Panhandle Picks With Greg Lee

The scribe is back where he belongs. For the first time this season, I lead the guests.

Two mild upsets - Timberlake over Bonners Ferry 41-27 and Clark Fork over Falls Christian 40-32 - helped yours truly post his best effort of the year.

I picked 11 of 12 while my guest, Lake City assistant principal Dale Roberts, was 9 of 12.

The scoreboard reads: Lee 45 of 61 (.737), Guests 44 of 61 (.721).

My guest this week, Kurt Lundblad, poses a difficult challenge. We have six differences in our picks, so this could be the week that decides the overall champion.

Lundblad will begin his second year as head boys basketball coach at Sandpoint this winter. His first team came within a win in its final three games of earning the school’s first trip to state in two decades.

A 1984 Coeur d’Alene grad and all-state guard, Lundblad is completing work toward a teaching certificate. When he’s not cracking the books, he can be found at the Coeur d’Alene Golf Club trying to slice some strokes off an inflated 10 handicap.

Moscow at Lake City: The Bears’ pattern has been to start quickly before fading fast in the fourth quarter.

Moscow will need to break out of the blocks fast because the T-Wolves are hungry to get their offense back on track.

While homecoming can offer more distractions than motivation, LC puts it aside and plays more like the team that opened the season with wins over Sandpoint and Cheney. LC 35, Moscow 14.

Guest: Lake City is just too much. Big win last week. LC keeps finding ways to win. It’s also LC’s homecoming, and all the players step it up on the field and the dance floor. LC 35, Moscow 7.

Lewiston at Sandpoint: If Nick Menegas was still Lewiston’s coach, this pick would be easy. Still, the Bengals are still the Bengals.

The Bulldogs should make it close. But Lewiston quarterback Neil Litchfield and wide receiver Mike Rogers pull it out. Lewiston 26, Sandpoint 24.

Guest: Sandpoint is on a roll and its defense will rise to the occasion. Lewiston will struggle on the cold tundra of Memorial Field. Satini (Puailoa, Sandpoint’s coach) is great at preparation. The Dawgs will show up on both sides of the ball. Sandpoint 27, Lewiston 24.

Cheney at Post Falls: This will serve as a good gauge for the Men of Troy before they launch into the most important part of their schedule.

This game comes down to the Blackhawks’ offensive versatility against the Trojans’ two-horse backfield (Doug Malar and Jon Garrett). Cheney 21, PF 7.

Guest: Post Falls has suffered too many injuries to compete with Cheney. I’m rooting for the Idaho team, but I’m afraid it would be an upset. Cheney is quick at the skilled positions. That will cause the Trojans problems. Cheney 24, PF 10.

Other games

Lee Lundblad

Clarkston 20, CdA 14 CdA 17, Clarkston 14

Lakeland 42, St. Maries 14 Lakeland 35, St. Maries 7

B. Ferry 20, P. River 7 P. River 21, B. Ferry 14

Grangeville 27, Kellogg 22 Kellogg 14, Grangeville 0

Timberlake 35, Orofino 14 Timberlake 21, Orofino 20

Clark Fork 36, Mullan 32 Clark Fork 14, Mullan 12

Kootenai 36, F. Christian 28 Kootenai 31, F. Christian 20

Timberline 26, Wallace 18 Wallace 31, Timberline 20

Lakeside 18, Prairie 13 Prairie 17, Lakeside 7