Quick hits North Idaho
LOOKING AHEAD
Football
They combined for 93 points last year.
One team raced to a 35-14 lead only to watch the other team score 44 unanswered points.
The Timberlake High football team broke through last fall for a milestone victory, 58-35, against its in-district rival, Lakeland. The Rathdrum team had won the five previous games against the Spirit Lake team since Timberlake opened in 1998. The Tigers’ win snapped the Hawks’ 36-game Intermountain League winning streak.
“Rivalry games are usually low scoring,” Timberlake coach Roy Albertson said. “That’s one for the record books.”
The game will have less significance when the teams face off Friday at Van Tuinstra Memorial Field largely because Lakeland moved up to the 4A ranks and no longer resides in the IML.
Less significance perhaps in regards to a league game and state playoff ramifications. But plenty of pride will be on the line.
It will be the lone game contested in Kootenai County as three of Lakeland’s new Inland Empire League cohorts – Coeur d’Alene, Lake City and Post Falls – face road games.
Kickoff at Spirit Lake is at 7 p.m. as both Lakeland (2-1) and Timberlake (2-1) try to rebound from losses.
“In IEL matchups, Post Falls (3-0, 1-0) travels to Lewiston (2-1, 1-0) and Lake City (2-1, 0-1) goes to Moscow (1-2, 0-0).
“Elsewhere, Bonners Ferry (1-2) visits Sandpoint (3-0) and Coeur d’Alene (2-1) makes the long trip to Meridian (3-0).
“The difference Friday at Spirit Lake could come down to passing – as in which team passes most effectively. Both teams feature effective running attacks.
Lakeland has the big edge at quarterback because senior Kam Kiefer has been crucial in the Hawks’ two victories.
Kiefer has done it in an offense that has added a play or two to best exploit Kiefer’s athleticism, such as the quarterback option, draw or sweep. Kiefer leads in rushing with 292 yards and has seven of the team’s 10 touchdowns in three games.
Timberlake starts nine players on both sides of the ball. Lakeland will start just two players both ways, although Kiefer will see situational duty on defense.
Soccer
Inland Empire League
Today
Boys: Sandpoint (6-1-0, 3-1-0) at Coeur d’Alene (5-2-1, 3-0-1), 4:30
This is a chance for the Vikings to measure how much they’ve improved since a 1-0 season-opening, non-league loss perennial power Sandpoint. The winner stays in the hunt for the league title.
Volleyball
Inland Empire League
Tonight: League-leading Lake City (7-1, 6-0) plays host to Moscow (8-3, 4-1) at 7.
North Star League
Tonight: Wallace (12-2, 5-0) visits Kootenai (8-1, 5-0) at 7 in a matchup of co-league leaders.
Cross country
The 16th annual Super 1/Farragut Invitational will be held Saturday at Farragut State Park.
Per usual, it’s four meets in one (or nine when you count the middle school, junior varsity and citizen races). The varsity schools will be divided into A (larger school) and B (smaller school) divisions. Some of the smaller schools opt to race in the A meet.
The B girls go first at 11 a.m., followed by the B boys at 11:40, the A girls at 12:10 p.m. and the A boys at 12:45.
Racing will be held at the Sunrise Day Use area. The state park charges a $4 parking fee for all vehicles entering the park.
The A races will feature all the Inland Empire League teams and the B races will include all the Intermountain League teams.
Looking around
Grid rankings
In a rematch of the State 5A final from a year ago, Centennial knocked off Highland 14-7 in the cozy confines of Holt Arena, knocking the powerhouse Rams out of the poll’s top spot.
Here as The Idaho Spokesman-Review’s 5A, 4A and 3A rankings. The polls are based on head-to-head and weekly results.
5A
Twin Falls (3-0)
Lake City (2-1)
Meridian (3-0)
Centennial (2-1)
Highland (2-1)
4A
Sandpoint (3-0)
Bishop Kelly (4-0)
Post Falls (3-0)
Madison (4-0)
Minico (2-1)
3A
Shelley (4-0)
Declo (3-0)
Snake River (3-1)
Timberlake (2-1)
Marsh Valley (3-0)