Basketball teams get into spirit of season
The calendar has flipped to January and that can only mean one thing – it’s time for those ever-lovable spirit basketball doubleheaders.
Of course, there’s more to January than spirit games. In fact, you might want to buckle your seat belts because things will get fast and furious in the second half of the basketball season. March will be here faster than you can say, “It’s not my turn to shovel the driveway.”
First up in the North Idaho spirit doubleheaders is the Fight for the Fish between the city rivals. The Lake City boys and girls face off with Coeur d’Alene at Elmer Jordan Court on Friday. The Vikings will be out to reverse last year’s results.
Not only did LC’s boys and girls sweep, but the Timberwolves took home the wooden rainbow trout, the trophy for all the spirit festivities. The games are non-league. The girls tip off at 5:45 p.m. and the boys follow at about 7:30.
The CdA boys are ranked No. 1, but the girls, who were atop the poll before the holidays, slipped to second. The ranking for the Vikings boys is deserved and there’s no doubt here that the Vikings girls are the best in the state. CdA’s boys are off to a fast start with conference road victories over LC and Lewiston. CdA’s girls, who swept the league series against LC, have the title all but wrapped up.
•Lakeland will host for the first time the Prairie Pig doubleheader Jan. 17 at Hawk Court, the Rathdrum school’s new gymnasium, which seats about 1,800. The girls tip off at 6, followed by the boys at 7:45.
Former Post Falls coach dies
Charles William “C.W.” Totten, who coached Post Falls High boys basketball teams to back-to-back state titles in 1963 and 1964, died Jan. 3 at his home in Longview, Wash. He was 75.
Totten was a 1950 Coeur d’Alene High graduate. He attended Boise Junior College and completed his teaching degree at the University of Idaho where he played basketball.
He moved to Kelso, Wash., in 1968. He also had stops in Moses Lake and Evergreen in Vancouver. He retired from teaching in 1992.
This ‘n’ that
Here’s a look at the North Idaho boys and girls basketball races as teams dive into the heart of their schedules:
•In IEL boys, CdA (10-1, 4-0) has a one-game lead over Lake City (8-3, 3-1) and Post Falls (5-7, 3-1). Lewiston (6-4, 2-2) and Moscow (5-5, 2-2) are next, followed by Sandpoint (4-7, 0-4) and Lakeland (3-6, 0-4). Moscow has an edge in 4A Region I seeding with first-half victories over Sandpoint and Lakeland.
•In IEL girls, CdA (14-1, 8-0) has a sizeable lead over Lake City (12-3, 7-2) and Post Falls (13-2, 5-2). Watch out for Post Falls in the second half of the season. The Trojans, who have battled through some injuries, are finally healthy.
Following Post Falls is Lewiston (6-9, 4-4), Sandpoint (6-9, 2-5), Lakeland (3-11, 1-6) and Moscow (0-15, 0-8). Sandpoint has the edge in 4A with victories over Lakeland and Moscow.
•In Intermountain League boys, Kellogg (6-4, 2-0) has a slim lead over favored Bonners Ferry (7-6, 1-0). St. Maries (5-5, 1-1) is next, followed by Priest River (5-7, 0-1) and Timberlake (0-11, 0-2).
•In IML girls, Priest River (13-1, 2-0) and Kellogg (10-1, 2-0) are co-leaders. Bonners Ferry (7-7, 1-1) is next, followed by St. Maries (8-5, 1-2) and Timberlake (5-8, 0-3). Priest River and Kellogg play the first of two league games Jan. 19 at Kellogg.
•In North Star League boys, Wallace (6-2, 3-0) is out in front. Kootenai (6-3, 1-0) is next, followed by Lakeside (5-2, 1-1), Coeur d’Alene Charter (4-5, 1-2) and Mullan (2-9, 0-3). Clark Fork (2-9) has yet to play a league game.
•In NSL girls, Kootenai (3-8, 2-0) is in front. Lakeside (4-7, 2-1) is next, followed by Clark Fork (7-6, 2-2), Wallace (1-10, 1-1) and Mullan (0-9, 0-3).
Wrestling
The annual River City Duals will be held Friday and Saturday at Post Falls High School.
Lakeland is the defending champ. The 22-team tourney begins at 3 p.m. on Friday and concludes with matches for the top 10 places at 5 p.m. on Saturday.