Lake City Top Hope For Iel Timberwolves Could Add To League’s State History

It wouldn’t be a reach to predict that an Inland Empire League girls basketball team will end up in the State A-1 championship game in February.

History supports such a scenario.

In the past 15 years, 12 IEL teams have played in state title contests, including six out of the past seven and the last three in a row.

That string could extend to four this season.

The team with the best chance at carrying the league’s banner at state is Lake City, which captured a state championship in its first year in 1994-95.

Or so say the coaches and the LC coach.

“Lake City should be a favorite to win state,” Post Falls coach Chris Johnson said.

Said LC coach Dave Stockwell: “I think we can be as good as anybody in the state barring injuries.”

LC, which knocked off eventual state runner-up Sandpoint in the Region I title game last year, returns the nucleus from a team that lost to Borah in the game for third place. Borah, undefeated until Sandpoint upset the Lions in the semifinals, returns as much talent as LC.

The IEL receives one automatic state berth and a berth to a playoff to decide another state invitation.

The league’s state-qualifying regional tournament will feature some changes this year. Among the new twists are:

The regional tourney will be held at the home of the league champ.

The format will be true double elimination.

The championship game will be moved from Saturday to Tuesday, thus trimming the layoff before state for the Region I champion from 11 days to eight.

State will be held Feb. 20-22 at Nampa’s Snake River Stampede Events Center, which is still under construction.

Other leagues

There could be a changing of the guard in more ways than one this year in the Intermountain League.

Moscow captured its fourth State A-2 title in five years last season. But the architect of the Bears’ program, Sally Greene, resigned following the season.

Poised to knock the Bears off the IML throne is Bonners Ferry. Ever-improving Priest River hopes to challenge Moscow and Bonners Ferry for one of the league’s two state berths.

The first two days of the state tourney (Feb. 20-22) will be held at Centennial in Meridian. The title game will be played at Nampa’s new arena.

It was believed the North Star League was down last year. But all that league and district champion Lakeside did was bring home the third-place trophy from state.

Although Lakeside’s depth may be a question mark this season, the road to state will still go through Plummer until another team forces a detour.

District will be held at a neutral site, either Lakeland or Post Falls. With the state tourney expanding to 16 teams, two teams advance to state.

State will be held Feb. 19-22. The first three days will be held at Middleton and Kuna before concluding at the new arena in Nampa.

A-3 independent Wallace will field its youngest team in years.

The Miners will meet the Central Idaho League’s district runner-up in a playoff for a state berth. State (Feb. 20-22) will be held at Vallivue in Caldwell the first two days and conclude at Nampa.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IEL HISTORY LESSON Inland Empire League teams have been frequent finalists in the State A-1 Tournament. 1981-82: Sandpoint runner-up 1982-83: Sandpoint runner-up 1983-84: Coeur d’Alene state champ Sandpoint runner-up 1984-85: Lewiston runner-up 1985-86: Lewiston runner-up 1986-87: CdA runner-up 1987-88: No IEL teams 1988-89: No IEL teams 1989-90: Post Falls runner-up 1990-91: CdA state champ 1991-92: CdA state champ 1992-93: No IEL teams 1993-94: CdA state champ 1994-95: Lake City state champ 1995-96: Sandpoint runner-up