Quick hits

Looking ahead

Area girls basketball teams are nearing the end of the regular season.

Most of the Inland Empire League teams conclude by a week from Saturday and others wrap up by Jan. 31.

Intermountain League teams also wrap up regular-season action by Jan. 31 while North Star League teams play into the first week in February.

State-qualifying tournaments are just around the corner. That means a few key games remain as teams jockey for postseason seeding.

“In the IEL, Coeur d’Alene (12-5 overall, 7-2 league) has a one-game lead over surprising Post Falls (9-7, 6-3), which was picked to finish sixth in the seven-team league. Those teams are followed by: Lake City (8-9, 5-4), Moscow (5-10, 4-4), Lakeland (12-5, 4-5), Sandpoint (6-9, 2-5) and Lewiston (7-10, 2-7).

CdA needs two wins in its final three games to clinch the No. 1 seed in the 5A Region I tournament. Post Falls has the inside track for the top seed to the 4A Region I tourney, which will be played at a neutral site this year.

CdA goes to Post Falls on Jan. 26 for a game that should decide the league title.

“In the IML, league-leading Bonners Ferry (11-5, 5-0) can clinch no worse than a tie for the conference title when it entertains Kellogg (10-8, 4-2) on Saturday. Priest River (9-7, 3-2) remains in the chase for top seeding.

The IML’s district tourney, which has been held in recent years at North Idaho College, will be staged at Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake because the dates conflict with events at NIC.

“In the NSL, Wallace (14-1, 4-0) has a one-game lead over Kootenai (12-4, 5-1) by virtue of a 59-47 win in the first of two league games between the teams last week.

The teams square off in a rematch on Jan. 28 that should decide the league title. The district tourney will likely be held at Lakeland High School.

Looking around

It’s a sparse schedule for area boys basketball teams.

In the Inland Empire League, first-place Lewiston (13-0, 4-0) visits Lake City (5-8, 3-2) tonight. Tipoff is at 7:45.

In another game tonight, Post Falls (8-4, 2-3) travels to Moscow (9-4, 4-1), where the Trojans hope to close ground on the Bears, who got a big road win at PF (46-28) last month.

In a game Friday, Sandpoint (8-5, 3-2) goes to Lakeland (4-9, 0-5).

In games Saturday, Coeur d’Alene (6-7, 1-4) goes to Lewiston, Lakeland visits Moscow and Post Falls is at Sandpoint.

Wrestling

The 11th annual Terhark Cup is on the line when Lake City visits Coeur d’Alene on Friday at 7 p.m.

The annual match between the crosstown rivals was named in honor of Ron Terhark, who founded the sport at CdA in 1967. CdA is heavily favored to win for a fourth consecutive year.

“The annual Clearwater Classic tourney will be held at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston Friday and Saturday.

Clarkston is the defending champ. Sandpoint, Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene will be among the 21-team field. Sandpoint is favored.

“Five area wrestlers continue to be ranked No. 1 in the state among their respective classes. They are: Mark Skogrand of Lewiston (5A, heavyweight); Tim Pepperdine of Sandpoint (4A, 103); Joey Fio of Sandpoint (4A, 125); David Hayes of Bonners Ferry (3A, 140); and Adam Hall of Bonners Ferry (3A, 152).

Others ranked in the top three are: 5A, Greg Lee of Coeur d’Alene (103, 3rd); Isaak Lawlor of CdA (125, 2nd); Titus Turner of Lake City (152, 2nd); and Cody Ensley of Lewiston (171, 3rd); 4A, Danny Booth of Post Falls (119, 3rd); Brandon Palaniuk of Lakeland (135, 2nd); Zach Horsley of Lakeland (140, 2nd); Bobby Kuber of PF (140, 3rd); and Cole Amende of PF (171, 3rd); 3A, Michael Ryan of Kellogg (119, 3rd); Richie Morales of Priest River (140, 2nd); Logan Shelden of St. Maries (160, 3rd); Jozef Musial of BF (171, 2nd); Kyle Joiner of St. Maries (171, 3rd); Don Dinning of BF (189, 3rd); and Ben Turner of BF (215, 3rd).