Intermountain League Basketball
In predicted order of finish:
Bonners Ferry Badgers
1997-98 records: 18-7 overall, 8-2 league
Coach: Jim Nash
Years coaching, record: 5th, 67-30
Top returners: Amanda Ashby, senior, 5-foot-10, wing; Julie Bateman, sophomore, 5-10, forward; Hailey Larson, sr., 5-10, post; Dana Robertson, sr., 5-8, guard.
Top newcomers: Julie Day, sr., 5-8, g; Lindsey Rice, junior, 5-9, w/p; Tayler Cady, soph., 5-11, p; Megan Mellet, soph., 5-7, point guard.
Bonus shot: Nash faces his toughest transition year. But while the talent is young, the cupboard isn’t bare.
Coach’s comment: “I think we’re going to be right there at the top of the league. It will depend on how well we jell. I’m actually sad to see Moscow leave. They’d be real difficult to beat this year.”
Outlook: Nash has high hopes for many of his young players, but it may take a good portion of the season before the Badgers mesh. Still, the path to the top of the IML goes through Bonners Ferry.
Priest River Spartans
1997-98 records: 12-11, 5-5
Coach: Jamie Poncho
Years coaching, record: 2nd, 12-11
Top returners: Melanie Duley, sr., 5-7, g; Angie Turner, soph., 5-11, p; Tiffany Troudt, soph., 5-3, pg; Billie Washburn, sr., 5-10, p.
Top newcomers: Emily Oscarson, soph., 5-5, g; Mary Lemm, jr., 5-8, w.
Bonus shot: Lemm probably would have been a starter at Moscow, where her sister, Amy, was a standout two years ago. Lemm’s father, Bill, is the new wrestling coach at PR.
Coach’s comment: “We’re going to put a lot of pressure on the guards in the league and see what happens. Defense is our main focus.”
Outlook: The Spartans are considered best of the rest to have a shot at scaling the IML. Priest River is young - two juniors, five sophomores and just two seniors - but Poncho will get his Spartans to play older than they are. Duley and Troudt could be best backcourt combo in the league.
Lakeland Hawks
1997-98 records: 8-13, 5-5
Coach: Steve Seymour
Years coaching, record: 4th, 22-41
Top returners: Anika Duvall, jr., 5-5, w/g; Megan Egbert, jr., 5-11, p; Lacie Berger, sr., 5-7, w/p; Paige Smith, sr., 5-6, pg; Sarah Waller, sr., 5-9, p.
Top newcomers: Jessica Austad, 5-6, freshman, g/w; three freshmen.
Bonus shot: The roster will be dotted with underclassmen, but PR’s Poncho says the young Lakeland team should quickly gain experience.
Coach’s comment: “I’m cautiously optimistic. Our experience drops off in a hurry, but the talent level doesn’t drop off.”
Outlook: Lakeland will challenge Bonners Ferry and Priest River. The Hawks would be the pick to win the league, but they’re an unproven commodity. This much is sure: the Hawks will play hard for Seymour. They will be as competitive as any group Seymour has coached.
Kellogg Wildcats
1997-98 records: 5-13, 1-9
Coach: Dale Hunt
Years coaching, record: 3rd, 11-27
Top returners: Wendy Vork, sr., 5-10, p/w; Morgan Stevens, sr., 5-5, g; Stephanie Baillie, sr., 5-10, p; Heather Hoeck, jr., 5-6, g/w; Cara Burkgart, jr., 5-3, g.
Top newcomers: Brandi Mills, sr., 5-8, p; Miriam Goodner, sr., 5-4, w; Tabatha Poulson, jr., 5-8, w/g.
Bonus shot: Don’t be surprised if the Wildcats speed up and down the court. Several are on Hunt’s track team, including state high-jump champ Vork and 200-meter champ Hoeck.
Coach’s comment: “I think we’re going to be competitive with everyone. If we progress and keep intense we’re capable of beating anybody.”
Outlook: Kellogg essentially returns five starters. But the Wildcats have quite a gap to close from the bottom of the league to being competitive with the title contenders. But Hunt has reason to smile. His Wildcats have potential written all over them.
Timberlake Tigers
1997-98 records: None, 1st year
Coach: Paul Stoddard
Years coaching: 1st
Top transfers from Lakeland: Angie Campbell, jr., 5-6, pg/w; Cassie Beyer, sr., 5-6, w.
Top newcomers: Casi Reisenauer, jr., 5-4, pg/w; Heather Kreider, jr., 5-5, w; Jessica Forsberg, jr., 5-5, w; Nicole Lower, jr., 5-9, p; Melissa Adams, sr., 5-9, p; Tiffany Miller, soph., 5-4, w.
Bonus shot: Had Lakeland not split, Reisenauer, Adams, Kreider and Forsberg would have challenged for starting jobs.
Coach’s comment: “There’s good leadership. They work real well together. They’re friends off the court and it shows on the court. You don’t always get that.”
Outlook: The Tigers will be one of the smallest teams in the league - just like they were in volleyball. Stoddard, who was interim boys head coach at Lakeland one year, told his players not to classify themselves in one position because they’ll have to play several as a result of their lack of size.
St. Maries Lumberjacks
1997-98 records: 4-17, 1-9
Coach: Bryan Chase
Years coaching, record: 1st
Top returners: Nikki Gibson, jr., 5-9, p; Essie Nelson, jr., 5-8, p; Lindsey Harpole, jr., 5-6, g; Tiffany Holdahl, jr., 5-5, pg; Lindsey Boyd, sr., 5-4, g.
Top newcomers: Alaina Hammons, soph., 5-4, g; Karin Grieser, soph., 5-4, g; Annie Pierce, jr., 5-11, p; Amanda Kachelmier, jr., 5-9, p.
Bonus shot: Chase is a 1990 St. Maries graduate. He was a varsity boys assistant at Lakeside for two years.
Coach’s comment: “They actually believe in themselves a little bit. I don’t think they believed in themselves last year. I think they’re a lot more mature.”
Outlook: St. Maries started as many as five sophomores last year. Chase thinks any team in the league could win the conference title, including his team. That’s a good goal to shoot for, but the Lumberjacks will have to be content taking baby steps. And at this point, it will take several baby steps to crawl out of the league basement.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Anika Duvall, junior, 5-5, wing/guard, Lakeland Amanda Ashby, senior, 5-10, wing, Bonners Ferry Melanie Duley, senior, 5-7, guard, Priest River Nikki Gibson, junior, 5-9, post, St. Maries Julie Bateman, soph., 5-10, forward, Bonners Ferry Wendy Vork, senior, 5-10, post/wing, Kellogg Angie Campbell, jr., 5-6, point guard/wing, Timberlake Tiffany Troudt, soph., 5-3, PG, Priest River