IML Preview football
The dirty dozen
Here’s our list of the best players in the league (in no particular order):
Nick Puckett, senior, fullback/cornerback, Timberlake.
What an amazing career and a pleasant young man. Puckett will finish with more than 5,000 yards rushing.
A.J. Bennett, sr., quarterback/defensive back, Bonners Ferry.
You have to hope Bennett survives the season so he can play basketball, what with the limited numbers the Badgers are suiting up.
Levi Powers, sr., qb/cb, Timberlake.
May be the best option QB the league has seen in years.
Brian Nelson, jr., running back/linebacker, Priest River.
Third-leading rusher in the league last year, Nelson will anchor the Spartans’ offense.
Adam Furlin, sr., tight end/lb, Kellogg.
Furlin sprained an ankle in the season opener, but he will return and have an impact season.
Skylar Brown, sr., lb/wingback, Timberlake.
He may have been Timberlake’s best defensive player a year ago, and he should have a similar season this fall.
Jeremiah Big Spring, sr., wide receiver/linebacker, Kellogg.
This multiple-sport athlete should have a big season.
Josh Malloy, sr., wb/cb, Timberlake.
On any other team, Malloy would be the best player, but not on this team.
Kurt Carey, sr., offensive line/defensive line, Bonners Ferry.
He will be one of the top linemen in the league.
Josh Goodman, sr., te/defensive end, Timberlake.
Goodman didn’t play last year, but he won’t take long to make a name for himself this season.
Josh Masterson, sr., te/de, St. Maries.
He needs a big season for the Lumberjacks to improve.
Dan Bashoor, sr., strong guard, defensive tackle, Timberlake.
He’s poised to anchor the Tigers’ lines.
Best of the rest: Joe Masterson of Timberlake; Brian Fulp of Priest River; Ty Ketchum of Kellogg; and Nick Marion of Kellogg.
100 and counting
It went largely unnoticed last year, but Timberlake coach Roy Albertson – who has had head coaching stops at Chewelah and Dayton in Washington and got his start under the late Ed Troxel at Kennewick – eclipsed 100 career wins last year.
Albertson’s 100th victory came in the Tigers’ playoff-opening win over Priest River. His record, going into his 17th season and fifth at Timberlake, is 101-55-1.