Kline leads Blackhawks past Lakeland 21-10

You've got to have some trust in what you're doing in order to achieve success.

The Cheney High School football team found that out in a big way last Friday on the road at Idaho's 4A classification Lakeland. The Blackhawks trusted their defense to keep the then-undefeated Hawks (3-1) high-powered offense in check long enough for Cheney's offense to get in gear - which they did in the second half en route to a 21-10 non-league win.

After gaining just 10 yards on the ground in the first half, senior running back Austin Kline broke a pair of touchdown runs of 73 and 69 yards in the final 16 minutes - the latter coming after the Blackhawks defense stopped Lakeland on fourth down deep inside Cheney territory in the fourth quarter.

"Coming into their place when they were 3-0, it's a great win for us in the sense of building the kids confidence," Cheney head coach Bobby Byrd said Sunday night.

Early on it was the defense that provided the opportunities for Cheney. Trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, the Blackhawks found themselves needing a defensive stand after Lakeland drove inside the Cheney 10.

On second and goal, Devon Waterman was in the right place at the right time, picking off what Byrd thought was a handoff from Hawks quarterback Tyrel Derrick and sprinting the other way before being hauled down at the Lakeland 40. A couple plays later quarterback Josh Martin hooked up with wide receiver Chance Gleave on a scoring pass that gave the Blackhawks a 7-3 half-time lead.

The teams matched touchdowns in the third quarter, Kline motoring 73 yards for Cheney's score and a 14-3 margin. Lakeland answered with Derrick capping a drive with a four-yard score.

Byrd said their offensive success came down mainly to executing and cleaning up a few things in their scheme during halftime. He also said the Blackhawks use of multiple running backs meant the Hawks had to adjust to different running styles.

While Kline is a "between the tackles, run you over" style of back, Shane Hammel provides shifty quickness while Ty Graham is a "smart" back that brings a combination of both speed and toughness.

"It's nice to have some backs with a different pace," Byrd said.

And as they have the first two games, the defense kept Cheney within striking distance. It wasn't an easy task, given the Hawks unorthodox offensive schemes that employ a lot of misdirection.

"You almost can't prepare for Lakeland's misdirection, they carry out fakes so well," Byrd said. "We picked that up, stayed with what we do and trusted the system."

Cheney improves to 2-1 on the year and prepares to hit the road for a fourth straight time with a trip to Sunnyside this Friday. The Grizzlies have a 3A enrollment but are opting to play up to 4A in order to be in the Yakima Valley's Big Nine Conference.

Byrd said Sunnyside (0-3) is big up front on both sides of the ball. Offensively they have a between the tackles running game with a pair of good backs, including 200-pound Isaac Palomino, who rushed for 99 yards in a 28-7 loss last Friday at North Central.

The biggest challenge for Cheney might come off the field in the form of a three-plus hour-long bus ride. If Byrd and his coaches can keep the Blackhawks focused and disciplined on the field after the travel time, he thinks they have the ability to have a happy bus ride home.

"They're playing the way I knew they could," Byrd said.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].