Not as easy, the result still the same - No. 8 Skyline repeats as Class 4A champions with a 20-6 victory over Sandpoint

Replacing 27 seniors, and then starting the fall season at 1-3 - the Skyline Grizzlies were the forgotten state football champions in Idaho.

But they re-emerged just in time.

Led by a dominant defensive effort, and a pair of Lachlan Haacke-to-Kenyon Sadiq first-half touchdowns, the eight-ranked Grizzlies beat No. 5 Sandpoint, 20-6, at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow on Friday to repeat as Class 4A champions.

In fact, the Grizzlies become the first team to repeat in 4A since ... well, themselves. They won back-to-back crowns in 2016 and 2017.

It was also the school's eighth 4A title since 1984.

"We knew we had some talent on offense, but they were young kids," Skyline coach Scott Berger said. "A lot of them did not have a ton of varsity experience. And we started with a tough schedule, and had some growing pains."

But even as the team piled up four losses, including to rival Idaho Falls, Berger saw enough progress to think, 'We were going to be OK," he said.

And they were every bit of that Friday night.

The play that turned the game in Skyline's favor for good came at the end of the first half - with the Grizzlies protecting a 14-6 lead.

Facing a fourth-and-16 play from the Sandpoint 27-yard line, Haacke lofted a pass up - and Sadiq, one of the top juniors in the state, elevated over everyone to haul it in for a touchdown to give Skyline a 20-6 lead.

"He has come a long ways," Berger said. "I think he has a nice future."

After committing three turnovers in the first half, the Bulldogs just couldn't muster sustained drives to cut into Skyline's lead.

Sandpoint has now finished second in the state four times in the past two decades.

"Ryan Knowles (Sandpoint coach) does a great job, and they are a good team," Berger said. "Certain teams match up well against certain teams, and we seem to match up well against their style of offense."