Panhandle Picks with Greg Lee

I haven’t posted wins for 17 straight weeks like a local football team, but I’m beginning to like this season.

The record speaks for itself. I topped Laura Tolzmann, Lake City’s head softball coach, last week. I picked six of eight games, edging Tolzmann by one. That puts the season scoreboard at: Lee 38-10 (.792), Guests 34-14 (.708).

My guest this week is Coeur d’Alene Charter boys basketball coach Brian Childs, another one of the good guys. He hails from Muncie, Ind. (I won’t hold that against him.) He was a varsity assistant for Jim Winger and Kris Knowles at Lake City. He will begin his third year at Charter after taking the Panthers to the state tournament for the first time last year in a storybook season.

Timberlake at Lakeland: Tigers senior quarterback Levi Powers is questionable after suffering a game-ending leg injury in the first quarter of Timberlake’s win at Priest River last week.

Even if Powers played, it’s doubtful Timberlake would beat the Hawks. This is a better Lakeland team than the one that lost a 19-15 heartbreaker to the Tigers a year ago. Lakeland will do what it does best: run, run, run and set up play-action passes.

Timberlake’s hopes ride on its speed. It won’t be enough, though. LL 27, TL 20.

Guest: This should be a good game. Timberlake is having a nice season, but I’m going with the home-field advantage. LL 27, TL 21.

Central Valley at Lake City: Word out of Spokane Valley is the Bears are much improved. They have to be to have a chance against the T-Wolves, who sent CV into hibernation in a dominating 55-14 win last year.

The Bears may be improved, but LC’s not exactly chopped liver. LC 36, CV 14.

Guest: For a team to beat LC, it is going to have to play exceptionally well, and LC will need to be off its game a bit. I don’t see LC having a letdown – even after the big rivalry game. LC 42, CV 20.

Ontario at Post Falls: The Trojans are actually the underdogs in this game. The Tigers of Oregon are ranked second in their 4A division.

The Trojans need a win with LC waiting around the corner next week. PF bounces back from a bitter loss to Lakeland. PF 27, Ontario 24.

Guest: I’m sensing an upset here. Post Falls will take advantage of the travel factor and home-field advantage and pull out a close one. PF 24, Ontario 23.