Intermountain League Baseball
In predicted order of finish:
Lakeland Hawks
1999 records: 22-7 overall (4th at state), 9-3 league (champs)
Coach: Ken Busch, 10th year
Top returners: Jeremy McMillen, senior, catcher/right-handed pitcher; Chase Williams, sr., second baseman; Kevin Reese, sr., rhp/c/third baseman; Dan Dixon, sr., first baseman/designated hitter; Mike Banks, sr., rhp/outfielder; Paul Gorton, sr., shortstop/2b; Matt Ridenour, sr., of; Daron Stutheit, sr., of/c.
Top newcomers: Jason Thomas, junior, rhp/3b; Casey Sweeney, jr., of/infielder; Matt Gee, sr., inf.
Coach’s comments: “These kids are easy to coach. In fact, they coach themselves. They’re a close group and hopefully that carries over in the team idea.”
Outlook: The Hawks have the pitching and hitting to defend their usual perch atop the league heap. Lakeland may not have as deep a hitting team as it has had in recent years, but it should have enough to hold off a challenge from St. Maries. Banks (8-0 last year), an all-league pick, leads the pitching staff.
St. Maries Lumberjacks
1999 records: 11-12, 5-7
Coach: Jeff Andersen, 10th year
Top returners: Trent Duffey, sr., rhp/cf; Pat Eberlin, sr., rhp/of; Kyle Stevenson, sr., 1b; Greg Sindt, sr., c; Kevin Moore, sr., of; Jake Adams, jr., ss/rhp; Luke Silvis, jr., 2b; Michael Schwartz, sophomore, 3b.
Top newcomers: Bryan Howland, soph., of/left-handed pitcher; Josh Larsen, soph., of.
Coach’s comments: “On paper, it’s us and Lakeland. We’ve got the makings of a good squad. But we’ve got to continue to work hard and get better. So far, they’re doing it.”
Outlook: The Lumberjacks are capable of unseating Lakeland. Andersen essentially returns his team from last year. Duffey, Adams and Eberlin are among the premier players in the league.
Timberlake Tigers
1999 records: 14-9, 5-7
Coach: Brian Graves, 2nd year
Top returners: Don Cypher, sr., ss/rhp; Pat Bergen, jr., c/rhp; Steve Clary, sr., 1b/of; Jason Scheu, jr., 3b/rhp.
Top newcomers: Chris Pipeoff, sr., 2b; Mark Barnhouse, soph., lf/inf; Justin Solomon, soph., cf/lhp.
Coach’s comments: “Our top five players are as good as anybody in the league. We have some leadership in the right spots, but we don’t have any depth.”
Outlook: Timberlake’s depth is ineligible. Graves said six players are ineligible, including senior right-handed pitcher Bobby Jenks, named by one magazine as the top draft prospect in the state. As of Monday, the Tigers’ field was still covered by snow (about 6 inches). But that’s the least of Graves’ concerns.
Priest River Spartans
1999 records: 9-10, 3-9
Coach: Lou Musso, 4th year
Top returners: Caleb Troumbley, sr., rhp/inf; Ryan Bodecker, sr., 2b; Rylan Wood, sr., cf; Seth Madson, jr., rhp/inf/of; Dustin Wardrop, jr., 3b/rhp.
Top newcomers: Adam Collison, jr., c; Jeremy Troumbley, sr., ss/rhp; Mike Jamison, jr., utility; Derek Kucherry, jr., of/rhp.
Coach’s comments: “If everything falls into place, we could challenge and be up there somewhere near the top. We’re hoping we can challenge. It all depends on a ton of things.”
Outlook: The Spartans could finish as high as third, but too many things must fall into place for that to happen. Still, league foes would be wise not to overlook the Spartans. They will play hard for Musso.
Bonners Ferry Badgers
1999 records: 15-7, 8-4
Coach: Tim Crownover, 3rd year
Top returners: Tyson Pennock, sr., rhp/of; Kyle Caty, sr., inf/rhp; Kevin Dinning, jr., inf/of; Brennan Gause, jr., inf.
Top newcomers: Shane Hoover, soph., of/c; Andy Way, soph., 1b; Ben Greenslitt, freshman, c/rhp; Miles Stephens, soph., rhp/inf.
Coach’s comments: “We’re young. We’ll be in the middle of the pack. But the program is coming. We’ll have most of our kids for the next two to three years.”
Outlook: Bonners Ferry came close to breaking through last year, falling 8-7 to Lakeland in the district title game. The Badgers graduated 11 and will experience a drop-off. But the future is quite bright.
Kellogg Wildcats
1999 records: None, this is first year of program
Coach: Jason Jerome, 1st year
Top players: Jerrod Oertli, sr., 2b/rhp; Luke Smith, sr., utility/rhp; Kenneth Lonn, jr., ss/rhp; Brad Keene, jr., c/of; Brian Corthen, jr., 2b/of; Adam McDaniel, sr., 3b.
Coach’s comments: “We’re fast. If we get on base, we’ll score runs. If our pitching comes through, we’ll sneak up on people. I hope the other teams take us lightly.”
Outlook: Kellogg fielded a team for two years in the early 1990s, but had to drop it because of Title IX and funding concerns. Boosters raised enough money to fund baseball and softball for two years with hopes the school district will pick up the tab thereafter. The Wildcats’ roster is dotted with several athletic players, but lack of high school experience will be big hurdle for Kellogg to overcome.
This sidebar appeared with the story: Players to watch
Trent Duffey, senior, pitcher/of, St. Maries
Mike Banks, senior, pitcher, Lakeland
Don Cypher, senior, ss/pitcher, Timberlake
Chase Williams, senior, 2b, Lakeland
Jake Adams, junior, ss/pitcher, St. Maries
Kevin Reese, senior, pitcher/catcher, Lakeland
Pat Eberlin, senior, pitcher/of, St. Maries
Ryan Bodecker, senior, 2b, Priest River
Kenneth Lonn, junior, ss/pitcher, Kellogg