Greg Lee

You have to applaud the jobs done by football coaches Satini Puailoa of Sandpoint and Van Troxel of Lake City. It's appropriate, too, that both were voted as co-coaches of the year by their peers.

Idaho prep basketball After sleepwalking for 3-1/2 quarters, the Lake City High girls basketball team awoke just in time to put out about 4 solid minutes of play. Although Sandpoint's effort was commendable, even a half-asleep LC team was too much for the talent-challenged Bulldogs. The visiting Timberwolves captured the inaugural Border League game Tuesday 59-33 in Bulldogs Gym.

1. Sandpoint's Dave Mattingly (36) and Bradon Jacobson sandwich Tyler Moyer. Photo by Troy Maben/Special to The Spokesman-Review 2. Sandpoint quarterback Paul Nieman lets loose a pass on the way to a two-touchdown performance. Photo by Troy Maben/Special to The Spokesman-Review

Sandpoint left guard Pat Williams was on his knees at midfield with his tree-trunk-sized arms wrapped around his mother. The tears were flowing as son and mother allowed the emotion of the past year and the Bulldogs' 24-21 rally over Eagle in the State A-1 Division II championship game spill onto the blue frozen turf at Boise State University's Bronco Stadium.

Sandpoint quarterback Paul Nieman lets loose a pass on the way to a two-touchdown performance. Photo by Troy Maben/Special to The Spokesman-Review

Bowman

The landscape in Intermountain League football - and statewide, for that matter - will go through a face lift in 1998 as several schools change divisions. Although Moscow will leave the A-2 IML for the A-1 Inland Empire League, the A-2 conference will add three teams. Grangeville and Orofino will join the IML for football only next year, expanding the conference to eight teams with the inclusion of Timberlake, the new high school in the Lakeland School District.

All-North Idaho volleyball team (left to right): Keely Kinzer (Sandpoint), Lindsay Herbert (Lake City), Rochelle Ruen (Sandpoint), coach Jeff Hurst (Sandpoint), Jessica Lippi (Sandpoint), Janelle Ruen (Post Falls), Bridgette O'Dwyer (St. Maries), Alicia Adams (St. Maries). Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Dave Rust, right, aims to throw his weight around in the state championship game. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Sandpoint High senior safety Dave Mattingly stopped celebrating the Bulldogs' 14-13 victory over Lewiston to reiterate a point he'd made prior to Friday's A-1 Division II semifinal football game. "I told you that if the defense played well we'd win," said Mattingly before joining his teammates in a huddle near midfield.

Half the players on the Sandpoint High football team were barely twinkles in their parents' eyes the last time a Bulldogs team defeated Lewiston. No victory over Lewiston ranks more important than the Bulldogs' 14-13 triumph Friday in a State A-1 Division II semifinal at the University of Idaho's Kibbie Dome.

With 2:42 left before halftime the lights went out for the Lakeside Knights. Actually, things turned dark when Lakeside quarterback Ken Pluff's lights were knocked out. Pluff was steamrolled by three blitzing players after throwing the ball. Play was stopped for about 10 minutes as Pluff lay on the Kibbie Dome turf surrounded by coaches, players and trainers.

Three Panhandle high school football teams hope to be making travel arrangements to Milk Bowl '97 after semifinal games this weekend. In what promises to be an entertaining doubleheader Friday at the University of Idaho's Kibbie Dome, Sandpoint (7-3 overall) and Lewiston (7-2-1) collide in an A-1 Division II game at 7:30 p.m. after Lakeside (9-1) and traditional power Deary (9-0) tangle 3 hours earlier in an A-4 8-man game. In an A-2 semifinal Saturday, Lakeland (7-2-1) is at Weiser (7-3) at 1 p.m. MST.

Sandpoint's defensive linemen are getting their heads into the game. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Janelle Ruen of Post Falls is one of the top returning players in North Idaho, but Lake City will be the team to beat. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Sandpoint's Kurt Berkley slogs through the mud over Lake City's Todd Johnson. Berkley scored a pair of second-half touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

They couldn't decide a clear-cut champion during the regular season. But one of the three co-Inland Empire League football champs - Sandpoint, Lake City or Lewiston - could emerge as the best by postseason's end. First things first, however.

Kurt Reese has had a phenomenal baseball career but now he's getting recruiting interest in football. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Sandpoint's Caleb Bowman is IEL's best athlete. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review

Moscow High School head football coach Eric Bjorkman is thankful his team survived the Kansas Tiebreaker to decide the Intermountain League's second berth to the state playoffs Tuesday. He just doesn't like the system used to settle the three-way tie.

Snadpoint's Rochelle Ruen slams a shot past Highland's Joy Kugler. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

1. State A-2: St. Maries' Bridgett O'Dwyer (22) and Alicia Adams help shut down Weiser and Gretchen Wenderoth. The Lumberjacks went 1-1 on the first day. Story, C7. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review 2. LC's Lindsay Herbert squeezes a spike between Centennial's Melissa Boyle and McKenzie Hessing in the first round. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

The best high school girls basketball player in Idaho - and one of the top players in the Inland Northwest - plans to attend college out of state next year. Lake City High standout Lindsay Herbert gave the University of Utah an oral commitment Wednesday. Herbert, a 5-foot-11 guard/wing, chose the school in Salt Lake City over Colorado and Montana.

State cross country Odds are against a North Idaho high school cross country team capturing a championship at the state meets Saturday. But don't tell that to the Bonners Ferry and Lake City boys teams. They have the best opportunities of placing high among Panhandle teams. And they've prepared as if they're going to claim state titles.