Coach Won’t Veer From Run-Oriented Plan

Just who is new Coeur d’Alene High School head football coach Bill Anderson?

You needn’t look any further than across town to understand a little bit about Anderson.

Anderson will bring a veer-option philosophy to Coeur d’Alene, similar to that of Lake City coach Van Troxel.

Like Troxel, Anderson was a quarterback in his playing days. So what’s their fascination with a run-oriented offense?

A couple of things come to mind. Like Troxel, Anderson said his teams are noted for their discipline. Both coaches believe their teams will win more games - and, more importantly, lose fewer games - by making fewer mental and physical mistakes than opponents.

A run-first offensive philosophy certainly puts players in a situation to be more successful because it creates opportunities for the teams to complete a higher percentage of their passes.

Case in point is Lakeland. Coach Terry Kiefer’s run-to-set-up-the-pass attack has been highly successful over the years.

Anderson will inherit a team that, at least at the skill positions, could be a dangerous veer team. The huge question mark will be in the offensive line, where the Vikings will be inexperienced.

The Viks return a handful of talented running backs and the heir apparent at quarterback is junior-to-be Nick Rook.

Rook has a promising passing arm, but could blossom much quicker if he adapts to Anderson’s veer. There’s no way Rook could be effective in a drop-back attack (he’d be running for his life), but he could slice up opposing defenses in sprint-out and playaction sets.

Coaches from the Mid-Valley League in south-central Washington say Anderson’s teams are difficult to defend because they do many things out of a veer base.

New coach at Lakeland

Steve Seymour is the third head girls basketball coach in three years at Lakeland.

Seymour, a Coeur d’Alene High graduate, replaces Shelly McLean, who resigned after one season.

The impending birth of her first child and a long rookie season (3-16 overall) made McLean’s decision to step down easier. Seymour assisted Hawks boys basketball coach Mike Bayley as the junior varsity coach last year.

State-qualifying golf

Inland Empire League boys and girls teams will gather today in Lewiston at Bryden Canyon Golf Course for the A Region I Tournament.

For the top two teams and top four individuals, today’s state-qualifying round will serve as a tuneup for state, which will be held at the same course the following weekend. Play today begins at 11 a.m.

The Intermountain League, meanwhile, will stage the B District I-II Tournament on Saturday at Hidden Lakes Country Club, located seven miles northeast of Sandpoint. The top three boys and girls teams and top five individuals advance to state, which will be held at Stoneridge Golf Course in Blanchard.

But who’s in second?

We know Lewiston captured the Inland Empire League baseball title last week, but which team’s going to end up second and earn an all-important host berth in the regional tournament next week?

There are at least nine different scenarios (there could be more; we just got tired of doing the homework) involving which team finishes second. Post Falls (7-7), currently in second, and Lake City (6-8) are the only teams that can finish second.

Sandpoint (6-10) and Coeur d’Alene (5-9) split a doubleheader Tuesday. Both could finish as high as third or last. And finishing last is not where a team wants to be, because the fifth-place team must travel to the fourthplace finisher Tuesday in a loser-out playoff to get into the Region I Tournament. The regional winner and runner-up advance to state.

The Viks meet Lake City in a twinbill Friday and Post Falls wraps up regularseason play by traveling to league winner Lewiston on Saturday.

CdA is in the worst situation of the four teams jockeying for tournament seeding. The Viks must sweep LC to avoid a last-place finish.

Twilight relays

The annual Lakeland Relays will be held Friday at Corbit Field in Rathdrum.

Most Intermountain League teams and a couple Inland Empire League teams will compete in the relaxed meet.

All field events will begin at 4 p.m., following by running events at 5. The top three individual marks in the field events will be added together for a relay score in each event.