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Lc, Lewiston Could Become Very Familiar Opponents

From Staff Reports

Going into the postseason, what have 17 wins and three losses taught the Lake City High girls basketball team?

Most of the time they’re good, and they’ve displayed moments of brilliance. But the Timberwolves are capable of playing poorly, too.

Lake City scored its most important win last Thursday, minutes after one of its worst games of the year.

This victory came off the court. The T-Wolves won a coin toss to decide the site of the A-1 Region I state-qualifying tournament, which began Wednesday. The coin toss became necessary after Lewiston topped the visiting T-Wolves 37-32.

There’s a possibility Lewiston and LC will play three times before the regional title is decided under the new, true doubleelimination format. No doubt, the winner will be battle-ready for state.

LC should win the regional title based on talent alone. But if that’s not the deciding factor, then consider the road Lewiston may travel:

Lewiston and LC meet Friday in a second-round game. It’ll be Lewiston’s second trip to Lake City in three days.

If they win Friday, the Bengals will receive a respite Saturday. That day’s loser-out game will be played at the home of the higher seed.

If Lewiston wins that game, it will return to Lake City Tuesday for the championship game.

If Lewiston forces the “if-necessary game” it would make a fourth trip to LC on Wednesday. Four trips in eight days.

The regional runner-up will take on the District III (Boise area) third-place finisher in a playoff for a state berth the following Saturday at Grangeville.

LC and Lewiston are better than District III’s third-best team. So the co-league champs should both be playing at the state tournament in Nampa (Feb. 20-22).

But Lewiston must survive the possibility of 800 miles in travel before thinking about Nampa.

Football rules changes

The National Federation of State High School Associations has adopted several minor rule changes.

Two of the most recognizable changes involve major penalties.

Previously, on roughing-the-passer infractions, teams had to choose between the play or the penalty. Now, a 15-yard penalty will be tacked onto any completion, emphasizing protection of the quarterback.

“There seems to be the idea once the pass is thrown, you can knock the guy down,” said Dick Schindler, assistant director of the National Federation and a longtime member of the Football Rules Committee. “We don’t want that part of our game. More and more players are unloading on the passer whether he completed the pass or not.”

For unsportsmanlike, dead-ball or non-player fouls, yardage will be marked off before a first-and-10 is established. That means teams will not be faced with a first-and-25 situation.

On punt returns, the ball can be downed before it hits the ground. Before, the ball had to hit the turf before it could be downed.

Also, dark eye shields have been banned.

Basketball menu

Intermountain League and North Star League girls are in their final week of regular-season play.

It appears Moscow and Bonners Ferry will tie for the IML title after splitting their league games. Lakeside clinched the NSL championship this week.

The IML and NSL district tourneys will be held next week. The top two finishers in both advance to state.

In an Inland Empire League boys game tonight, Lake City visits first-place Post Falls. The game was moved to tonight from Friday so fans from both schools could attend the A-1 Region I girls tourney at LC.

In an IEL boys game Friday, Lewiston will visit Coeur d’Alene.

In another schedule change, Coeur d’Alene and Lake City square off Monday at LC. The game was originally slated for Tuesday, but was changed to avoid a conflict with the girls regional championship game. , DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ONE UGLY GAME For one coach, it was a necessary tactic. For the other, it was a nagging reality. For the fans, however, there was not much of anything going on in Melba’s 15-12 Western Idaho Conference A-3 boys basketball victory over McCall on Monday. His team racked by flu, McCall coach Bob Thackeray decided to open the game in a stall. The strategy against Melba (4-13, 4-6) nearly paid off. “This morning, four of our kids were so sick the school was trying to send them home,” Thackeray said. “And the kids said, ‘No, we have to be here. We have to be in school so we can play tonight.”’ Melba player Paul Keeney’s basket to win the game comprised the Mustangs’ only points of the second half and ended a fourth quarter in which McCall (1-13, 1-8 in the WIC A-3) held the ball for 7-1/2 minutes. “I have no hard feelings for Bob,” Melba coach Eric Spencer said. “He’s a nice guy and he was just looking for a way to win. “The refs loved it. They stood at halfcourt and drew a paycheck,” he said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: ONE UGLY GAME For one coach, it was a necessary tactic. For the other, it was a nagging reality. For the fans, however, there was not much of anything going on in Melba’s 15-12 Western Idaho Conference A-3 boys basketball victory over McCall on Monday. His team racked by flu, McCall coach Bob Thackeray decided to open the game in a stall. The strategy against Melba (4-13, 4-6) nearly paid off. “This morning, four of our kids were so sick the school was trying to send them home,” Thackeray said. “And the kids said, ‘No, we have to be here. We have to be in school so we can play tonight.”’ Melba player Paul Keeney’s basket to win the game comprised the Mustangs’ only points of the second half and ended a fourth quarter in which McCall (1-13, 1-8 in the WIC A-3) held the ball for 7-1/2 minutes. “I have no hard feelings for Bob,” Melba coach Eric Spencer said. “He’s a nice guy and he was just looking for a way to win. “The refs loved it. They stood at halfcourt and drew a paycheck,” he said.