Panhandle Picks With Greg Lee

Sixty percent won’t cut it this season. Perhaps I had opening-week jitters. There’s a lot of room for improvement. The video won’t lie. I’ve got to be more physical. There’s no place to go but up.

Is that enough cliches?

The good news is my guest, Mark Duvall, didn’t get out of the gate fast (OK, enough already with the coach-speak). While I picked 6 of 10, my guest had perhaps the worst week in the history of the picks.

I’m not about to embarrass my friend. After all, I’d like to be invited back to play golf at Hayden Lake Country Club next summer. Let’s just say that the guests are 2 and 8 going into the second week.

My guest this week is Karen Troxel, definitely the better half of the Lake City High head football coach. Karen is a first-grade teacher at Coeur d’Alene’s newest elementary school, Skyway, which two of my three kids attend.

Karen knows her football. I’ll have to pull out my “A” game this week.

Lake City at Cheney: This is the best of an otherwise dull second-week menu.

The Timberwolves should improve after letting victory pop out of their hands last week in a 20-19 setback to Sandpoint.

It’s a difficult opener for Cheney, which finds itself in the same situation as LC was in last week. The Blackhawks are young, but will be a playoff contender late next month.

The Blackhawks will suffer the typical problems involved in a season opener. LC’s offensive diversity will be too much for Cheney to counter. LC 26, Cheney 13.

Guest: It will be another great game between these two teams. Lake City will improve from last week. Many players who have not played varsity ball learned a lot playing Sandpoint. LC 28, Cheney 14.

Colville at Coeur d’Alene: The Indians couldn’t open tougher.

CdA, which ran all over what will ultimately be a good Lakeland team, will do likewise to Colville. CdA 28, Colville 13.

Guest: Coeur d’Alene is coming off a win last week and will continue to improve. They have a great group of returning starters. CdA 34, Colville 14.

Clarkston at Post Falls: The Bantams are better than Moscow, which held off a furious Trojans rally last week.

So Post Falls must tighten down the bolts defensively. Clarkston is favored to capture the lone playoff berth on the west side of the Border. But in a mild upset … PF 20, Clarkston 19.

Guest: This will be a close game. Clarkston ended last season in the playoffs. That gave the Bantams a taste of success. Post Falls played a well-fought game against Moscow and has the advantage of playing last week. PF 28, Clarkston 21.

Other games

Lee Troxel Sandpoint 40, W.Valley 6 Sandpoint 35, W.Valley 14 Chewelah 23, B. Ferry 6 Chewelah 21, B. Ferry 6 Lakeland 21, Lethbridge 16 Lakeland 21, Lethbridge 7 Pullman 30, Moscow 25 Pullman 32, Moscow 21 P. River 26, Newport 12 P. River 21, Newport 7 Lewiston 30, Capital 21 Capital 32, Lewiston 28 Riverside 20, S. Maries 6 Riverside 21, S. Maries 13 Salmon 28, Kellogg 7 Salmon 32, Kellogg 14 Wallace 18, T. Lake 13 T. Lake 21, Wallace 14