Teams Size Up Competition In New 2a League
Boys basketball
Last year’s fifth-place State A Lakeside boys basketball team will find itself in good company in the new 2A Great Northern League.
“It should be tough, a very, very competitive league,” said Eagles coach Kevin Mulligan.
The Eagles graduated much of their punch from a two-time state placing team. In addition to state-qualifier Medical Lake and Chewelah coming back, Lakeside now must contend with last year’s AA semifinalist Colville, perennial Frontier League contender Pullman and Riverside.
The Rams and Deer Park have new coaches who will debut when the season begins this week.
“I call it jumping from the frying pan into the fire,” said Deer Park’s Jason Thompson. “It’s a great league and going to be the same thing in basketball.”
New look for Lakeside
The Eagles return only three players from last year’s roster, one of whom lettered.
Jim Spiger is the only varsity member returning. Kyle Skinner and 6-foot-5 Bobby Purkhiser played primarily on junior varsity.
“We have a new look; it’s kind of exciting,” said Mulligan.
Last year’s jayvees are where Lakeside will attract its talent, including juniors Mike Rowse and Will Noland, and sophomores Jordan Bjork, Pat Day and Pat Clocherty.
“After that it’s up in the air,” said Mulligan.
Juniors Luke Skinner, Mike Mortlock and Nat Maruca and sophomore Cody Brown are other prospects.
“A few of those guys went to the state tournament with us,” said Mulligan, “and got a taste of what that’s about. Our job is to keep improving each game and hopefully be there at the end.”
Deer Park hoping to end streak
Wins have come sparingly the last few years at Deer Park, including last year’s 0-20 season.
“We’re working on a couple of streaks we hope we can break,” said new coach Jason Thompson.
He will attempt it with a team that is a blend of experience and youth. Four players, seniors Josh Mitchell and Russ Santonocito and juniors Jesse Frickey and Brad Martin, return.
A pair of sophomores, Shane Mitchell and Ty Thompson, are likely starters. They played for Thompson on junior varsity.
Seniors Nathan Sebright and Gabe Holmes, a Gonzaga Prep transfer, will join sophomores Roger Henry and Wyatt Zimmerer on varsity.
None is taller than 6-foot-2.
“We’re not very big,” said Thompson. “It’s a straight line across with a couple of dips.”
Thompson figures to play everyone and scrap on defense to produce victories in a talented league.
“I’m not afraid to accept the challenge,” he said. “We’ll just go out and compete hard.”
Riverside makes its return
New coach John Wolfe doesn’t see much advantage in the Great Northern over the Frontier League, where Riverside spent the past two seasons.
“It’s a league where you have to be ready to play every night,” he said.
Although 70 percent of Riverside’s scoring and rebounding has graduated, Wolfe, a 1984 Mead graduate and six-year Ram assistant, greeted five returnees from last year’s team.
They include a mix of size and experience in Josiah Boone, Jerod Frowick, 6-foot-5 Matt Miller, 6-4 Derek Crance and Doug Kapelke.
“We have some kids who have been in the wars,” said Wolfe. “At the same time kids who do the ball handling are off the junior varsity.”
Newcomers include juniors Jason Remington, Jim Murphy and Duston Dinning and senior Joe Rizzuto.
Other hopefuls are juniors Nick Vannatter, Dusty Johnson and Ray Lieske.
“If we stay together and improve, we can be pretty competitive,” said Wolfe.
, DataTimes