Welsh Deserves Credit

This is a case of the rich getting richer. And Idaho quarterback John Welsh earning one credit in the process.

Welsh’s season presumably ended when he broke his fibula, just above the ankle, against Auburn on Sept. 11. But days after the injury, Welsh mentioned a best-case scenario in which he would return late in the season.

Turns out it wasn’t just wishful thinking. Welsh says he’ll be ready for the Nevada game Nov. 6.

The Vandals are on a three-game winning streak and sit atop the Big West.

“I can’t get the year back, so I might as well get back,” he said. “I’ve taken the (walking) boot off and walked around. I ran some stadium stairs the other day.”

To rehabilitate, he works with trainers 2-3 times a day and he’s taking a water aerobics class. One credit, thank you very much.

“I’ll have it taped or brace it,” Welsh says of his game-day plan.

Welsh probably will have considerable rust and his mobility figures to be limited. Coaches aren’t sure how much he’ll be able to play.

“We’ll have to see what he can do,” head coach Chris Tormey said. “He’s certainly not going to be his old self as far as moving around. He possibly could be available for emergency duty for Nevada.”

Panhandling

Chris Tormey and Eastern Washington coach Mike Kramer were teammates and roommates at Idaho. So, you can bet it raised Tormey’s eyebrow when Kramer told the Missoulian that Montana should “win out,” including a Nov. 13th date with Idaho. Montana thumped EWU 25-7 Saturday.

“I tell you what, Idaho in Missoula is a tough deal, no matter how many scholarships Idaho has and how many losses the Grizzlies have,” Kramer said. “I don’t think there’s ever a chance Idaho can afford to come here and not be gunned to the wall and not have the threat of being blown out. That will be a great game to watch.”

Getting there was half the fun for Lake City volleyball coach Kent Scanlon. He accompanied his team to the A-1 Region I tournament in Sandpoint last Thursday on a yellow school bus - as he has done for the last 15 years combined at LC and CdA.

Afterward, though, the players caught rides with their parents, so the bus hit U.S. Highway 95 south. One problem. Scanlon wasn’t aboard. He S.O.S’d his wife, who had to drive to Sandpoint. In the meantime, Scanlon took a seat in the stands and watched the title match.

Every sport has rules for where photographers are allowed working space. But Wake Up and Read It shutterbugs had a hard time standing anywhere near the soccer field at a couple of matches last week without getting lectured. They weren’t interfering with play, players, coaches or fans’ sight lines. It left a negative impression for a sport coveting attention.

Former CdA Viking Lucas O’Dowd is penciled in as North Idaho College’s starting center. It’s in pencil, apparently, because Coach Hugh Watson might use the eraser if O’Dowd is late to practice for a third time.

Calculate the odds. Kim Happeny aces No. 3, a 101-yard hole, at Rimrock Golf Course and then watches son Kevin hole out on the 130-yard No. 8. Need you ask if the Happenys won the two-man, best-ball event?

Front row

Sandpoint, playing on its home floor, goes for the A-1 state volleyball title Friday and Saturday.

The A-2 tourney is within walking distance of the A-1s at Sandpoint Middle School. St. Maries will try to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since 1993.

Lake City football is unbeaten. Mead is 6-1. They collide Friday at LC.

Lakeland will try to win its umpteenth Intermountain League title when Kellogg, also unbeaten in the IML, visits Friday.

Grad school

Tiwi Bond, a member of Sandpoint’s last state-championship volleyball team in 1995, is having a solid senior year at Northern Arizona.

She’s first on the team in aces (17), second in assists (46), third in digs (190) and blocks (51) and fifth in kills (148).

NAU (13-4 overall, 8-2) is chasing Eastern Washington (9-1) in the Big Sky standings.