State Championships
Track and field
When: Friday and Saturday at Boise State University.
Schedule: The majority of field events will be held Friday for all classifications, beginning at 8:30 a.m. PDT, with running preliminaries in 100-, 200- and 400-meter races and high and low hurdles; finals in 3,200 and medley relays.
All other finals are Saturday, beginning with the A-3 and A-4 boys and girls at 8:15 a.m. and concluding with the A-1 and A-2 boys and girls at noon.
Admission: General admission each day is $5; discount admission (for seniors and elementary students and high school students with activity cards) $4 each day. An all-meet pass for both days is $10 and $8.
A-1
Defending team champions: Highland (boys), Pocatello (girls).
State title contenders: Highland, Boise (boys); Pocatello, Highland, Borah (girls).
Returning area champs: None.
At a glance: The Post Falls and Lewiston boys could challenge for top-five finishes. Post Falls’ best hopes of individual titles revolve largely around junior weight specialist Austin Lee.
Lee, the lone No. 1-seeded athlete at state from North Idaho, will be out to keep the weight titles in the family, so to speak. Ian Waltz captured the shot and discus titles last year and Lee hopes to pick up where his friend left off.
Lewiston sprinter Josh Raymond will contend in the 100 and 200 and anchor potential-placing relays.
Dozens of other athletes should collect medals.
Other area athletes who could win state titles:
Bryce Knight (Lake City) 800.
Chris Cole (Coeur d’Alene) 3,200.
A-2
Defending team champions: Jerome (boys), Kuna (girls).
State title contenders: Jerome, Emmett, Moscow (boys); Kuna, Jerome, Moscow (girls).
Returning area champs: Melissa Mills (Moscow) shot put.
At a glance: Moscow’s boys and girls figure to finish in the top three in team races. The Moscow girls will be led by senior Mills, who will be heavily favored to win the shot and discus.
Other area athletes who could win state titles:
Sarah DeBoer (Lakeland) 100 and 300 hurdles, high jump.
Tony Smith (Moscow) 1,600.
Amber Jamison (Lakeland) long and triple jump.
Pauline Costa (Kellogg) triple jump.
Jeannine Korus (Moscow) 400 and 800.
Kevin Carey (Bonners Ferry) shot and discus.
A-3
Defending team champions: Grangeville (boys), McCall-Donnelly (girls).
State title contenders: Grangeville, McCall, Homedale (boys); McCall, Grangeville (girls).
Returning area champs: Dana Streeter (Wallace) 100 hurdles, long jump.
At a glance: Streeter should cap a stellar career by defending her state titles. She is the Panhandle’s lone A-3 state entrant.
A-4
Defending team champions: HighlandCraigmont (boys), Nampa Christian (girls).
State title contenders: Troy, Deary, Nampa Christian (boys); Nampa Christian, Kootenai, Richfield (girls).
Returning area champs: None.
At a glance: Kootenai may surprise, if the district meet is any indication. Leading the Warriors is sophomore sensation Annie Goodson, who should contend for state titles in the high jump, 100 and 200.
Other area athletes who could win state titles:
Sarah Peterson (Falls Christian) triple and long jump.
Brendon Nelson (Lakeside) long and triple jump.
Golf
A
When: Friday and Saturday at Twin Falls Municipal Golf Course.
Defending team champion: Lewiston (boys), Twin Falls (girls).
At a glance: Medalist honors will be determined from first-round scores. The top four teams with the lowest first-round scores will play 18 holes for the championship on Saturday. Any team within 10 strokes of the third-place team will also play Saturday.
Coeur d’Alene will be among the teams favored to win. The Vikings take one of the most solid and closely packed teams to state, led by Kerry Latscha, who could contend for medalist honors.
Lake City’s Missy Asher will challenge for girls medalist honors.
B
When: Friday and Saturday at Clear Lakes Country Club, Buhl.
Defending team champion: Jerome (boys), Bishop Kelly (girls).
At a glance: Medalist honors will be determined from first-round scores. The top four teams with the lowest first-round scores will play 18 holes for the championship on Saturday. Any team within 10 strokes of the third-place team will also play Saturday.
St. Maries boys will contend for a state title, and Lumberjacks Brett Blackburn and Martin Taarnhoj, a Danish exchange student, could contend for medalist honors.
Priest River’s Abbie Stensland took second in individual play last year.
State tennis tournaments
A
When: Friday and Saturday in Boise (a switch from traditional site of Sun Valley).
Defending champion: Centennial.
At a glance: Boise continues to be the hotbed for top players as evidenced by the fact that the top four teams were from the Boise area last year.
A couple of Coeur d’Alene players could fare well. Lisa Benscheidt, a senior, should be strong in singles, as could Adam Grace, a junior.
B
When: Friday and Saturday in Boise.
Defending champion: Bishop Kelly.
At a glance: Moscow, which finished runner-up last year, qualified its entire team and will contend for the team title along with Parma.
Moscow’s top player is senior Amy Lemm, who finished second in singles last year.