'It will be a battle': Sandpoint hosts Lewiston tonight
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY) Senior defensive back Lance Harrison looks for running room after making an interception during the first quarter of the game against Mt. Spokane on Sept. 20 at Memorial Field. Sandpoint lost 35-19.
Sandpoint football will be looking for revenge tonight when Lewiston comes to Memorial Field.
In fact, the Bulldogs (2-2) haven’t beaten the Bengals since 2014.
Sandpoint football head coach Ryan Knowles said he knows his team will have their hands full with Lewiston, but they’re up for the challenge.
“It will be a battle,” he said. “They’re a proud team that has a lot of history with us. They’re a 5A school and a lot bigger than us too so that’s kind of what we have to do up here in the panhandle is play up quite a bit but that’s okay ... we’re going to have to take care of business.”
The Bengals are 2-2 this season and are coming off a commanding 41-21 win victory over Clarkston last Friday. Lewiston held Clarkston scoreless in the second half en route to its fifth straight River Rivalry victory.
Quarterback Kash Lang and running back Cruz Hepburn each had three touchdowns in the game for the Bengals. Slowing down Lewiston’s dynamic duo will be key for Sandpoint if they want to walk away with a win.
Knowles said the Bulldogs will be specifically looking to stop Lang.
“Their quarterback kind of makes their whole machine run,” he said.
But the Bulldogs have a playmaker of their own that the Bengals will need to keep an eye all game: wide receiver Christian Niemela.
The senior had a huge game last week against Mt. Spokane, hauling in five catches for a 173 yards including a 60-yard reception on a screen pass.
This season Niemela has 20 receptions, 472 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Despite losing 35-19 to Mt. Spokane last week, the Bulldogs showed a ton of resiliency fighting back from a 28-0 halftime deficit and outscoring one of the top ranked 3A teams in Washington 19-7 in the second half.
Sandpoint will look to carry that momentum into Friday night’s game with Lewiston.
Knowles expects a physical fight in the trenches and he said this game is important to help setup the rest of the Bulldogs’ season.
“I think its huge,” he said. “We’re looking at the middle of our schedule here ... so with Mt. Spokane behind us we’re looking at this one to see how much ground we’ve made up since last year and I really think we have done that but the proof is always on the scoreboard.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Memorial Field.