Work to be done

The final votes in the NWPrepsNow football rankings were spread all over the board.

Unbeaten and defending State 2B champion Lind-Ritzville/Sprague, which has won 20 straight games dating back to the start of the 2012 season, received three first-place votes and 39 points to stay atop the rankings. The Broncos finish regular-season play tonight when they play host to Colfax. They’ll turn around and entertain Northwest Christian in a play-in game Friday.

“The Broncos have a tough stretch – three games in seven days, but they’ll be up for the task,” Spokesman-Review prep writer Greg Lee wrote in submitting his votes.

There was some jockeying in the second-through-sixth positions.

Coeur d’Alene jumped to second, receiving one first-place vote and 33 points.

“The Viks will earn a fourth consecutive trip to the state final,” Lee said.

Ferris, which received two first-place votes, and Freeman, which received one first-place vote, finished tied for third with 29 points.

“Freeman (9-0) won the NEA and No. 1 seed into the playoffs – a great season for the Scotties,” panelist Paul Sorensen said.

Said Lee: “Now we’ll see if the Scotties’ dominance in the NEA can hold up in the postseason.”

The final first-place vote went to Shadle Park, which received 27 points and is fifth.

“The Highlanders should make a deep postseason run,” Lee said.

Wallace, 9-0 and ranked third in Idaho’s 1A Division I ranks, settled at sixth with five points.

Also receiving votes were Mt. Spokane and Gonzaga Prep.