Iml Track
Bonners Ferry Badgers
Coaches: Travis Hinthorn, Tim Cady
Top returners: Boys - Dirk Bortz, senior, discus; Andy Rice, sr., jumps; Forest Braden, sophomore, distances; Aaron Hanson, soph., distances. Girls - Lila Dowell, sr., distances; Taylor Cady, junior, throws; Hailey Hays, soph., pole vault/hurdles; Lisa Hurst, jr., pole vault/ hurdles.
Top newcomers: Boys - Matt Behrens, freshman, sprints; John Zimmerman, frosh., jumps. Girls - Andrea Pace, frosh., sprints; Kaitlyn Timrack, frosh., distances; Anna Rice, frosh., throws.
Outlook: The Badgers lack depth but have quality. Several Badgers will contend for state medals. Braden will challenge for state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200.
Kellogg Wildcats
Coach: Todd Howard
Top returners: Boys - Ryan Mann, sr., pole vault/triple jump/relays; Nate Moe, sr., jumps/ relays; Luke Gibler, sr., throws; Josh Haralson, sr., throws; Josh Smith, jr., hurdles/relays; Jesse Johnson, jr., sprints/relays; Tony Joy, jr., hurdles/relays. Girls - Heather Hoeck, sr., sprints/long jump; Chelsea Leads, sr., jumps/ relays; Amanda McCuig, soph., jumps/relays; Alicia Bush, jr., hurdles/relays; Casy Lewis, sr., throws/relays.
Top newcomers: Boys - Nick Mitchell, soph., sprints; Ricky Marek, sr., sprints/jumps; Adam Winegart, frosh., distances. Girls - Alicia Frank, frosh., relays/middle distances; Crystal Aamodt, frosh., throws/sprints.
Outlook: Hoeck will continue to add gold medals to her letterman’s jacket. Mann will contend in the pole vault. Several Wildcats will challenge for individual district titles, but the squad lacks the depth to challenge for the team titles.
Lakeland Hawks
Coach: Lee Libera
Top returners: Boys - Seth Brundige, sr., jumps/relays; Ryan Hansen, jr., sprints/relays; Jared Hansen, soph., sprints/relays; Kyle Frei, jr., hurdles; Cameron Morton, jr., hurdles/pole vault; Kurt Thomson, jr., distances; Charlie O’Brien, jr., distances; Kirk Kiefer, jr., middle sprints/relays. Girls - Desirae Crocker, jr., throws; Micki Desmarais, soph., throws; Serena Primmer, sr., throws; Stacy Douglas, soph., jumps/relays; Sarah Hansen, soph., jumps/relays; Anika Duvall, sr., pole vault/relays; Jessica Austad, soph., hurdles/relays; Ellen Crecelius, soph., distances; Joy Bachmeier, soph., middle distances; Jennifer Mobbs, soph., sprints/relays; Rachel Dingman, soph., relays/sprints; Ashley Jamison, soph., jumps/relays.
Top newcomers: Boys - Jake Briles, frosh., throws; Eric Nave, frosh., throws; Andrew Eachon, sr., jumps; Pat Skreencock, frosh., sprints. Girls - Amanda Hooker, frosh., throws; Felicia Knoll, frosh., throws/sprints; Priscilla Dooley, sr., hurdles/relays; Kara Kiefer, frosh., hurdles/sprints; Brook Bachmeier, frosh., sprints.
Outlook: The Hawks boys and girls are defending league champs and are favored to repeat. The Hawks could be chasing defending district champ Grangeville. The Lakeland girls have more depth than the boys. Several girls will contend for state medals.
Priest River Spartans
Coach: Donovan Roley
Top returners: Boys - Doug Cash., jr., throws; Jay Zmuda, sr., middles distances/pole vault/ relays; Roger White, jr., pole vault/high jump/ relays; Brian White, sr., hurdles. Girls - Tambi Cork, jr., throws; Jenny Schrempp, sr., sprints/ relays; Emmy Stark, sr., pole vault/relays; Melissa Booth, soph., jumps.
Top newcomers: Boys - Bob Williamson, sr., 400/relays. Girls - Sarah Ryle, frosh., sprints/ relays/hurdles.
Outlook: The Spartans boys will give Lakeland all it can handle for the league dual-meet title. Zmuda will be on the heels of St. Maries’ Mica Kunkel in the 800. Several Spartans will qualify for state.
St. Maries Lumberjacks
Coach: Gary Krumheuer
Top returners: Boys - Mica Kunkel, sr., 800/relays; Franklin Krier, sr., 400/relays; Paul Sotin, jr., throws. Girls - Jessica Yearout, soph., sprints/relays; Liz Badgett, sr., hurdles.
Top newcomers: Boys - Dale Warren, sr., throws; Faron Kunkel, soph., 800/relays; Daniel Baumann, jr., sprints; Vern Malinsky, jr., sprints; Brock Landrum, soph., high jump/sprints; Chris Hovious, jr., sprints. Girls - Stephanie Thurston, frosh., high jump/1,600; Jessica Noyes, frosh., sprints; Jocelyn Dickie, jr., distances.
Outlook: Krumheuer reports the biggest turnout since the early 1990s. Mica Kunkel is favored to win state in the 800. Krumheuer expects to more than double his state qualifiers from a year ago.
Timberlake Tigers
Coach: Mike Alt
Top returners: Boys - Josh Tebbe, jr., sprints/ long jump; Josh Spurgeon, sr., throws; Wilhelm Napier, soph., hurdles/jumps; Ian McKelvey, soph., sprints/relays; Chris Gay, jr., throws; Josh Holderman, soph., sprints/jumps. Girls - Brianne Wickstrom, jr., hurdles/relays; Kayla Vyleta, soph., sprints/jumps; Dawn Howard, soph., middle distances; Ashley Coons, sr., distances.
Top newcomers: Boys - Clint Griffen, sr., jumps/sprints; Nick Tebbe, frosh., sprints/jumps; Dan McGee, jr., throws; Matt Mattison, frosh., hurdles/sprints; Brandon Lickfold, jr., throws; Eric Gilbert, jr., sprints/jumps; Blaine Woodley, jr., sprints/jumps; Jeremy West, soph., pole vault/sprints; Martin Abel, sr., distances. Girls - Katie Ward, frosh., sprints/hurdles; Christiann Sanders, frosh., sprints/jumps; Melinda Macklin, soph., sprints/hurdles; Amanda Gay, soph., throws; Hilary Brown, frosh., throws; Brittnay Fulwiler, jr., sprints.
Outlook: Good numbers, but not a lot of state medal contenders. Josh Tebbe and Wickstrom are among the best in the league. Alt believes Fulwiler will be among the speediest sprinters in the region.
This sidebar appeared with the story:
Athletes to watch
Heather Hoeck, senior, sprints/long jump, Kellogg
Desirae Crocker, junior, throws, Lakeland
Mica Kunkel, senior, 800/relays, St. Maries
Brianne Wickstrom, junior, hurdles/ relays, Timberlake
Jay Zmuda, senior, middle distances/ pole vault, Priest River
Forest Braden, sophomore, distances, Bonners Ferry
Jessica Austad, sophomore, hurdles/ relays, Lakeland
Ryan Mann, senior, pole vault/triple jump, Kellogg
Roger White, senior, high jump/pole vault, Priest River
Dirk Bortz, senior, discus, Bonners Ferry