Quick hits Quick hits
Looking ahead
Football
The 5A vs. 4A portion of the Inland Empire League football season concludes this week with what could be considered the main event.
Respectful rivals Sandpoint (5-0 overall, 2-0 league) and Lake City (4-1, 1-1) – which are the reigning league 5A and 4A champs respectively – will square off Friday at Lake City.
•In two other interdivisional IEL games, Lakeland (2-3, 0-2) visits Coeur d’Alene (4-1, 0-2), and Lewiston (2-3, 1-2) travels to Moscow (1-4, 0-1).
•In a non-league game of interest, Intermountain League favorite Timberlake (4-1) visits Post Falls (5-0).
•All area games Friday begin at 7 p.m.
•IEL teams begin play in their respective 5A and 4A pods next week. LC and Sandpoint believe their showdown will serve as the best tuneup possible.
“It’s an important game, but both teams know their seasons are still in front of them,” LC coach Van Troxel said.
Both Troxel and Sandpoint coach Sean Dorris are emphasizing respect for their opponents.
Said Troxel: “Sandpoint may be the best team in the state, regardless of classification. They don’t have many weaknesses, and the one thing you traditionally win with is defense. They certainly have defense.”
Said Dorris: “Lake City has been the team to beat in North Idaho for quite a while. They’ve either won or played for the league title the last six years. Until somebody knocks them off, they’re the team to beat.”
Sandpoint is 2-0 against 5A teams. The Bulldogs shut out CdA (17-0) three weeks ago and hammered Lewiston (52-19) last week. They’ve outscored opponents 125-7 in the first half, 173-32 overall.
LC’s offense is averaging 37.6 points and eclipsed 42 three times. But the Timberwolves’ defense has yet to find its stride.
Troxel expects his team to raise its intensity level from what it was last week.
“It’s a whole lot more fun getting prepared for somebody who can beat the heck out of you,” Troxel said. “But if we play like we did last week, it’s going to be a long night.”
Volleyball
Inland Empire League
Tonight: Coeur d’Alene at Lake City, 7.
Lake City clinched its first league title with a win at seven-time defending league champ Sandpoint on Tuesday, and the Timberwolves will try to remain unbeaten in league and complete a regular-season sweep of their cross-town rival.
Friday and Saturday: The prestigious Crossover Classic will be held at four sites in the Spokane area. Sandpoint, the defending champ, Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Lakeland and Moscow will be among the 62-team field.
Soccer
Inland Empire League
Today
Boys: Lake City at Coeur d’Alene, 4.
Girls: Coeur d’Alene at Lake City, 4.
LC’s boys will try to rebound from a 5-1 loss to the league-leading Vikings last month.
The girls played to a 1-1 tie in their first showdown.
Looking around
S-R football rankings
Here are The Idaho Spokesman-Review’s 5A, 4A and 3A polls:
5A
1. Twin Falls (5-0)
2. Lake City (4-1)
3. Centennial (4-1)
4., tie, Coeur d’Alene (3-2)
Eagle (3-2)
Timberline (3-2)
4A
1. Sandpoint (5-0)
2. Bishop Kelly (5-0)
3. Post Falls (5-0)
4. Pocatello (4-1)
5. tie, Madison (5-1)
Caldwell (5-0)
3A
1. Shelley (6-0)
2. Timberlake (4-1)
3. Declo (4-0)
4. Marsh Valley (5-0)
5. tie, Fruitland (4-1)
Gooding (5-0)
Statistical leaders
Here’s a look at the Inland Empire League football offensive statistical leaders.
Coeur d’Alene junior Kevin Ah-Hi leads the Inland Empire League in rushing with 635 yards on 60 carries.
Lewiston senior Tyler Squires ranks first among quarterbacks in yardage (1,199) and Lake City senior Ben Widmyer is tops in accuracy (65 of 94, 69 percent) and second in yards (927).
LC senior Travis Harmon leads all IEL receivers with 23 catches (194 yards).
•St. Maries senior Ben Felix is the runaway rushing leader in the Intermountain League and is tops overall in the region with 1,418 yards.