Lakeside, Kootenai Begin State Play A-4 Schools Try Expanded Format During Four-Day Run In Boise Area

It may seem like a midyear vacation, but the Lakeside and Kootenai girls basketball teams are approaching this week as if it were anything but a hiatus.

The teams left early Tuesday for Boise and the State A-4 tournament, which begins its four-day run today. Counting Presidents Day, the players from both teams have the entire week off from school.

A-4 teams get a jump on the other three classifications because school officials voted to expand the smallest schools’ tournament to 16 teams in a one-year experiment. There are more A-4 schools in the state than any other division.

If the A-4 schools like the expanded format - and there doesn’t appear to be any reason they wouldn’t - it will be adopted permanently.

That’s why District I champion Lakeside (15-6 overall) has company at state this week. Under the old format, District I received a single state berth.

Kootenai (10-10) fell twice to Lakeside during the regular season, but lost by just three points in the district title game.

Lakeside will be out, at the very least, to duplicate its third-place showing a year ago. Kootenai, which fields one of the tournament’s youngest teams, hopes to lay a foundation for future visits.

The tournament will be played at two Boise area high schools the first two days - Middleton and Kuna. Play will be held at Middleton on Friday and the championship game will be featured, along with the other three title contests, Saturday at the new Idaho Center in Nampa.

Kootenai opens against District V runner-up Rockland (13-8) at 2:15 p.m. PST at Kuna. In other openers at the same site, defending state champ and No. 1-ranked Troy (23-2) takes on Raft River (17-8), Nampa Christian (16-7) meets Richfield (15-10), and Dietrich (21-3) goes against Rimrock (12-9).

At Middleton, Lakeside takes on District III runner-up Greenleaf Friends (19-4) in a tough draw at 5:30. In other openers at the same site, Murtaugh (22-3) meets Cambridge (12-9), North Gem (16-4) battles Hagerman (12-11), and second-ranked Kendrick (22-3) goes against Garden Valley (18-4).

Pre-tourney talk has centered around Whitepine League teams Troy and Kendrick. Kendrick’s three losses were to Troy and Troy’s two losses were to Kendrick.

They’re expected to meet for the state championship.

“I’ve heard the talk and I tend to agree,” Lakeside coach Ron Miller said. “I’ve seen Troy play and I saw them last year, and they brought everybody back. And Kendrick has played with them, so they must be as good.”

Apparently, the other 14 teams are playing for third place.

If that’s true, Miller expects his team to be among the contenders.

“I think we can go down there and accomplish something,” Miller said. “We’ve come together, the kids know their roles and if we stay together, we can win.”

Asked if the Knights are as good as last year, Miller said yes and no.

“Offensively, we’re a better team,” Miller said. “Defensively, I’m not as sure. But we’re getting close to being as good defensively.”

Kootenai is making its first trip to state since 1983. Kootenai captured back-to-back state titles in 1980-81 under coach Karla Merrill, now the volleyball coach at Post Falls.

“It’s a great opportunity for the kids, for the school,” coach Scott Shafer said. “There really should be no pressure on them. The pressure was on them last week to qualify for state.”

Shafer starts just one senior and his top nine players include four juniors and three sophomores. And there are several good players on the way.

“Our approach is what happens is just bonus,” Shafer said. “Hopefully, this is just the beginning.” , DataTimes