Cardinals are shutout 29-0 at Priest River

Medical Lake appeared to have made some strides in its opening football game versus Kellogg on Sept. 1.

But the progress took a step backwards it appears when the Cardinals were shutout 29-0 Saturday, Sept. 9 at Priest River. The game was moved after virtually all area high school sports were either postponed or canceled due to the lingering wildfire smoke that blanketed the region.

The Cardinals (0-2) were limited to just 65 total yards, 48 of that through the air via the arm of quarterback Carter Pivonka who took over for JJ Johnson who split the duties and played wide receiver, too.

Johnson had a catch for 39 yards. Pivonka’s brother, James, had the only other notable yards in the game with a pair of catches for just 16 yards. Carter Pivonka was 2 for 7 with a pair of interceptions while Johnson was 3 of 7 and 10 yards.

“We actually moved the ball OK in the second and late third and fourth quarter,” head coach Mo Owen wrote in an email. “(But) we also had a ton of negative yardage plays.”

With those losses, Medical Lake wound up with just seven yards rushing. “The holes weren’t there,” Owen said.

Priest River (2-1), scored twice in the first quarter with touchdowns from Riley Dement and Brandon McCracken and that’s the way things remained until the second half. Robbie Anselmo and Kody Salesky scored for the Spartans in the second half.

After playing a turnover-free opener the Cardinals had three interceptions and a lost fumble Saturday.

“I don’t remember if they set up any scores, but they all stopped our drives,” Owen said. “We turned the ball over first play of the game, but got it right back next drive with a pick of our own.”

Medical Lake continues to get solid play out of Alex Stith who both punts and played at defensive end. The junior punted three times for nearly a 34-yard per kick average.

“Alex is a good player we want to have the ball in his hands and have been trying to figure ways to do that,” Owen said. “He switched to defensive end this game and was great.”

There is certainly no time to rest as next up for Medical Lake is at Freeman (1-1) Friday at 7 p.m.

And this is not just your averagely good Freeman team. They are also likely mad as heck after losing 9-7 last Saturday to visiting Lethbridge, Alberta from Canada. The Scotties were 7-2 and runners-up to Deer Park in 2016 in the northeast A League.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.