Bulldogs Sink Davis in Yakima, Set Eyes on Pocatello

Yakima, WA – September 12, 2025

The Sandpoint Bulldogs extended their perfect start to the season with a commanding 45–15 road victory over the A.C. Davis Pirates at Zaepfel Stadium. It was Sandpoint’s fourth win of the year and third long-distance road trip, pushing their season travel total to nearly 3,000 miles.

Defense Smothers Davis

The Bulldog defense stole the show from the opening whistle, holding the Pirates to negative rushing yards through three quarters and forcing them to rely almost exclusively on the pass. Linebacker Roman Turnbull led the charge in the box, while Lucas Garrison and Jack Schriber shut down Davis’ perimeter threats and cleaned up plays in space.

By limiting Davis to just two touchdowns on more than 40 pass attempts, Sandpoint’s defensive identity once again proved to be relentless pressure up front, disciplined coverage downfield, and big plays in critical moments.

Offensive Attack Unleashed

After an early red-zone fumble, the Bulldog offense roared to life:

• Jensen Sheetz (Jr., RB) delivered his best performance yet, rushing 17 times for 134 yards and 3 touchdowns, with scoring runs of 1, 4, and 2 yards.

• Braden Buckhout (Sr., QB) stayed sharp, going 9-for-14 for 201 yards and a touchdown, including a 53-yard strike to Maverick Gomez. He added 37 yards rushing.

• Maverick Gomez (Sr., WR) stretched the field with 3 catches for 77 yards and the long touchdown.

• Wes Smith (Sr., RB) handled the second-half workload, scoring his first two touchdowns of the season on runs of 6 and 2 yards.

• Zach Beers (Sr., RB) provided depth with a career-high 60 yards on 10 carries, helping the Bulldogs wear down the Pirate defense late.

Sandpoint piled up 528 total yards, averaging nearly 6.7 yards per carry on the ground.

Special Teams Edge

Junior Brock Yarbrough continues to shine across all three phases. He went a perfect 6-for-6 on PATs and capped the scoring with a career-long 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. He also forced a critical fumble on Davis’ opening second-half drive, swinging momentum firmly in Sandpoint’s favor.

Road Warriors

Friday marked Sandpoint’s third long road trip in four weeks. Despite the miles and travel challenges, the Bulldogs have shown focus, resilience, and the ability to start fast in hostile environments. At 4–0, they remain one of the Inland Empire’s most battle-tested teams.

Looking Ahead: Revenge Game vs. Pocatello

Next up, the Bulldogs travel to Washington–Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, MT for a Thursday night matchup against Pocatello. This one carries extra weight:

• In 2023, Pocatello ended Sandpoint’s playoff run with a 44–23 win.

• In 2024, the Thunder edged the Bulldogs 49–48 in a regular-season thriller decided by a last-second goal-line stop on a two-point conversion.

Pocatello is coming off a tough loss to Blackfoot, but they remain one of Idaho’s most dangerous 5A teams. Expect another heavyweight battle between two programs with playoff expectations.

For Sandpoint, the keys will be:

• Continuing to balance the ground game of Sheetz/Palmer with Buckhout’s arm.

• Neutralizing Pocatello’s tempo offense with disciplined coverage in the secondary.

• Winning the turnover battle, as both of last year’s meetings swung on mistakes and late-game execution.

  
  

Final: Sandpoint 45, A.C. Davis 15

The Bulldogs proved dominant once again — and now set their sights on Pocatello, a familiar foe and the next big test in what is shaping up to be a statement season.