Bulldogs hold their own in scrimmages at Vandal Camp, Mead
—Photo by ERIC PLUMMER The Sandpoint football team holds a push-up position at practice recently, getting ready for some live summer football action with a host of scrimmages on Tuesday and Wednesday.
SANDPOINT — Much like the schedule they play suggests, the Bulldogs aren’t afraid to line up against the big boys, and they did just that on Tuesday at the Vandal Camp in Moscow and then Wednesday against Mead High School.
In two full days of scrimmaging, the Bulldogs faced Montana powers Great Falls, Flathead and Bozeman, 5A power Lewiston and Greater Spokane League stalwart Mead, before finally picking on someone their own size against Lakeland.
When the dust had settled, Satini Puailoa, who oversaw the action while incoming coach George Yarno relocates to Sandpoint, liked how his team competed.
“What they really saw was five playoff teams. It was real crisp football for June, we’re way ahead of last year,” he said of the scrimmages. “We ran the ball on everybody and we stopped the run on everybody. I liked our physicality and ability to line and pound on people.”
Puailoa said there were a handful of players who stood out, including Levi Irish, who was gashing teams all day in the run game, and returning starters Clayton Fournier, Zack Alamillo and Walker Jacobson, each of whom also saw time at fullback.
“Zack was an absolute beast,” said Puailoa. “Nobody could handle him.”
Some pleasant surprises emerged as well, including Garrett Marks at linebacker, Cole Hooper at corner, Andrew Grief at center and Brock browning on the defensive line.
Safeties Fournier and Robbie Johnson both stood out in scrimmages, and could be primed for big seasons.
“They were playing where they left off,” said Puailoa, whose team fared well against much bigger schools. “Strength-wise, we just match up against everybody.”
A pair of 6-foot-5 receivers form tall bookends in T.J. Davis and Taran McLaughlin, with Spencer Bassett completing a strong trio. Aubrey Stevens and Robbie Johnson split reps at quarterback, as the offense got a final live look before summer break.
More than 160 players suited up for the Bulldogs, from varsity to JV to freshman level, with Puailoa joking that it was quite a sight when the Bulldogs pulled up to Mead in five buses on Wednesday for a day of practice and scrimmaging against the GSL team.