Nieman Tops Class Sandpoint Senior Post Adds To Dossier With A-1 Player-Of-Year Recognition

As expected, Alli Nieman added the biggest accolade in the state to an already crowded list of honors.

The 6-foot-1 Sandpoint High senior post was named the A-1 player of the year today in all-state announcements in the Boise-based Idaho Statesman newspaper.

The Statesman, by a vote of coaches statewide, publishes all-state teams in football, volleyball and boys and girls basketball. The Associated Press doesn’t coordinate all-state teams.

Also named to the A-1 first team was Post Falls senior guard Heidi Umthun. Joining Nieman and Umthun on the first team were senior wing Staci Kirk of Centennial, junior post Alyson Pincock of Borah and senior post Cori Freeman of Capital.

Nieman’s career accomplishments as one of the top basketball and volleyball players in the state have been well chronicled. She plans to play both sports when she attends the University of Idaho next year.

She led the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish in state, averaging 27.6 point and 11.1 rebounds per game. She ended her four-year career with 2,046 points.

Nieman set numerous school records and also put her name in the A-1 state tourney record book.

Umthun, who accepted a scholarship at Boise State, increased her production across the board this season. She ranked second in the league in scoring at 23 ppg and finished with a school-record 1,154 career points.

Sophomore wing Lindsay Herbert of Lake City was a second-team pick.

Senior post Cady Williams of Sugar-Salem was tabbed as the A-2 player of the year.

Joining Williams on the first team were junior forward Sarah Nelson of Payette, senior guard Wendy Tueller of Preston, senior post Kristy Hymas of Sugar-Salem and senior post Melanie McCabe of Shelley.

Three Moscow seniors were second-team picks: post Angie Sorbel, and guards Amy Lemm and Jenny Moslemi.

Grangeville’s Chelsey Hall, a senior forward, was named player of the year in A-3. Named to the first team were senior guard Chrissy Detmer of Valley, senior post Kally Lytle of Clearwater Valley, senior guard Karen Gailey of West Side and senior post Kelli Kofoed of Fruitland.

Falls Christian’s do-everything senior guard Sarah Peterson was selected to the A-4 first team. Peterson, who averaged 21.1 ppg, was joined on the first team by sophomore guard Jessica Johnson of Troy, the player of the year, freshman forward Lindy Kirkland of Troy, senior guard Janie Ward of Dietrich and senior post Julie Tyler of Leadore.

All-league

North Star League boys coaches announced their all-league picks.

Lakeside, which finished runner-up in the State A-4 tournament, placed four players on the first team: Dan Montague, Glen Lambert, James Twoteeth and Brendon Nelson. Also named to the first team were David Reed, Al Sisk and Chris Angel of Mullan, Jared Horton and Ben Larson of Falls Christian and Jason Stevens of Clark Fork.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 Color Photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IDAHO ALL-STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAMS A-1 First team Alli Nieman, 6-1 post, senior, Sandpoint; Staci Kirk, 5-11 wing, sr., Centennial; Alyson Pincock, 5-11 p, junior, Borah; Cori Freeman, 6-1 p, sr., Capital; Heidi Umthun, 5-9 g, sr., Post Falls Player of the year: Nieman

Second team Suzi Goss, Boise; Sumer Davis, Borah; Kaly Gillette, Minico; Stefney Layton, Blackfoot; Lindsay Herbert, Lake City Honorable mention (area): Andrea Gomez, Lewiston; Tanya Allmaras, Sandpoint

A-2 First team Cady Williams, 6-0 p, sr., Sugar-Salem; Sarah Nelson, 5-8 f, sr., Payette; Wendy Tueller, 5-5 g, sr., Preston; Kristy Hymas, 6-0 p, sr., Sugar-Salem; Melanie McCabe, 6-0 p, sr., Shelley Player of the year: Williams

Second team Angie Sorbel, Moscow; Jenny Moslemi, Moscow; Lyla Williams, Middleton; Amy Lemm, Moscow; Melissa Jensen, Shelley Honorable mention (area): None

A-3 First team Chelsey Hall, 5-9 f, sr., Grangeville; Chrissy Detmer, 5-7 g, sr., Valley; Kally Lytle, 5-11 p, sr., Clearwater Valley; Karen Gailey, 5-3 g, sr., West Side; Kelli Kofoed, 5-9 p, sr., Fruitland Player of the year: Hall Second team Lani Pollworth, Grangeville; Bridget Gordon, Challis; Kelly Smyth, Homedale; Margaret McCormack, Lapwai; Shelly Eich, Challis Honorable mention (area): Joy Sperry, Wallace

A-4 First team Jessica Johnson, 5-7 w, sophomore, Troy; Lindy Kirland, 5-9 f, freshman, Troy; Sarah Peterson, 5-7 g, sr., Falls Christian; Janie Ward, 5-5 g, sr., Dietrich; Julie Tyler, 6-5 p, sr., Leadore Player of the year: Johnson Second team Lori McCowan, Dietrich; Katherine Hale, Oakley; Selena Snyder, Nampa Christian; Niki Soloaga, Shoshone; Carrie Albers, Nez Perce Honorable mention (area): Margaret SiJohn, Lakeside