Iel Seeding Race Heats Up

As area girls basketball teams decide state berths, boys basketball teams are jockeying for postseason seedings.

Going into the week, just two of the six Inland Empire League boys teams had secured their regional seeding. Lake City earned the top seed a couple of weeks ago and Post Falls has had a lock on the sixth seed for some time, too.

It’s the seeds in between that haven’t been settled.

Moscow took a big step toward securing the No. 2 seed and accompanying first-round bye with a 55-44 victory over Lewiston on Tuesday.

That means Moscow (10-8 overall, 8-8 league) secures No. 2 by winning one of its final two games (at home Friday against Post Falls and at Sandpoint on Saturday).

Lewiston (10-9, 8-9) and Coeur d’Alene (8-10, 6-10 going into Wednesday game against Lake City) are fighting for third and fourth seeds.

Sandpoint (5-12, 4-11 going into Wednesday game at Post Falls) could finish as high as fourth, but most likely will settle for fifth.

Home sweet home

The Lake City boys secured the top seed for the A-1 Region I tournament seemingly weeks ago.

By virtue of the top seed, LC will play at home throughout the tourney. The Timberwolves are 10-0 on their court with a final home regular-season date with Sandpoint on Friday.

“I don’t mean to sound egotistical, but we’re pretty tough to beat at home if teams haven’t figured that out yet,” LC coach Jim Winger said.

At home, LC is averaging 62.5 points per game while allowing 45.2. In LC’s 12-game winning streak, it has averaged 63.2 while holding team’s to 48.

Had the sportswriters and broadcasters statewide gotten off their collective butts and voted for prep polls this week, it’s a good bet that LC would have risen to second place in the A-1 poll.

For a second straight week, the media couldn’t muster enough votes for a poll. The Spokesman-Review is generally among the first to vote for the poll each week.

Previously undefeated and defending state champ Pocatello lost last week, falling to Burley 56-52. LC probably would have vaulted past Pocatello just behind top-ranked and still-undefeated Centennial (20-0).

League title on line

The Intermountain League title could be decided Friday when Lakeland (10-4 overall, 5-1 league) visits Kellogg (12-4, 6-1).

Lakeland won the first meeting 46-42. IML play concludes next week.

The most-asked question around the league is what has happened to preseason favorite St. Maries.

The Lumberjacks (8-9, 2-5) have been on a downhill slide since opening the season 5-0. They’ve won just three of their last 12 games, one of their last eight.

The most recent win, 50-46 at Priest River on Jan. 29, came with assistant coach Craig Wicks calling the shots. Head coach Todd Bitterman was suspended a game for inappropriate language directed at a player.

The Lumberjacks have one of the most talented starting lineups in the league. If St. Maries turns things around, it could be a dangerous draw in first-round, loser-out games.

St. Maries could run the table at districts. Five of the six teams figure to challenge for the district title and automatic state berth. The runner-up could earn a state berth in the playoff with the District II winner.

More Border leagues

The Inland Empire and Frontier Leagues will join forces for conferences this spring in baseball and softball.

The IEL and Frontier teams will cross over for single games in both sports and play teams from their own leagues three times.

Because that format means Washington teams will play fewer “league” games than North Idaho teams, standings will be determined by winning percentage.

Final league percentages will be used to determine seeding to district tournaments.

Odds ‘n’ ends

Matt Perry has been named head track coach at Sandpoint. He replaces Adam Sharrai, who resigned to take a job elsewhere.

At Moscow, Troy Schrenk has been named head baseball coach, Bears football coach Jaxon Schweikert has been named boys track coach, and Angela Stark takes over as girls track coach.