Time To Give Well-Earned Compliments

It seems as if I say this at this time every year. So I might as well admit it: I’m not ready for spring sports.

So, accept my apology. I’m ready for a change in seasons and all the good things it brings - like golf.

Give me a month and I’m sure I’ll be in a better mood.

Before we officially close the door on winter, though, here are some final observations and overdue kudos.

The boys and girls basketball seasons were very entertaining.

It’s hard to believe the prep career of Post Falls’ Janelle Ruen is over (seems as if I said that about Alli Nieman and Corissa Yasen a few years ago).

Technically, Ruen’s high school career isn’t over. It’ll be a normal spring for her as she squeezes in a little jumping in track between USVBA volleyball and AAU basketball.

What a pleasure it was to watch her play basketball and volleyball. She’ll play both sports at Eastern Washington University.

Ruen is a selfless standout who has never been really comfortable with the attention her talents draw.

Post Falls has had a number of multi-talented athletes this decade, but Ruen won’t soon be forgotten.

As is the refreshing nature of prep sports, though, as soon as one versatile athlete graduates, another one or two pops up on the scene. And there were a number of boys and girls who blossomed as underclassmen this year.

With due respect to the Coeur d’Alene and Moscow girls, it’s too bad adversity and a couple of key injuries kept Post Falls from returning to state, where the Trojans had finished third with an fairly young team the year before.

Now, co-Border League champions Moscow and Coeur d’Alene find themselves returning solid teams to make a run at a state title. They’ll be fun to watch next year.

Ruen was named the Border League’s player of the year. Rightfully so, too. But as much as I believe she’s worthy, I can’t pick her as the player of the year in the Panhandle.

That distinction must go to Coeur d’Alene junior post Shaylia Davis.

Coach of the year? Split it between CdA’s Bill Pratt and Moscow’s Sam Hoogsteen. Both did tremendous jobs.

Border League boys basketball lived up to its advanced billing. Many thought the chase for the region’s automatic state berth would be a four-way tug of war.

Lake City, Sandpoint, Moscow and Lewiston didn’t disappoint. The final two regional-tournament games between LC and Sandpoint will rank as classics.

Near-capacity crowds provided wonderful atmospheres to go with down-to-the-wire finishes.

Sandpoint had the better basketball players (Paul Nieman and Jevon Watson), but LC had the better team. None of the Timberwolves would have started for any of the other seven state-qualifying teams.

Coach of the year? Several candidates: LC’s Jim Winger, Sandpoint’s Kurt Lundblad, Falls Christian Academy’s Jared Phay, Clark Fork’s Brian Powell and Lakeland’s Trent Derrick. The pick here is a co-honor: Winger and Lundblad, former CdA teammates.

Winger did the best coaching job in his seven years as a head coach - without question. If talent was the lone qualifier, LC didn’t belong at state. But the T-Wolves had wonderful chemistry.

Lundblad, in his first year as a head coach, took a team that was 0-9 against Idaho teams the year before and played in three state-qualifying games. He also benefited from having two highly overqualified assistants - former North Idaho College men’s coach Rolly Williams and his father, Dean Lundblad, the former highly successful CdA coach.

The best player in the region was Post Falls junior Scott Klaudt. Nieman was the most valuable.

One final observation.

I’ve withheld comment until now because I wanted to make sure my thoughts were down the middle, not straying to one side or another.

A couple coaches previously mentioned had encounters with some of the area’s top referees. I’m not going to mention names (they know who they are, including the referees).

One incident occurred in front of a crowd of 2,500. Another happened three days removed from a game and in a more private setting.

Point of the matter is this: the coaches and referees, by and large, were equally culpable. They lost control of their egos.

We need good coaches. We need good referees. And they need to work together for the good of kids.

Enough said.

On to spring.