Panhandle picks with Greg Lee

As many as four North Idaho teams could challenge for state championships. So I’m more than ready for some football.

Panhandle Picks returns for an 11th year to predict the matchups along the way. Yours truly has defeated the guests nine out of 10 seasons, including last year, when I invited friends who had defeated me in previous years for return face-offs.

As has become my rule, you won’t see the mug of a previous guest this season. I’ll take on new opponents until the final week of the regular season when my teammate, Jim Meehan, returns for his annual spanking.

My first guess is finding out what it’s like to have an autumn to himself. Lee Libera, a longtime assistant football coach at Lakeland, resigned to take a year off after 23 seasons as an offensive and defensive coordinator at the Rathdrum school.

Libera, who turned 50 in March, is a Southern California native who landed in his first teaching and coaching jobs at Lakeland straight out of college in 1979.

Look for Libera to return to the sidelines next year. He’ll find that he misses it too much.

University at Lake City: The Timberwolves should have an easy time in their debut. The visiting Titans have been picked to finish 10th out of 14 teams in the Greater Spokane League.

The only way this game is close is if LC gets bogged down with turnovers and penalties. LC 35, U-Hi 6.

Guest: (LC coach) Van Troxel and his coaches have this program as one of the top programs in the state. I see them starting off this year where they left off last year. LC 28, U-Hi 10.

Coeur d’Alene at East Valley: The Vikings broke out fast in their 34-7 win over Flathead (Mont.) last week. But CdA receives a much more difficult test Friday.

The Knights could finish as high as third in the GSL. But EV will have problems stopping CdA’s multi-dimensional offense. CdA 28, EV 14.

Guest: This could be Shawn Amos’ (CdA coach’s) best team. CdA 35, EV 7.

Bonners Ferry at Lakeland: The Badgers didn’t find Canadian football to their liking in a 33-7 loss at Raymond, Alberta. They’re not going to find it any better at Rathdrum.

The Hawks figure they would have challenged for the Intermountain League title had they not moved up to 4A this season. So they not only want to make a good impression, but they want to show there’s a difference between 4A and 3A. LL 35, BF 13.

Guest: I think Bonners Ferry is better than it showed last week, but Lakeland has a great staff and tough kids. LL 28, BF 7.