Click the tab below to read my unedited game story. I included blurbs on the Moscow, Kellogg and Clark Fork games. I'll update later with Lewiston and Priest River.

By Greg Lee

NAMPA, Idaho – The Coeur d’Alene High girls basketball team followed a similar pattern Thursday in its State 5A tournament opener.

The Vikings showed glimpses of brilliance coupled with, to borrow a term from coach Dale Poffenroth, stretches of stupidity and foul trouble.

The constant, though, for Coeur d’Alene is defense, and it definitely showed up as the second-ranked Vikings handled the No. 1-ranked Boise Braves 47-37 at the Idaho Center.

Coeur d’Alene (20-4 overall) will meet Highland (21-3) tonight at 5:15 PST in the semifinals.

Coeur d’Alene 47, Boise 37: Sure the Vikings have won two straight state championships and played in four consecutive state finals. But eight of CdA’s 11 players had never taken the court at the Idaho Center until Thursday.

Certainly the Viks could have been forgiven if they’d had some butterflies. But there was nary a jitter.

CdA started quickly, opening as much as a 13-point lead in the first half before settling for a 25-13 lead at halftime.

Then the Viks overcome some mistakes against the Braves’ fullcourt pressure in the third quarter when Boise pulled within 35-30.

CdA had an answer for Boise’s run, using an 8-0 spurt to start the fourth quarter to thwart any comeback hopes.

“We survived foul trouble and survived stupidity against the press,” Poffenroth said. “You look out there in the first half and go ‘when is the last time that group has played together’.”

How about never. Four CdA starters picked up two fouls in the first half. And as is Poffenroth’s rule, when a player picks up two fouls she sits the rest of the half.

CdA junior 6-foot-3 post Carli Rosenthal ended up sitting just about as much as she played (16 minutes, 24 seconds). Thankfully for the Viks, 5-8 freshman Kendalyn Brainard stepped up. She finished with a double double – 13 points and 12 rebounds.

“She’s got the body build to play inside in high school but she’ll play outside in college,” Poffenroth said. “She’s pretty mature for her age. She doesn’t get too flustered. All kids make mistakes, but she plays a lot like a junior out there.”

Vik senior guard Amanda Buttrey matched Brainard’s 13 points, playing all but 31 seconds. She was the lone starter not to get in foul trouble.

“I thought we played very well as a team,” Buttrey said. “We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season.”

CdA 5-8 freshman reserve guard Caelyn Orlandi ended up playing more time (21:44) than usual, and she drew the assignment of guarding Boise 6-0 senior guard Jordin Juker, who has yet to make a decision where she will play in college but it’s bound to be at an NCAA Division I school. Juker finished with 13 points.

“When you get a kid like Caelyn Orlandi who comes off the bench and stops a Division I kid like that, it helps,” Poffenroth said. “Those things (foul trouble) happen and that’s why you have a team. Other kids have to be part of what’s going on. I’m happy with what they did.”

Poffenroth was more than mildly concerned about the foul trouble, though. Especially when Rosenthal picked up her fourth with 2:38 to go in the third quarter.

That allowed Boise to pull within 35-30 going into the fourth quarter.

“If we don’t stop their run, it’s curtains,” Poffenroth said. “With the foul trouble, I thought we were in deep trouble.”

Lewiston 51, Mountain View 34: The Bengals decided things early and efficiently.

They used a 24-2 run over two quarters to open a 30-6 lead and never looked back. They led 32-11 at halftime.

Lewiston easily played the best of all the 5A teams Thursday. Freshman guard Karlee Wilson led with 18 points and four steals and senior Jessica Kramer had 12.

4A

Rigby 36, Moscow 26: The Trojans rallied in the second half to top the Bears in an opener at Mountain View High School in Meridian.

Abi Quinnett led Moscow (7-16) with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Moscow takes on Twin Falls (16-10) in a loser-out game today.

3A

It was a grand day for the Intermountain League.

Priest River and Kellogg pulled off first-round victories at Skyview High in Nampa. Kellogg topped Marsh Valley 45-37 and Priest River stopped Fruitland 41-32.

Priest River 41, Fruitland 32: The Spartans jumped out 13-3.

The Grizzlies fought back to tie it at 29-29 going into the fourth quarter. But PR outscored Fruitland 12-3 in the decisive quarter.

Taylor Stewart led PR (17-6) with 17 points and Melissa Hopkins had 13 and 12 rebounds.

The Spartans take on Kimberly (20-2) tonight at 7.

Kellogg 45, Marsh Valley 37: The Wildcats jumped on the Eagles in the first half, opening a 28-15 lead by halftime in the opener at Skyview High in Nampa.

Kellogg forced 20 turnovers. Kirsten Viche led the Wildcats (17-8) with 17 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and two assists. Teammate Chelsea Morgan had 11 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

Kellogg takes on Weiser (15-8) in the semifinals tonight at 5:15 PST.

1A Division II

Richfield 57, Clark Fork 39: The Tigers forced the Wampus Cats into 35 turnovers, and that was the telling difference in the opener at Nampa High School.

Sasha and Teenie Kent scored 23 and 20 points respectively to lead Richfield (19-4), and Sasha had 11 steals.

Shaina Gustafson led Clark Fork (15-6) with 15 points, five steals and four assists.

CF will take on Rockland today in a loser-out game.

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