Nothing should stop Vikings from title

Here’s the easiest prediction I’ll make this year: The Coeur d’Alene High girls basketball team will repeat as 5A state champ.

This is as much of a guarantee as Coeur d’Alene was of winning last year. The Vikings return four of five starters, including last year’s 5A state player of the year Kama Griffitts, a 6-foot guard. They also bring back all of their key contributors off the bench.

Like last year, the 5A Inland Empire League teams should provide plenty of competition for the Vikings.

With the promise that their picks wouldn’t be individually identified, I asked the coaches to predict the order of finish among the four. The Vikings were the no-brain pick to capture the league title.

Second through fourth wasn’t as clear cut, though. Lewiston and LC were picked to finish tied for second and Post Falls, which took third at state last year, was tabbed a close fourth.

Two coaches picked Lewiston to finish second, one coach picked LC to take second and one coach picked Post Falls to end up second.

Here’s my order of finish after CdA – Lewiston, LC and Post Falls. To be honest, it could be LC, Lewiston, PF and it could easily be Lewiston, PF, LC.

LC could finish as high as second or at the bottom of the pack. PF could do the same. But I don’t see Lewiston finishing any lower than third.

The Bengals took a huge step last year by advancing to the final regional game. Heck, the Bengals tied the Vikings early in the fourth quarter before CdA prevailed in the winner-to-state, loser-out game.

That increased confidence will carry over for a Lewiston team that returns three starters and seven lettermen – second most to CdA. Leading the way for the Bengals is 6-foot-2 forward Kiki Edwards-Teasley, the daughter of former Seattle SuperSonics center James Edwards.

The Bengals should lose just one league game at home.

LC and Post Falls find themselves in the same situation. They each return two starters.

The Timberwolves bring back senior Katie Baker, a 6-1 post who is headed to the University of Montana, and sophomore guard Sydney Butler. Post Falls returns senior guard Jordan Schoening, who is headed 45 miles west to Eastern Washington, and junior wing Katelyn Loper, who will likely have several NCAA Division I choices next year.

The key for LC and PF will be which team’s support players provide the best, well, support.

The season should be nothing short of entertaining. A handful of teams begin this weekend with the balance of teams starting next week.

Football playoffs

Lewiston (10-0) and Kootenai (10-0) are just one win away from advancing to state title games.

In 5A, second-ranked Lewiston travels to No. 1-ranked Eagle (10-0) on Friday. In 1A Division II 8-man, No. 3 Kootenai plays host to No. 2 Garden Valley (9-0) on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Eagle had to make a major offensive change last week after it lost quarterback Taylor Kelly to a broken leg in the waning moments of a play-in game the week before. The Mustangs threw just four passes and rushed for 470 yards in a 37-16 win over Vallivue last week.

Kootenai expects to see a team similar in size and speed when it meets GV.

“It’s hard to gauge how good they are, but I’m sure it’s hard for them to gauge how good we are too,” Kootenai coach Doug Napierela said.

Correction

It’s unfortunate when any names are left off of all-league teams. I know I’ve made that mistake before. But there were two key names omitted from the 5A Inland Empire League teams provided to the media Tuesday and published in area newspapers Wednesday.

The names of Lewiston senior tight end/linebacker Kyler Nilsson and Post Falls senior linebacker/running back Cole Amende were left off the list. Nilsson was named the player of the year and Amende was named the linebacker of the year.