2 From Panhandle First-Team All-State

Two North Idaho high school football players were named to All-State teams announced Sunday.

Lakeland senior Harrison Bertsch was a first-team pick at linebacker on the A-2 team and Clark Fork senior George Klontz was a first-selection at running back on the A-4 team.

The All-State teams for A-1, A-2, A-3 and A-4 are voted on by the coaches and organized by The Statesman newspaper in Boise.

Bertsch, voted by Intermountain League coaches as the IML’s most valuable player, was a two-way starter. He led the Hawks in rushing as they plowed over its opponents to a 9-0 regular-season record.

Klontz, also a two-way starter, led Clark Fork to a North Star League co-championship with Falls Christian.

Five other area players, including three from Inland Empire League champion Lake City, were second-team picks. Six others were honorable mention.

Lake City’s Richard Novotny (wide receiver), Justin Nipp (defensive lineman) and Keith Vedder (linebacker), all seniors, were second-team A-1 picks. St. Maries senior Derick Driggs (wide receiver) and Kellogg senior Tim Bush (tight end) were named to the A-2 second team.

LC senior Chad Troxel (quarterback), Post Falls senior Eli Thornley (lineman), St. Maries junior Trent Duffey (QB), Lakeland senior Levi Cushman (lineman), Kootenai senior Doug Ott (running back) and Wallace senior Marty Pecor (lineman) were honorable mention.

NIC women win

North Idaho College charged from behind in the second half to overcome Big Bend 77-62 in a non-league women’s basketball game in Coeur d’Alene that saw a couple of former Greater Spokane League standouts in starring roles.

Sophomore Becki Huddle of Lewis and Clark, who has been a key component in NIC’s 6-1 start, kept the Cardinals in it in the first half with 13 of her game-high 24 points as Big Bend got off to a quick start.

But in the second half, when NIC tightened its defense and charged from a seven-point deficit, only former Central Valley Bear Andrea Kallas had any success for the Vikings. Kallas scored nine of her 16 after the break.

Mandy Lindhe had 17 points for the Cardinals, and Courtney Warner matched Kallas with 16 for Big Bend. Heidi Schulz of Newport added 12 for the Vikings. Huddle also had four assists and five steals for NIC.

Cougar honored

For the first time in nearly four years, Washington State University has a Pacific-10 Conference player of the week in men’s basketball.

Junior guard Jan-Michael Thomas was honored for his performance in the Cougars’ only game last week, a 70-69 victory over Brigham Young. It’s the first weekly Pac-10 award for the Cougars since Mark Hendrickson claimed the honor on Jan. 23, 1995.

Thomas, the Pac-10’s leading 3-point shooter, scored 22 points, 17 in the second half. He clinched the victory by nailing three of his final four free throws, including the winner with 9 seconds to play. It was WSU’s third straight win that evened its record at 4-4.

Thomas, who hit 5 of 8 3-point shots while making 6 of 10 overall from the field, has made 27 of 54 3-pointers this season, the .500 mark the best in the conference.

High school boys basketball

Falls Christian 68, Logos 50

Jared Bligh scored 14 of his 16 points the second half as the Eagles turned up the defensive pressure after intermission to knock off the visitors from Moscow, Idaho.

Aaron Bligh led FCA with 18 points and added six assists and six steals. Jared Bligh also had six steals, five assists, five blocked shots and five rebounds.

Shane Hobert led Logos with 18 points.

Logos 11 8 15 16 - 50

Falls Christian 14 2 22 30 - 68

Logos - Atwood 4, Pernsteiner 2, Boswell 2, Grauke 6, Hobert 18, Schwantes 7, Craig 11. Falls Christian (3-2) - A. Bligh 18, Beck 4, Walker 6, Jackson 0, Hanks 13, Anderson 5, Wild 6, J. Bligh 16.

Prep girls basketball

Falls Christian 49, Logos 16

The Eagles, led by Melanie Johnson, who hit two 3-pointers in a 13-point night, were too much for the visitors from Moscow, Idaho, to handle.

Kara Moate had six rebounds and Ashlee Taylor and Stephanie Jenkins five each for Falls Christian.

Logos 4 6 6 0 - 16

Falls Christian 12 16 12 9 - 49

Logos - Budwig 2, Casebolt 3, Blakey 0, Highsmith 5, Sagen 1, Miller 0, Casebolt 5.

Falls Christian (2-4) - Johnson 13, Williams 10, Dunning 8, Poole 2, Moate 10, Taylor 2, Jenkins 4, Hayman 0.