Vandals football earns top honors at banquet

The 48th year of the North Idaho Sport Banquet continued a recent trend with a record number of athletes nominated.

The recipients were honored Saturday night. The annual banquet honors the top coaches, teams and athletes in the region.

Here are the winners:

In the college categories, University of Idaho football coach Robb Akey, based on the Vandals’ dramatic come-from-behind win in the Humanitarian Bowl, was named coach of the year and his team was named team of the year; the Vandals’ senior offensive lineman Mike Iupati was named the male athlete of the year; and North Idaho College women’s basketball player Tugce Canitez and NIC volleyball player Marketa Hanzoova were named co-female athletes of the year.

In the high school categories, Coeur d’Alene wrestling coach Jeff Moffat was named coach of the year after his team captured the 5A state championship.

The Post Falls and Priest River boys basketball teams, which captured 5A and 3A state championships respectively, were named co-male teams of the year.

There was a four-way tie for female team of the year among Coeur d’Alene basketball, Clearwater Valley basketball, Priest River basketball and St. Maries volleyball – all state championship teams.

Clearwater Valley coach Krissi Pratt was named female coach of the year.

A pair of senior basketball standouts, Dayna Drager of CdA and Taylor Stewart of Priest River, shared the female athlete of the year honor.

Lewiston senior quarterback Justin Podrabsky, who has signed to play at Idaho, was named male athlete of the year.

Here are the other individual athlete winners for the various sports, beginning with the boys:

In football, Podrabsky was named the 5A/4A player of the year and Timberlake’s Matt Kriz was named 3A/2A/1A player of the year.

In cross country, Lake City senior C.J. Helbling, who took second in the 5A state meet, was named athlete of the year.

In basketball, Post Falls teammates Shawn Reid and Malcolm Colbert were named co-players of the year in 5A/4A while Jake Weimer of Priest River was the winner in 3A/2A/1A.

In wrestling, Lakeland senior Brandon Richardson, a 4A state champ, was honored; in swimming, multiple state champ Mason Shaw of Lake City was honored; in baseball, CdA senior Devon Austin was named player of the year; in golf, Chris Williams of Moscow was honored; in track, Austin Black of Lakeland was honored in 5A/4A and Kyle Curtice of Kendrick was honored in 3A/2A/1A; in soccer, Sandpoint senior Daniel Anderson was honored; and in tennis, Sandpoint teammates Mikka Nostdahl and Dustin Pierce were honored.

For the girls, Sandpoint teammates Piper Wahlin and Koko James were honored in 5A/4A volleyball while Tia Asbury of St. Maries was honored in 3A/2A/1A.

In basketball, Post Falls senior Katelyn Loper and CdA junior Carli Rosenthal shared the honor in 5A/4A while Melissa Hopkins of Priest River and Blake Jacobs of Kamiah shared the honor in 3A/2A/1A.

In softball, Jessica Ross of Lake City was honored; in track, Camille Reynolds of Lakeland was honored in 5A/4A and Sabrina Ewing of Coeur d’Alene Charter was honored in 3A/2A/1A; in soccer, Alicia Mertz of Sandpoint was honored; in swimming, Kjirsten Magnuson of LC was honored; in cross country, CdA junior Kinsey Gomez was honored; in golf, Genna Dodge of Post Falls was honored; and in tennis, Clark Fork teammates Shaina Gustafson and Chelsea Macumber were honored.