Quick hits

Looking ahead

Football

With one week left in the regular season, all of the football playoff pictures in North Idaho can be cleared up Friday.

The exact seedings won’t be determined, but which teams are playoff bound can be decided.

“In the Inland Empire League, the two 5A berths can be decided when Coeur d’Alene (5-2 overall, 0-0) visits Lewiston (3-4, 0-1). Post Falls (7-0, 1-0) and Sandpoint (6-1, 1-0) can lock up the 4A berths in games they will be heavily favored to win. Post Falls plays host to struggling Moscow (1-6, 0-1) while Sandpoint visits equally struggling Lakeland (2-5, 0-1).

“Timberlake (5-2, 2-0), fresh off its telling 27-13 victory over defending Intermountain League champ Bonners Ferry, can clinch the IML title and the lone accompanying State 3A berth when it visits St. Maries (3-4, 1-1).

“By virtue of its forfeit win over Post Falls Christian, Clark Fork (6-0, 4-0) clinched the North Star League championship and the No. 1 seed among the two 1A 8-man Division II berths. The second berth will be decided when the Wampus Cats visit Mullan (4-4, 2-2), Kootenai (2-5, 1-3) goes to Wallace (4-4, 3-1) – which secured the Division I berth last week – and Lakeside (3-4, 1-3) goes to Post Falls Christian (1-6, 1-3). Mullan can capture the second berth outright either with a win over losses by Kootenai and Post Falls Christian.

“In a non-league game Saturday, Lake City (6-1) visits Missoula where the Timberwolves will take on Coach Van Troxel’s former school, Hellgate (1-6), at the University of Montana’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

“Wins by Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Sandpoint will set up some entertaining showdowns for the top playoff seeds the following week.

LC’s less-than-impressive 34-28 win over Lewiston left the Bengals with a ray of playoff hope. If Lewiston can upset CdA and the Vikings turn around and beat LC the following week, a three-way tie would occur.

A playoff would not be required. Under league by-laws, the tie would be decided under the Ozzie system. Each team would receive a determined amount of points under a tiebreaking formula.

The upstart Bengals have hope after taking LC to the wire last week. Lewiston’s passing was particularly effective.

CdA coach Shawn Amos and his staff scouted the LC-Lewiston game last week since the Vikings played on Saturday. He came away impressed with the Bengals.

Lewiston’s passing attack concerns Amos.

“It’s like the 3-point shot in basketball,” Amos said. “You take 3-point shots and you’ll make some. You throw deep enough and you’ll catch some. They’re scary.”

Amos likes the progress of his team.

“We have a chance to be a pretty good football team,” Amos said. “If we show up and play, we can beat anybody. But we can’t just show up.”

Looking around

S-R grid rankings

Here are The Idaho Spokesman-Review’s 5A, 4A and 3A polls:

5A

1. Lake City (6-1)

2. Centennial (6-1)

3. Coeur d’Alene (5-2)

4. Highland (5-2)

5. Twin Falls (6-1)

4A

1. Bishop Kelly (7-0)

2. Post Falls (7-0)

3. Sandpoint (6-1)

4. Caldwell (7-0)

5. Madison (6-1)

3A

1. Shelley (7-0)

2. Declo (7-0)

3. Timberlake (6-1)

4. Marsh Valley (7-0)

5. Snake River (5-2)

State-qualifying events

Volleyball

Tonight

5A Region I tournament: Championship match, Coeur d’Alene (11-11) at Lake City (19-2), 7, winner to state, loser to play-in match Saturday for state berth.

1A District I tournament: At Kootenai High School – Match 1: No. 6 seed Post Falls Christian (3-15) vs. No. 3 Clark Fork (9-12), loser out, 6; Match 2: No. 4 Mullan (9-9) vs. No. 5 Lakeside (10-7), loser out, 7:15.

Boys soccer

5A Region I tournament: Championship match, Lake City (8-8-2) at Coeur d’Alene (13-2-1), 3:30, winner to state, loser to a play-in match Saturday at Lewiston for state berth.

4A Region I tournament: Championship match, Sandpoint (13-3-1) at Moscow (11-4-0), 3:30, winner to state, loser to play-in match Saturday at Lewiston for state berth.

Saturday

Volleyball

3A District I tournament at North Idaho College: Match 1: No. 4 seed Bonners Ferry (4-14) vs. No. 5 Kellogg (5-16), 9 a.m.; M2: No. 2 Timberlake (19-6) vs. No. 3 Priest River (7-7), 10:15; M3: No. 1 St. Maries (23-3) vs. M1 winner, 11:30; M4: M2 loser vs. M3 loser (loser out), 12:45 p.m.; M5: M2 winner vs. M3 winner (district champ, winner to state), 2; M6: M4 winner vs. M5 loser (winner to state, loser out), 3:15.