Vikings off to State 5A
This is what Coeur d’Alene High girls basketball coach Dale Poffenroth envisioned at the start of the year when he welcomed back three starters and placed three freshmen on his roster.
The Vikings’ veterans and rookies combined to play their best game to date Tuesday as Coeur d’Alene galloped past Lake City 70-43 to capture a second straight 5A Region I championship before an estimated crowd of 800 at Elmer Jordan Court.
Coeur d’Alene (17-5) advances to state Feb. 16-18 at the Idaho Center in Nampa.
The Vikings will take on defending state champ Boise (19-4), a 36-25 winner over Timberline in District III play Tuesday.
Lake City (11-12) can still earn a state berth in a play-in game Saturday against the still-to-be-determined fifth-place team from District III. The game will be at 1:30 at Grangeville High School.
“I thought we could be here because the young kids are solid kids,” Poffenroth said. “They’re good basketball players and they like to play the game.”
CdA’s win was a sight to behold as far as junior Jenna DeLong, a three-year starter, is concerned.
“I knew at the beginning of the year that we’d be a tough team. I didn’t know that Sadie (Simon) and Amy (Warbrick) and Kama (Griffitts) were going to step up like they have,” DeLong said of the freshmen. “They have totally blown me away. I didn’t expect them to play like this. They’re awesome.”
The freshmen combined for 16 points, complementing the 15 each from DeLong and sophomore Deanna Dotts, a two-year starter.
Junior Lindsay Stark, a two-year starter, chipped in 12.
CdA needed just two games to take care of LC in the best-of-3 regional series. The Vikings, who have won three straight over their crosstown rival after the T-Wolves won both league contests, seemingly picked up Tuesday where they left off in a 60-44 win in the series opener Friday.
LC threatened to make a game of it Tuesday. But CdA went on a 10-0 run midway in the second quarter, taking advantage of seven consecutive turnovers to build a 31-16 lead. The Timberwolves committed 11 turnovers in the quarter and finished with a dreadful 33.
Riki Moreland completed a three-point play that pulled LC within 32-22 with 1:26 to go before halftime. But moments later, a technical was assessed to LC assistant coach Kris Knowles. The T-Wolves’ momentum stopped in their tracks. CdA led 35-24 at halftime.
CdA never gave LC any hope in the second half, building a 52-32 lead by the end of the third quarter.
It got worse for the Timberwolves in the fourth period.
“Our guards didn’t handle pressure very well, but we didn’t rebound,” LC coach Darren Taylor said. “I thought the first half if we had rebounded it would have been a game. It just got out of hand in the second half like usual.”
Taylor disputed the technical foul.
“We got T’d for slapping hands and sitting down. How do you justify that?” Taylor asked. “It was a close game then. They get four free throws and the ball back. If we go into the locker room down five, that’s a huge difference.”
Moreland and Katy Baker led LC with 13 points apiece.
Class 4A
Region 1 playoffs: Kelsey Taylor scored 22 points on 10-of-14 field-goal shooting to lead Moscow past Post Falls 52-38 in a loser-out game at Moscow. The Bears (9-13) broke open a close first half and hit their free throws down the stretch to seal a meeting with the District III third-place team on Saturday. Heather Arnone had 14 points and Kandice McArthur added 11 for the Trojans (11-12), who were held to eight field goals in the game.
Boys basketball
Non-league: Bonners Ferry forced 37 turnovers and used an 8-0 run at the start of the second half to roll to a 58-43 win over host Clark Fork. Spenser Behrens led the Badgers (12-6) with 14 points, and Matt Rice added 10. Tyler Broggi paced the Wampus Cats (8-10) with 19 points and nine rebounds. … Spencer Pingel scored 15 of his 24 points, including all nine of his free-throw attempts, in the second half of a 58-44 Post Falls win over host Freeman. Kyle Turpin added 17 points for the Trojans (11-8). Michael Wittwer scored 16, and Christian Casto had 13 for the Scotties (10-9). … Tyler Bollman scored 16 points to lead Troy past host St. Maries 55-27. Zech Szalasi paced the Lumberjacks (3-14) with 11 points, but St. Maries was held to 27 percent field-goal shooting while Troy connected on 48 percent of their attempts.
Wrestling
Inland Empire League: Lewiston captured nine of the 14 matches, and won a 42-25 decision over Coeur d’Alene at Lewiston. The Bengals received pins at 215, 112 and 140 pounds.
Intermountain League: Bonners Ferry received six-point win in the final seven matches, including four straight pins between 145 and 189 pounds, to top Kellogg 51-27.