Viks’ Brainard has endured much

To say Kendalyn Brainard’s basketball career has been up and down is putting it mildly.

Brainard, a four-year starter at Coeur d’Alene, suffered the extremes of elation and disappointment. She was a starter as a freshman on the Vikings’ state championship team, then had to sit out her sophomore year recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

As a junior, Brainard helped lead CdA back to state, and the Viks were heavily favored to capture another state title. But they were upset in the semifinals, finishing third.

CdA again expected to challenge for a state title this year. But along the way, Brainard sustained a sprained ankle that would have sidelined most players for the rest of the season.

She missed back-to-back loser-out games that CdA won to qualify for state. Then she had a cast removed from her foot so she could play the final three games.

The final moment of disappointment wasn’t losing to Post Falls in the title game last month. No it happened late in the third quarter when she went up for a layup. She tore the meniscus in her right knee.

Brainard believes the injury occurred because she was favoring her sprained ankle.

Now she won’t be able to play Saturday in the Idaho All-Star basketball game at North Idaho College. Tipoff is at 1, preceding the boys game. The games pit the North against the South.

Brainard had surgery last week and began rehab this week.

The sprain nagged her throughout the championship game. Still, even after tearing her meniscus, she played in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Gutty doesn’t begin to describe Brainard.

“I went up for the layup and put all my weight on my knee and came down weird,” said the 5-foot-8 Brainard, who signed to play at the University of Great Falls in Montana.

Here are the area girls playing Saturday: Caelyn Orlandi (CdA), Lexi Turkenberg (CdA Charter), Josie Coder (Lakeland), Kassie Torres (Lake City), Natahnee Spencer (Lapwai), Karlee Wilson (Lewiston), Katie King (Post Falls), Brooke Litalien (Post Falls), Hallie Gennett (Post Falls), Dani Failor (Post Falls), Steffie Pavey (Priest River) and Jenna Hoffman (Timberlake).

Here are the area boys playing: Garret Wendt (Kellogg), Ben Whipple (Kootenai), Matt Horne (Lakeland), Riley Moreen (Lake City), Drew Hocking (LC), Sam Heitzman (Lewiston), Rafe Hewitt-Steiger (Lewiston), Dane Randall (Moscow), Kyle Snyder (Moscow), Keaton Corr (Post Falls), Warren Joiner (St. Maries), Johnny Hayden (Timbelake), Jared Moore (Coeur d’Alene) and Austin Linnemeyer (St. Maries).

All-State events

The annual all-state volleyball matches are Saturday at Fife HS. The 2B/1B players go against 1A at 2, the 2A and 1A face off at 4 and the 4A and 3A players follow at 6.

Area players were selected to play are: Darby Santos (Shadle Park), Kennedie Clute (Mt. Spokane), Brittani Harvey (Pullman), Joelle Buckner (Colville), Callie Hanson (East Valley), Jacy Vining (Colville), Kaitlin Druffel (Colton), Brynna Stevens (Almira/Coulee-Hartline), Katie Renstrom (Tekoa-Oakesdale), Kendall Todd (Odessa-Harrington), Koralynn Kuch (O-H), Haley Adams (Cusick), Holly Leendesten (Garfield-Palouse), Cassie Thompson (Gar-Pal), Chantel Heath (Reardan) and Amelie Bruya (Colfax).

• The Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association All-State games are Saturday at Curtis High School near Tacoma.

The 2B/1B game is at 2, the 2A/1A is at 4 and the 4A/3A concludes at 6.

A handful of area players were selected to play. They are: Austin Rehkow (Central Valley), Brett Bailey (University), Corey Langerveld (Pullman), Josh Likkel (Davenport), Brady Ellis (Colfax), Nick Brockman (Reardan) and AJ Kieffer (Wellpinit).

Pullman coach Craig Brantner was the recipient in 2A for the Wayne Gillman Award and Colfax coach Reece Jenkin was the 2B winner.