Great Memories, But One Regret Post Falls Stars Wish They Had Been Closer To Christina Finney
As Darick Pope and Ian Waltz reflected specifically on their standout senior seasons at Post Falls High School - and their careers in general - a similar regret came to mind.
It has nothing to do with their feats. Both wish they’d been closer friends with Christina Finney, their classmate who died last week in a car accident five days before graduation.
Finney’s death especially struck close to home to Pope. He had dated Finney briefly a few years ago.
“The only regret that I have is I wish I was a better friend with Christina,” Pope said. “We were friends; we lived across the street from each other, but you could always be better friends. She was a class act. There was nobody nicer or sweeter.”
Pope and Waltz have been named the co-recipients of The Spokesman-Review’s Idaho Male Athlete of the Year honor.
Waltz and Pope - along with Finney - were a couple of reasons why the Class of 1995 will long be remembered at Post Falls.
Post Falls hasn’t witnessed a pair of talented athletes like Waltz and Pope since the early 1980s, when Joe Tofflemire and Rollin Putzier were making headlines.
Pope and Waltz started the year off as teammates on one of the most successful Post Falls football teams in modern history. Pope was the offensive sparkplug at quarterback while Waltz, at defensive end, caused opponents fits.
They led the Trojans to their first Inland Empire League victory over Coeur d’Alene (27-13). Post Falls beat CdA again in the state playoffs (17-0). The Trojans’ 9-2 season ended in a 28-25 semifinal loss to Burley.
The 6-foot-6 Pope rewrote the Trojans record book, passing for 1,947 yards and completing 117 of 248 passes. He had 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and added six more TDs rushing. He finished with 2,188 yards of total offense.
His season and sparkling potential landed him a full-ride scholarship to nearby Quarterback University, Idaho.
Pope turned in the football for a basketball and assisted the Trojans to one of their most successful seasons in recent memory.
In a game that ranks among several fond memories for Pope, the Trojans captured the league championship with a win at Lewiston.
“I don’t think Post Falls had ever beaten Lewiston in varsity basketball, and to go down there and beat them in their house was great,” Pope said.
Pope wrapped up his year by capturing a silver medal in the 110-meter high hurdles.
“It all went too fast,” he said, summing up his senior year. “I lived it up and did everything I could in high school. I’m going to miss it all. Our whole senior class were such good friends and it was very apparent on the football and basketball teams. I consider my friends more than friends. They were like brothers.”
Waltz will share many of the same memories of the senior class.
Two numbers aptly summarize Waltz’s year: 203-9 and 63-0.
That’s how far he threw the discus and shot put. His state-meet record 203-9 ranked No. 1 in the nation this spring and the 63-0 in the shot ranked sixth.
He easily collected state titles in both events, and returned this morning from the prestigious Golden West meet in Sacramento, Calif., where he competed Saturday.
His return will be brief, as four friends will pick him up at the airport this morning and drive to Seattle, where they will board a plane for a week-long trip in Hawaii.
Waltz deserves the vacation. In fact, after spending countless hours since November and through mid-May training for the state track meet, he doesn’t plan on thinking much about the shot or discus, the events in which he will specialize next year when he attends Washington State University.
“It was a lot of hard work and it means a lot to me,” Waltz said about the track season.
There wasn’t anything random about Waltz’s training regimen. Coach Dan Nipp was there to make sure Waltz stayed the course.
Waltz gives Nipp much credit.
“He’ll always have a special place in my heart,” Waltz said.
Their high school careers may be over, but Waltz and Pope are far from finished athletically.
For the moment, Waltz and Pope have replaced Tofflemire and Putzier as the most recent pair of multi-talented athletes.
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