Showing posts with label Coeur d'Alene Vikings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coeur d'Alene Vikings. Show all posts

Monday, September 5, 2011

Chalich does it all as Coeur d'Alene tops Moses Lake...

Coeur d'Alene senior Quarterback, Chad Chalich ran for three touchdowns and passed for one more as the Coeur d'Alene Vikings(2-0) beat the Moses Lake Chiefs(1-0) 32-14 saturday night at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Chalich finished the night with 207 yards passing and 72 rushing. Moses Lake Quarterback, Justin Simmons looked great at times going 19/37 for 175 yards and a touchdown, but it was his four turnovers that tell the story.

The Vikings would get the opening kickoff, but before they could get going they would committ their first of 12 penalties on the evening. Once they got moving, the Vikings would march right down the field and into the endzone ending with a 6 yard run by Chalich for a 7-0 lead. Following the touchdown, the two teams would trade interceptions before Moses Lake would makes its march. The Chiefs would need only four plays to go 65 yards for the score, capped off with a 12 yard pass from Simmons to senior Anthony Johnson. Johnson would finish the night with 6 catches for 82 yards. With a 2 Point Conversion the Chiefs would take a 8-7 lead with just over two minutes left in the first quarter.

The two teams would then take turns having sloppy possessions end with punts, before the Vikings would go 41 yards in just five plays and a second Chad Chalich rushing touchdown. Following a two point conversion, Couer d'Alene would have a 15-8 lead.

An untimely fumble would get the Vikings the ball back at the Chiefs 38. After a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Chalich would find Joe Roletto wide open for a 46 yard gain putting at the 8 yardline with just seconds left on the clock. Junior Kicker, Parker Wilson would split the uprights with no time remaining to give the Vikings an 18-8 halftime lead.

The second half was much of the same for Moses Lake as they would take the kickoff and promptly go three and out. The punt would not make it back to the line of scrimmage as its was tipped by a hard Viking rush. Five plays later Chalich was into the endzone, from 7 yards, for his third rushing touchdown of the game to widen the gap to 25-8.

With 4:16 left in the game, Chalich would get his only touchdown pass of the night. After a fumbled snap, the Vikings would take over at the Chief three yardline. Following a run that resulted in a loss of four yards, senior Deon Watson hauled in a seven yard pass for the score to make it 32-8.

Justin Simmons would take it in from one yard out with 29 seconds left to bring the score to its final stop at 32-12.

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Next up:

Moses Lake will travel to Neil F. Lampson Stadium in Kennewick to play the Kamiakin Braves in a non-league game.

Coeur d'Alene will play host to Skyview(Vancouver,WA) High School next weekend.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Coeur d'Alene vs Moses Lake, ECK Preview...

The 5:30 game of this years Emerald City Kickoff will feature the Coeur d'Alene Vikings from Idaho traveling west to take on the Moses Lake Chiefs. The Vikings are the defending 5A Champions and are already 1-0 on the season after a 37-24 win over the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies of Meridian, ID. It is opening night for Moses Lake as they look to improve on a 3-8 record in 2010. The two teams met last season in Coeur d'Alene with the Vikings winning 31-0. I sent emails to both head coaches and got responses, first I will preview Coeur d'Alene with head coach Shawn Amos...

WHSF: If I was a fan attending the games this weekend in Seattle, who are 3 players from the Vikings that I would want to watch for and what can you tell us about them?

SA: QB Chad Chalich – returning 5A Idaho State Player of the Year (28 / 34 357yards 3 TD’s last week), WR/DE Deon Watson – All State (6 catches 111 yards last week), LB Jake Cheesman – 140 Tackles last year (14 tackles and 1 sack last week).

WHSF: I assume you have seen video of Moses Lake, what do you know about the Chiefs?

SA: Good, athletic QB. Attacking defense. Well coached and play hard to the whistle

WHSF: If you could give me a few keys to winning the game, what would they be?

SA: Offensively, we must be able to run the ball and stay patient with the passing game against their hybrid defense. Defensively, we must stayed disciplined but attacking against their option.

WHSF: What would you say your strengths are?

SA: Team speed

WHSF: I noticed you have already played, and won a game, do you think that gives you an advantage over the Chiefs who have yet to play?

SA: Possibly, we were able to work out first game jitters and clean-up mistakes. However, Moses Lake has had longer to prepare for the game.

WHSF: 34/22 Pass/Run ratio in your first game, would you consider yourself a passing team?

SA: We would like to stay balanced

WHSF: In one sentence, how would you describe your defense?

SA: Aggressive

WHSF: What can you do to help prepare for playing in a place like Century Link Field?

SA: We aren’t able to simulate that type of atmosphere but instead look to focus on things we can control

WHSF: Travel speaking, are you guys staying the night either friday or saturday?

SA: No

WHSF: Best of luck, I am excited to see your team play.

SA: Thanks!

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Next up I will preview the Moses Lake Chiefs with head coach Todd Griffith.

WHSF: If I were a fan heading to Century Link Field to see your team play, who are 3 players I would want to watch for and what can you tell me about them?

TG: QB Justin Simmons, WR Jordan Koon and RB Bryce Perez

WHSF: What would you consider your teams strength to be?

TG: Team Speed

WHSF: I can only assume you have seen film of Couer d'Alene, what can you tell me about the Vikings?

TG: Strong Defense with a very good QB. QB is very mobile and is best when moving out of pocket

WHSF: You lost to the Vikings last season in Couer d'Alene, is there anything you can take from that loss into this years game?

TG: We were pretty young and inexperienced. We are starting a lot of those kids who played last year.

WHSF: What would you consider your 3 keys to winning on saturday?

TG: #1 special teams- we have to be mistake free
#2 we have to be able to neutralize their blitzes with the pass
#3 we have to be able to contain the QB and keep him from making plays after he is flushed

WHSF: What is it gonna take to see Moses Lake in the Tacoma dome in December?

TG: We are going to have to get healthy first. We have 4 starters that are not going to play the early games

WHSF: I noticed you have to go to all three Tri City stadiums this season, have you ever had to do that before?

TG: Not that I can remember. They are tough places to play.

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This is going to be a tough game for Moses Lake to win, but I fully expect them to come ready to play. Both coaches have a lot of team speed to play with so I could very easily see this game being a shootout. Both teams have big games next weekend, but I don't see either team over looking one another. At the end of the night I could see this being the best game at this years Emerald City Kickoff. I would like to thank both coaches for taking a few minutes to respond and I wish them both the best of luck on saturday and the rest of the season.

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I will be in Kent tonight taking in the game between Auburn Riverside Ravens and the #8 ranked Kentlake Falcons. I will be tweeting updates from the game, those can be found by following @HSFootballWA.

If you are attending the game, keep and eye on Caleb Saulo and Austin Pernell. Both from Kentlake and both are names you will hear a lot tonight.