night at Barlow Stadium.

The Bulldogs (1-7) came out clicking offensively, as Nick Prindiville threw a 65-yard scoring strike to Chase Rodriguez on the second play of the game.

Clarkston (3-5) answered with a big play of their own when receiver Zak Dwyer, who finished with nine catches for 195 yards, scored on a 66-yard catch and run.

Sandpoint recovered a fumble on their own 11-yard line, and Dean Knaggs rumbled in from 11 yards out for a 14-7 lead. Harley Newhart blocked a punt, and then Alex Charvoz returned the first of his two interceptions down to the seven-yard line, leading to a Cody Millard scoring run on the next play and a 21-7 second quarter lead.

Clarkston would proceed to reel off 21 unanswered points, capped by a 65-yard interception return on a tipped ball to take a 28-21 lead.

Prindiville hooked up with Rodriguez for a 45-yard pass on the ensuing possession, capped by an A.J. Buratto two yard run to tie the game at 28-28. Clarkston had a quick answer with a three-play scoring drive, taking a 35-28 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter.

Talon Egbers continues to emerge as a playmaker on the defensive line for the Bulldogs, nabbing his second interception of the season on a nifty play where he batted a ball in the air, before returning it eight yards for a pick six that tied the back and forth game at 35-35.

Clarkston quarterback Austin Hansen would score the deciding touchdown midway through the fourth quarter on a 40 yard run, as the Bantams racked up 493 yards of total offense on the night.

“Our kids keep battling for where we’re at; they’re hanging in there,” said Bulldogs head coach Satini Puailoa. “We keep getting better, just not good enough to get over the hump.”

Sandpoint will travel to Lakeland next Friday in the season finale. Moscow beat Lakeland 24-21, clinching the lone 4A North playoff berth.

SHS 14 7 14 0 — 35

CLHS 7 6 22 7 — 42

SHS — Chase Rodriguez 65 pass from Nick Prindiville (Quinn Pearlstein kick)

CLHS — Zac Dwyer 66 pass from Austin Hanson (Adam Babino kick)

SHS — Dean Knaggs 11 run (Quinn Pearlstein kick)

SHS — Cody Millard 7 run (Quinn Pearlstein kick)

CLHS — Austin Hanson 1 run (kick fail)

CLHS — Zac Dwyer 14 pass from Austin Hanson (Carson Holman run)

CLHS — Robby DeVleming 66 Interception (Adam Babino kick)

SHS — AJ Buratto 1 run (Quinn Pearlstein kick)

CLHS — Braedyn Head 7 run (Adam Babino kick)

SHS — Talon Egbers 8 Interception (Quinn Pearlstein kick)

CLHS — Austin Hanson 40 run (Adam Babino kick)

Team Stats SHS CLHS

1st Downs 13 19

Rushes-yds 45-172 35-213

Passing yds 155 280

QB 9-18-2 17-34-3

Punts-Ave 5-32.5 5-24

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-1

Penalties-Yds 5-32.5 6-65

SHS QB: Nick Prindiville 9-17-2, 155yds; Nick Nelson 0-1-0, 0 yds, CLHS Austin Hanson 17-34-3, 213 yds

SHS Rushing: Dean Knaggs 7-48, Cody Millard 8-42, AJ Buratto 20-64, Nick Prindiville 5-(-1), Devan Hancock 1-3, McCall Miller 1-20, Chase Rodriquez 1-(-4); CLHS Carson Holman 16-103, Austin Hanson 17-95, Bruno Faust 1-9, Braedyn Head 1-7

SHS Receiving: Tommy Fury 4-26, Chase Rodriguez 4-121, Thomas Edwards 1-8; CLHS Bruno Faust 1-18, Carson Holman 4-50, Braedyn Head 1-3, Zac Dwyer

KOR: Dean Knaggs 2-29, Kevin Hill 1-8