Freeman Girls Work Hard On New System

New Freeman High girls basketball coach Scott Moore has been through the good and bad of his sport.

He coached girls basketball and had a state championship softball team during nine years at Lindbergh High in Renton, Wash.

The Spokane native wanted to be closer to home and took a job in Post Falls.

Last year, he coached the Trojans boys’ basketball team to fourth place in state with a 22-4 record, the school’s best finish in 15 years.

But he was also forced to resign due to parental and administrative pressure despite a 73-46 six-year overall record.

Moore subsequently was voted teacher of the year by Post Falls students.

Now he’s back in Washington and again coaching girls. Moore must rebuild a Scotties team that won 10 of 30 games over the past two years.

Freeman’s only win so far came against Valley Christian, which is playing a junior varsity schedule only in the Bi-County League this year.

Moore is not discouraged despite the fact he’s gone from coaching a boys team that last year averaged 66 points per game to coaching a girls team that two weeks ago was held to 17 in one contest.

“This is my third stop,” said Moore, a West Valley High graduate. “The other two also had to be rebuilt. Lindbergh was 4-16 before we started, the next year we went 16-4. Post Falls took a little longer, but fourth in state is not too shabby.”

Freeman’s slow start, he said, is a combination of inexperience and the fact the girls are being asked to learn a new system.

“On the other hand, they are working extremely hard,” said Moore. “If they stay together during the rough times we will come together by league.”

Three players return: 5-foot-11 senior Jordan Moberg and juniors Marissa Dahmen and Sarah Pratt.

Newcomers are juniors Kim Davey and Stacia Palladino, sophomores Tonette Lazanis, Heather Wilkerson and Michelle Kiddoo and freshman Krista Freeman.

“All nine will play all four quarters in every game,” said Moore. “As the season goes on there will be more of a pecking order.”

Freeman is part of a four-team Northeast A League that includes Colfax, Kettle Falls and Reardan.

The teams will play each other in a four-team double-elimination league tournament to determine the team’s berth to state in Tacoma in March.

Moore is glad to be back in Washington.

“This is more like home,” he said of his new job at Freeman. “It’s really nice here.”

, DataTimes