Begging For Lee-Way

I have wrested or more appropriately, in honor of the sport of the week wrestled back my column from the imposter who made some wild predictions last week.

Heck the guy in the mug doesn’t even look like me. I’ve been wearing this low-maintenance flat top for the past month. That other guy could grace the cover of GQ.

Several of my “friends” have asked if I entered a Jim Winger look-a-like contest. Winger, for those who may not know, is the head boys basketball coach at Lake City. He’s headed to state WITHOUT a team next week.

As a matter of fact, I was selected as a Winger look-a-like with one major difference: I’m better looking than the original.

But back to the business at hand. I don’t know where the imposter got off picking the LC girls to win the state basketball title.

They were, after all, only ranked No. 1 all season. And they only took an undefeated record to state. I mean, the nerve of the guy.

I was even accosted at church about my predictions. The gall!

So, the imposter’s been fired.

Best ever

I find myself in Pocatello today watching the world’s oldest and greatest sport (that’ll earn me some points with the boss, who believes there’s nothing more sacred than rasslin’).

Pocatello has few redeeming qualities, but there’s no place I’d rather be. Jared Lawrence’s stupendous prep career comes to an end Saturday.

There aren’t enough adjectives to describe what the Sandpoint standout has accomplished.

And the amazing thing is, he’s done it without changing one iota. He won with class as a freshmen and he’s going out the same way.

All-Lee teams

Since the girls basketball season is over and the boys are involved in state-qualifying tournaments, it’s appropriate to announce my annual basketball teams and assorted honors.

We’ll start with the girls.

I’ve always suspected that Lake City standout Lindsay Herbert could take her game to another level. And I finally saw it in the Region I championship game, when she picked up her team and carried it to victory.

Too bad we only saw that once. That 16-minute stretch showed why she’s second to none in the region and my pick as the best in the state.

Joining her on the All-Lee team are Alison Asher of LC, Janelle Ruen of Post Falls, Laura Dodge of LC, Amber Paulson of Bonners Ferry and Shaylia Davis of Coeur d’Alene.

There was no player more valuable to her team than Ruen. Period.

Take her out of the Post Falls lineup, and the Trojans don’t make it to state.

Coach of the year. Easy, Chris Johnson of Post Falls. He was my pick before state.

Best supporting player: LC’s Dodge, who will have to become her team’s MVP next year.

Rookie of the year is a tie, between two teammates, sophomore Carmi Eberle and freshman Desiree Johnson of Post Falls.

On to the boys.

I’m tempted to flip a coin for MVP, but that wouldn’t be fair. So I’ll settle for a tie and pass on congratulations to Chad Quesnell of Post Falls and CdA’s Casey Hoorelbeke.

Take Quesnell off the Trojans and they don’t win a game. Take Hoorelbeke off the Vikings and they don’t win the Border League or go to state.

Joining them on the team are Chad Cheeley of LC, Jim Rupp of CdA and Carson Egland and Steve Johnson of Lewiston.

Coach of the year: Split it between Wade Quesnell of Post Falls and Lewiston’s Dick Richel, the king of the sandbaggers.

Best supporting player: David Wood of CdA. He picked up new floor burns every game. And his heart is second to none.

Rookie of the year: Split it between a pair of sophomore guards, Jacob Lenz of LC and Scott Klaudt of Post Falls.

State-bound

They were expected to earn a state berth before the season started.

Then the Coeur d’Alene High boys team suffered back-to-back injuries involving Lukas O’Dowd and Hoorelbeke.

Still, the Viks managed to capture the Border League championship, a splendid accomplishment considering the adversity.

Four seniors who’ve played in every game have been steady elements in the Viks’ drive to state. They are point guard Rupp, wing Wood and posts Kevin DeArmond and Kurt Sigler.

How did Rupp plan to celebrate the Viks’ A-1 Region I championship Tuesday?

“I’m probably going to go home and cry,” said Rupp, who scored a team-high 25 points. “I’m going to relish this for a couple of days.”

It’s well-deserved.

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