Hegel, Anselmo lead Spartans past Badgers; huge home game on tap Friday
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Senior Keegan Hegel, seen earlier in the year, scored two touchdowns as the Spartans downed the Badgers.
(Photo by ERIC PLUMMER) Senior Dalaynee Cook bumps a ball for the Spartans, who ended the regular season with a pair of wins.
(Photo by ERIC PLUMMER) Senior Jordan Phillips and the Spartan boys and girls cross country teams swept a recent meet in Kellogg.
BONNERS FERRY — Keegan Hegel carried nine times for 69 yards and hauled in five catches for another 58 yards, and scored the final two touchdowns to lead Priest River to a 20-6 win over host Bonners Ferry last Friday night in Intermountain League football action.
The Spartans (3-4, 1-1 IML) and Badgers (1-7, 0-2 IML) were scoreless after a first half, with rain and tough conditions making for a defensive slugfest early. The Badgers broke a long run for a 6-0 third quarter lead, before the Spartans answered with 20 straight second half points to earn their first league win this year.
First year Spartan coach Justin Torfin liked how his team responded under pressure, setting up a huge IML clash this Friday with playoff implications.
“We started slow but finished strong,” said Torfin of the Badgers’ Homecoming game. “We got a league win and now we have a big game against Kellogg this week that will determine who goes in from our league as the second place team to state.
Trailing 6-0 in the third, Robbie Anselmo rumbled 35 yards for a score on a huge 4th and 2 conversion, a play that ignited a rally.
“He broke a tackle in the backfield then raced to the end zone,” described Torfin. “It was a big play for us, it generated a big spark.”
The Spartans defense got the ball back on the ensuing possession, before Hegel took over, scoring two fourth quarter touchdowns to put the game away and earn his coach’s respect.
“He was definitely player of the game this week,” admitted Torfin. “He stepped up huge on offense and made some great runs and some excellent catches.”
Caden Brennan was 12-27 for 117 yards at quarterback, Anselmo finished with 60 yards on 15 carries and was also 2-2 passing for 26 yards, Brandon McCracken hauled in four catches for 53 yards and Brett Gordon three for 25 for the Spartans.
Priest River hosts Kellogg Friday night, with kickoff at 7 p.m.
n Spartan girls soccer sees season end against state champs
RATHDRUM — Elizabeth Lehosit scored a hat trick in the game’s first 17 minutes as the top-seeded Panthers beat the fifth-seeded Spartans 13-0 in a 3A District 1-2 tournament semifinal game at Sunrise Rotary Field.
Coeur d’Alene Charter (17-0), the two-time defending 3A state champions, clinched their sixth straight trip to state.
n Randolph spikes Spartans past Badgers
PRIEST RIVER — Natalie Randolph hammered home 16 spikes to lead the Spartans in a 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 sweep of the Badgers in recent IML volleyball action.
Harlee Meek added 34 set assists and two aces, and Maggee Pankoke seven digs in the league win.
The Spartans then swept Coeur d’Alene Charter 25-13, 25-12, 25-18 in Intermountain League action.
Priest River finished 5-3 in IML play and is the second seed at districts. The Spartans faced third-seeded Kellogg on Tuesday night at Timberlake in their district opener.
n Spartan harriers sweep Kellogg meet
PINEHURST — The potent one-two punch of Cameron Parkes, who finished second in personal best 5K time of 16:41, and Caleb Gleason, who was third in 17:17, the Spartan boys cross country team edged Bonners Ferry by eight points to top all seven teams in attendance last Thursday at the Kellogg Invitational at Pinehurst Golf Course.
Not to be outdone, the Spartan girls scored an impressive seven point win over 4A Lakeland to win the three team girls race, as Annika Rantala led the way with a second place finish in 21:02.
“Both Teams had a race to remember, possibly the best showing for both boys and girls teams ever,” lauded head coach Lance Clark. “The Spartan Harriers had multiple personal bests on the course. Everyone on the team competed well and earned top honors at the meet.”
Other top boys finishes included Kaden Fulton 9th (17:56), Jordan Phillips 14th (18:20), Conor Berns 21st (18:46), Travis Matthews 22nd (18:47), Graden Hanes 33rd (19:31), Kyler Lord 55th (20:51) and Brian Lord 57th (21:00) to round out the Spartan boys. Fulton, Berns and Hanes all got personal bests.
Amber Johnston ran a personal best 21:57 to finish 6th, followed by Erika Swoboda 7th (22:00), Izzie Schmidt 9th (22:05), Sharnai Hogan 15th (22:54), Kymara Fulton 16th (23:05/PR) and Alaina Guevarra 34th (29:12/PR) for the Spartan girls.
Parkes, Kaden Fulton, Johnston and Kymar Fulton each moved up on the top 20 all-time list.
“The coaches are very proud of both teams for working super hard in practices, and for taking care of themselves to get into such good shape for racing,” said Clark.
The district meet will be held on Thursday, Oct. 18 at Bonners Ferry High School. The girls start at 1 p.m., and the boys will follow shortly after.
In order for our teams to qualify for state, The Spartans need to be in the top half of all teams counted at the district championships. An athlete can qualify individually without their team qualifying, but they must be in the top 1/3 of all varsity runners in order to qualify individually to state.
The state meet is Oct. 27 in Lewiston.