Timberlake could take final step

For the first time in three decades, Kootenai County will not be represented in the State 5A girls basketball tournament.

That doesn’t mean North Idaho will go unrepresented when the state tournaments begin today in the Boise area.

The team with the best chance at faring well is Timberlake. The Tigers have taken second place three out of the last four years.

Intermountain League and District I champ Timberlake (19-3) takes on Fruitland (16-7) at the 3A tourney at Skyview High School in Nampa. Another IML team, Priest River (16-7), which earned a state berth in a play-in game last Saturday, opens against Filer (17-9).

This could be the year Timberlake breaks through.

“You need to play well, you need a little luck and you have to stay healthy,” Timberlake coach Matt Miller said.

Miller knows all too well about that last part. The Tigers have dealt with all sorts of injuries. Only five of Miller’s 11 players have played in every game.

He lost a player to a season-ending knee injury; another to a concussion; another to a foot injury; and sophomore starter Keelie Lawler missed a combined 10 games with a nerve issue in a leg and a concussion.

“We’re as healthy as we’ve been all year,” Miller said. “They’re a hard-working group and a lot of kids are contributing. It’s a high-character team, too.”

Lawler and sophomore Allison Kirby both started as freshmen on last year’s runner-up team. Kirby leads the Tigers with 16 points per game. She was a second-team All-Idaho pick last year. Lawler, a first-team All-Idaho pick a year ago, averages 13.5 ppg.

“I like our chances,” Miller said. “A good amount of our players have been there before.”

Priest River is making its sixth straight trip to state. The Spartans won the title in 2010.

4A: Sandpoint is headed to state for a second straight year with a second coach in as many years.

Bill Bender got Sandpoint back to state for the first time since 2004 last year but had to step down because of a health issue in his family.

Duane Ward, who coached Sandpoint to state in 1995-96 when the Bulldogs took second place, took over and is taking his second team to state.

Sandpoint (13-8) takes on Kuna (16-7) when the tourney begins at Timberline High School in Boise.

“They’re playing well right now,” Ward said. “The last three or four games they’ve been playing their best basketball.”

Junior Madi Schoening leads Sandpoint, averaging 21 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 2.2 assists. She had 28 points and 15 rebounds in the Bulldogs’ win over Moscow in the Region I title game. She had a career-high 49 points earlier in the season.

Freshman Grace Kirscher is averaging 10 ppg.

“If we play like we’ve been playing, we can compete favorably down there,” Ward said.

1A Division II: Lakeside of Plummer/Worley qualified for the first time since 2004.

The Knights open against second-ranked Dietrich (20-3) when the tourney begins at Caldwell High.