A last look at an incredible winter of accomplishment

To say the Lake City High girls basketball team saved its best for last would be the understatement of the 2006-07 winter sports season.

It’s also a no-brainer what the top story in the area was this season. It’s an ending few, other than the Timberwolves and their coaches, would have believed could happen.

And to think that LC came close to not having the opportunity to make it happen.

Here’s a look back at the winter season, including the Timberwolves’ improbable State 5A championship.

Girls basketball

Coeur d’Alene spent most of the season ranked atop the 5A heap. This after the Vikings returned their team intact from a year ago when they finished runner-up at state.

Many not only picked the Vikings to return to the state final – most tabbed them to capture the title.

First, though, a self-serving thought here. I suggested in this same space a year ago that I wouldn’t be surprised if Coeur d’Alene was joined in the 2007 state final by crosstown-rival Lake City.

I also suggested as much again in my state preview story. I just thought that if LC could limit its turnovers and get sophomore post Katie Baker to play close to the level she was at most of the regular season, the T-Wolves would be a tough draw for any team at state.

LC came so close to not qualifying for state. The T-Wolves had to rebound from a four-point deficit with 29 seconds to go against Post Falls in a loser-out regional game to force overtime. And not just one overtime, but two.

The T-Wolves were on the brink of a third loss to Post Falls in a week and a half when they pulled off an unlikely rally.

LC advanced to the play-in game, easily handling Capital of Boise 55-36.

At state, LC knocked off District III champ Borah in the first round, going to overtime for a 55-51 win. The T-Wolves beat another district champ, Twin Falls, in the semifinals, earning another shot against the Vikings, who had taken two of three games from LC in the regular season.

LC coach Darren Taylor asked a simple question before the T-Wolves broke out of the locker room for their title showdown. He asked which of the crosstown rivals won the last time they played.

It put a smile on the T-Wolves’ faces.

LC wasn’t the best team in the state from season opener to the state final. But the T-Wolves were the best that February night, stopping CdA 46-40 in a game the seniors will be talking about at their 20-year reunion. LC won the game that mattered most.

Baker, no doubt, established herself as the best player in the tourney if not the state.

It’s highly doubtful that we’ll see a CdA-LC final next year. But the Vikings should play for a third straight time on a Saturday evening in the Idaho Center. This time they will finally break through.

Bonners Ferry (third), Kellogg (fourth) and Wallace (fifth) all brought home state trophies. For Kellogg and Wallace, the trophies weren’t the ones they wanted after they played for state titles last year. But they should be applauded for bouncing back from disappointing first-round losses.

Here are my individual awards: In the Inland Empire League, Baker is the most valuable player. She put the T-Wolves on her back and carried them to the state title. Newcomer of the year goes to Post Falls freshman Katelyn Loper. Coach of the year is Taylor.

In the Intermountain League, Kellogg sophomore Amanda Seeling is MVP. Coach of the year is Travis Hinthorn of Bonners Ferry.

In the North Star League, four-year starter Cara Hayman of Wallace is my MVP for a second straight year. Coach of the year is Ron Miller of Lakeside. Miller’s young team, which took league champ Kootenai to overtime for a state berth at district, is the early pick as the team to beat next year.

Boys basketball

The top story involved a team from Coeur d’Alene, but not the one most thought could make a run at state.

The Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy, in its first trip to state in its fourth year fielding a team, did something rare for first-time state qualifiers. The 1A Panthers took third.

The Panthers came within a win away from playing for a state championship. Had senior point guard Chris Shaw not come down with strep throat and had to sit out the semifinal, they may have added another chapter to an already inspiring story.

In 4A, Moscow, behind co-Inland Empire League player of the year Shane Miller, captured third for a second straight year.

Here are my individual awards: Miller is MVP in the IEL. Of three possible choices, Miller was most valuable to his team. Coach of the year goes to Kent Leiss of league and 5A Region I champ CdA. Newcomer of the year goes to Lake City junior post Nick Fromm.

In the IML, MVP and newcomer of the year are one in the same in junior Ryan Winebark of Bonners Ferry. Gordy Allured of BF is coach of the year for getting a team that overcame the loss of one all-league player moving and another quitting to league and district titles.

In the NSL, Shaw is MVP. He was the glue that held things together for the Panthers. Brian Childs of CdA Charter is coach of the year.

Wrestling

Sandpoint advanced six into state title matches – by far the most of any 4A team – but the Bulldogs came up short in their quest for a seventh state championship.

Sandpoint finished second, eight points ahead of third-place Lakeland.

Area individual state champs were: Tim Pepperdine of Sandpoint (103 pounds); Tracey Huffman of Lewiston (112); Brandon Richardson of Lakeland (119); Joey Fio of Sandpoint (125); David Hayes of Timberlake (140); Zach Horsley of Lakeland (145); Kyle Meschko of Sandpoint (152); Jeremy Zabel of Coeur d’Alene (152); Jerod Morris of Sandpoint (171); Duane Carr of Post Falls (189); and Jared Stone of Bonners Ferry (heavyweight).