Johnson vitalizes Vikings

It had been a while since Ali Johnson played in a 5A Region I tournament game.

Try three years, in fact. Johnson, a starter as a freshman who missed essentially the last two seasons after two knee surgeries, was the spark the Coeur d’Alene Vikings needed Saturday afternoon.

The senior scored a game-high 15 points, including two key 3-pointers just before halftime, as the top-seeded Vikings stopped No. 4 Lewiston 56-40 at Elmer Jordan Court.

The game was postponed Friday because poor roads kept Lewiston from traveling.

Coeur d’Alene (19-2) will meet No. 2 Post Falls (18-3) Friday in the regional final at CdA. Post Falls handled LC 56-40 in a regional opener.

In a loser-out game Friday, Lewiston (10-11) travels to third seed LC (14-6).

Johnson, a 5-foot-5 point guard, carried the load in the first half for the Vikings, who were plagued by foul trouble. She scored 11 points in the first two quarters and made 3 of 4 3-point attempts.

She hit a 3-pointer with 1:03 to go in the second quarter after Lewiston had pulled within 24-17 after trailing 22-9 midway in the period. Her last 3-pointer came with 2 seconds left, allowing the Vikings to take a 30-17 lead into halftime.

Johnson, who also had four assists, met CdA coach Dale Poffenroth at midcourt as the teams broke for intermission. She could be seen seeking his approval for taking the final shot. He gave her a high five.

“She took it at the right time,” Poffenroth said. “Then she asked later, ‘Was I supposed to do that?’ If it goes in, you’re always supposed to do it. Ali played a great game. She ran the offense, got things going, made things happen, made a couple of shots at the right time and was just under control. That’s a senior. It’s a bookend (career) for her. She played well as a freshman and is playing well this year. It’s just a shame (the injury) in the middle.”

Freshman post Carli Rosenthal, one of three Vikings who had to sit on the bench in the first half with two fouls, hit two shots in the key to open the third quarter, giving CdA its biggest lead at 34-17.

A basket by Lewiston post Kiki Edwards-Teasley as the buzzer sounded to end the quarter started an 8-0 run that spilled into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. A 9-foot jumper by Jessica Kramer pulled the Bengals within 41-36 with 5:40 to go.

But the Vikings answered the final challenge, outscoring the Bengals 15-4 to close out the game. CdA made 9 of 10 fouls shots in the final 5:09.

Rosenthal finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Edwards-Teasley led Lewiston with 14.

“We had that run at the end and it looked like a one-sided game, but they (the Bengals) played well and played hard,” Poffenroth said.

•Alissa Tenuto scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Lynn DiBenedetto added 11 points and nine boards as Sandpoint defeated Moscow 53-41 in a 4A Region I playoff game in Sandpoint.

Chantel Divilbiss tallied 11 points for the Bears (0-21).

The Bulldogs (8-13) advance to play host Lakeland (5-14) Tuesday at Rathdrum.