Stockwell Hopes Stock Will Hold New Coach Leads Lc In Defense Of State Title
There’s a new face guiding the most successful high school girls basketball program in Idaho.
Dave Stockwell, longtime assistant to Dave Fealko who built the program first at Coeur d’Alene and now at Lake City, begins his first season at the controls.
All indication is Stockwell will pick up where Fealko left.
Stockwell hopes he has more success during the high school season than he did last summer coaching two all-star teams. He coached the North Idaho team that lost to Eastern Washington then he took a team from the Panhandle that finished fourth out of four teams in the state Basketball Congress International (BCI) tournament.
“I hope I have a little better luck (this season),” he said, laughing.
He should. Fealko may be gone, but he didn’t leave the cupboard bare. LC will be out to defend its state championship.
It should be one of the most competitive seasons ever in the A-1 Inland Empire League. The IEL receives, as usual, one automatic berth to state and a berth to a playoff for a state invitation.
The league champion and runner-up earn home openers in the regional tournament. The tourney concludes at Coeur d’Alene. State will be held Feb. 8-10 at College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.
After three straight State A-2 championships, Moscow took fourth last year. But that was quite an accomplishment for the Bears.
Bonners Ferry took a senior-laden team to state and finished runner-up.
Moscow is expected to repeat as league and district champion. Two teams will advance to state from the Intermountain League. The IML champion and runner-up receive first-round byes at district, which will be played at Coeur d’Alene.
State will be held Feb. 8-10 at Wendell High School near Twin Falls.
Lakeside rejoined the North Star League last year and promptly walked away with the district title and berth to state.
Falls Christian Academy of Post Falls and Clark Fork hope to make the chase for the state berth a three-team race. Four of the five teams qualify for district, which will be held at a neutral site, either Lakeland or Post Falls.
To put a premium on league play, the NSL champion would have to be beaten twice at the single-elimination district before its eliminated.
State will be held Feb. 8-10 at Twin Falls High School.
As the region’s lone A-3 team, Wallace has a short route to state. But it could be difficult nonetheless because the Miners will be young.
Wallace will meet the Central Idaho League’s district runner-up in a playoff for a state berth.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MEMO: See 4 related stories under the following headlines: Inland Empire, Intermountain League, North Star League, A-3 Independent