Quick hits

Looking ahead

Outside of the state track meets, there’s one other meet remaining worth the price of admission. It occurs this afternoon when the sixth annual District I Meet of Champions is held at Post Falls High School.

Field events begin at 3, running finals at 3:30. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

That’s a reasonable price to see one of the best throwers this side of the Pasco Invitational, regardless of classification, do her stuff in the discus and shot put. That person is Bonners Ferry sophomore Katie Poston.

Poston captured two titles at the Pasco Invite two weekends ago when she defeated the best Washington has to offer. That meet attracts the top throwers throughout Washington, so the two titles mean Poston may be the top thrower in the Pacific Northwest.

She increased her personal best in the discus this week when she heaved it 147 feet, 1 inch. Her season best in the shot is 43-6.

Fifteen meet records were broken at last year’s Meet of Champions. No team scores are kept. This is strictly a showcase event for individuals and is an opportunity to earn bragging rights as the top athletes in the region regardless of classification.

The meet also serves as a final tuneup before state-qualifying meets.

Most events will feature 16 athletes. The sprint and hurdles races will be contested in two heats – a fast and slow heat. Just the top eight relay teams will face off.

Nine individual champs return including Poston. The others are: Michael Armon, Coeur d’Alene, 3,200 meters; Blake Mahler, Sandpoint, 300 hurdles; Dustin Hoogland, Sandpoint, pole vault; Lynsey Seltenreich, Kellogg, 800; Breanna Sande, Lake City, 1,600 and 3,200; Courtney Adams, Sandpoint, 100 hurdles; Darcy Collins, Kootenai, 300 hurdles and high jump; and Lynsie Powers, Timberlake, triple jump.

Looking around

Not much drama remains in the chase for Inland Empire and Intermountain league championships and postseason seedings as regular-season play concludes this week.

“In IEL baseball, Lewiston (15-7, 11-5),

Lake City (16-6, 10-5) and Coeur d’Alene (15-6, 9-5) could finish in a three-way tie for the conference title.

Whether it wins the title outright or a tie exists, Lewiston has earned the No. 1 seed to the 5A Region I tournament. That means CdA and LC will square off in a loser-out opener Monday, with the winner advancing to travel to Lewiston on Tuesday to decide the regional title. The runner-up can earn a state berth in a play-in game.

In 4A, Moscow (10-11, 8-9), Post Falls (11-10, 7-9) and Lakeland (6-13, 6-11) are still vying for host seeds for first-round games, which begin Monday. The title game will be held Tuesday at the site of the highest seed. The regional champ advances to state and the runner-up can earn a state berth in a play-in game.

“In IML baseball, Priest River (16-2, 11-0) locked up the league title and top district seed long ago. St. Maries (11-7, 6-4), Timberlake (6-13, 5-4), Bonners Ferry (8-12, 4-8) and Kellogg (4-13, 1-11) are deciding final seeds. District begins Tuesday. The top two teams advance to state.

“In IEL softball, the 5A Region I tourney will be held somewhere in Coeur d’Alene. Whether it’s at LC High or CdA High still must be decided.

If LC (15-7, 11-4) and CdA (16-6, 10-4) finish tied, CdA will host the tourney, which begins Tuesday.

The 4A Region I tourney will be held at No. 1 seed Post Falls (14-9, 11-6), beginning Tuesday. Lakeland (10-10, 9-8) is No. 2, Moscow (7-13, 6-11) is No. 3 and Sandpoint (2-19, 0-18) is No. 4.

Like baseball, the 5A and 4A regional champs advance to state and the runners-up can earn state berths in play-in games.

“In IML softball, the league title and top seeding will be decided Friday when Timberlake (18-3, 10-0) travels to St. Maries (16-1, 9-1) for a doubleheader.

St. Maries must sweep Timberlake to capture the league title and No. 1 seed. Timberlake, which beat St. Maries 8-5 earlier, wraps it all up with a split.

The district tourney will be held May 13-14 at Timberlake. The top two teams advance to state.

They said it

It was pointed out to Post Falls boys basketball coach Dave Stockwell that his son, Scott, will be the second Stockwell to have played at North Idaho College.

Dad played at NIC in the early 1970s. Perhaps ‘played’ is a loose use of the word.

We’ll let father explain: “I had a scholarship to NIC, but that was about it. I sat the bench at NIC. I had a uniform on, but I was so far down the bench that by the time I got to the scorer’s table to enter the game it was halftime. I was so far down the bench I needed an intercom to be called into the game.”

“Don’t count out a possible return by Kent Scanlon to coaching in volleyball. Especially now that one of his former standouts, Jenny Owen, has been hired to replace him this fall at Lake City.

“Someone asked me ‘Why did you quit?’ I said I didn’t quit, I retired,” Scanlon said. “I’d relish an opportunity to coach with her. But I don’t want to be a shadow in the gym looking over her shoulder.”