Lake City Will Root For Post Falls For Company In State Title Game

Take a guess who’s one of the Post Falls High girls basketball team’s biggest fans?

He’ll be at the State A-1 tournament in Nampa rooting for the Trojans.

Give up? The answer is Lake City High girls coach Dave Stockwell.

“You heard it here first. Post Falls could get there (state final),” Stockwell said Monday following practice, three days before his Timberwolves and Post Falls opened play in the state tourney.

Stockwell flew to Boise last week to scout the Lake City’s first-round opponent, Centennial. He also scouted Boise, the team Post Falls pummeled Saturday for a state berth.

He spent nearly 2 hours with Post Falls coach Chris Johnson, giving him a scouting report.

“I want to see North Idaho teams do well,” Stockwell said. “Our girls are excited about supporting Post Falls at state. After our game (Thursday), we’re going to get a quick bite to eat and come back and cheer for Post Falls.”

Stockwell doesn’t live inside the Post Falls city limits, but has a River City telephone number. His daughter, who plays basketball, will be a freshman at Post Falls next year.

So he has a future interest in Post Falls.

Post Falls (17-8) will have to play well to have a chance of fulfilling Stockwell’s prediction.

Recent returns indicate the Trojans, who are going to state for the first time in six years, could fare well. They open Thursday against Highland (19-5), a perennial state qualifier. Tipoff is at 5:30 p.m. PST.

“A lot of people think that we’re building for next year by getting to state,” Johnson said. “But my kids are going down to compete and win three games.”

The Trojans’ top player, junior wing Janelle Ruen, isn’t approaching the trip as just a chance to get out of school.

“We want to come back with something,” Ruen said. “We want to prove that we just didn’t get lucky to get to state.”

The Trojans have two ingredients that are key to success at state. First, they’ll be one of the quickest teams, and opponents could have trouble against their all-court pressure. Second, they won’t quit, even if things aren’t going their way.

“The kids feel confident that they’re not going to be shocked by anything at state,” Johnson said.

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