PREP FOOTBALL: Sandpoint’s comeback bid falls short in homecoming loss
SANDPOINT — In a 5A Inland Empire League match at War Memorial Field, senior quarterback Drew Lehman was 15-for-23 passing and accounted for 248 of Sandpoint's 473 total yards of offense in a 37-27 loss to Lewiston on Friday.
After going down 20-0 early, Lehman scored first for the Bulldogs on a 15-yard run in the second quarter. Jeremiah Palmer, who carried the pigskin eight times for a team-high 52 yards, scored shortly after on a 10-yard run to bring Sandpoint back within seven points.
However, the visiting Bengals scored the next 17 points, and heading into the fourth quarter Sandpoint trailed 37-13. Junior Braden Buckhout, who was 8-for-15 passing for 122 yards, connected with junior Maverick Gomez on a 25-yard pass and the Bulldogs converted the two-point conversion to come within 37-21. With about three minutes remaining in the game, Lehman picked up his second touchdown of the evening on a 1-yard rush, but time eventually ran out before Sandpoint could complete the comeback.
Junior Dallen Williams paced the Bulldogs in receptions with five for 73 yards while senior Jesse Turner caught four passes for 62 yards and threw a 30-yard completion in the contest. Lehman had 141 yards passing, 46 yards rushing on 11 carries, and four receptions for 61 yards.
On defense, senior Wylie Wimmer recorded a season-high 21 tackles while sophomore Damian Porter added 10, seniors Gage McElroy and Rece Wolff eight each, and Palmer a sack for a 5-yard loss. The Bulldogs weren't able to produce any turnovers in in the contest.
Sandpoint (3-5, 0-1), which has lost four straight, travels to Lakeland on Friday for their final 5A Inland Empire League match and regular season finale.
Lewiston 14 13 10 0 — 37
Sandpoint 0 13 0 14 — 27
1st quarter
LEW — 12 run (kick good), 8:00
LEW — 61 pass (kick good), 4:00
2nd quarter
LEW — 1 run (two-point no good), 11:00
SPT — Lehman 15 run (Bradburn kick), 8:00
SPT — Palmer 10 run (Bradburn kick), 2:00
LEW — 1 run (kick good), 1:00
3rd quarter
LEW — 29 field goal, 7:00
LEW — 35 run (kick good), 4:00
4th quarter
SPT — Gomez 25 pass from Buckhout (two-point good), 10:00
SPT — Lehman 1 run (two-point no good), 3:00
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: SPT — Palmer 8-52, Lehman 11-46, Gomez 3-43, Buckhout 4-30, Hawkins 4-7, Williams 1-2. LEW — N/A.
PASSING: SPT — Lehman 15-23-1-141, Buckhout 8-15-1-122, Turner 1-1-0-30. LEW — N/A.
RECEIVING: SPT — Williams 5-73, Turner 4-62, Lehman 4-61, Newhart 5-41, Gomez 3-35, Hawkins 3-21. LEW — N/A.