CdA, LC will face off today
POST FALLS – The Coeur d’Alene Vikings bounced back from an opening-round loss with two loser-out victories Friday at the Idaho State 5A softball tournament, postponing the retirement of coach Larry Bieber for one more day.
Following a nine-day layoff, the Viks fell in the opener to Eagle 6-5, then rebounded to knock out Vallivue and defending champ Mountain View to set up today’s 10 a.m. matchup with … drumroll, please … the Lake City Timberwolves.
Bieber, who’s calling it quits after 22 years as the Vikings’ skipper, admitted he was conscious of the fact that he might be coaching his last game.
“I actually had that thought in the back of my head,” said Bieber, “but way back in the back … way back in the back.”
The upstart Timberwolves (20-8) decided they wanted to stick around for one more day too, pounding out 28 hits in come-from-behind wins over Idaho Falls and Highland after dropping the opener 5-4 to Mountain View.
“We answered back all day,” Lake City first-year coach Jesse Lenz said. “We fought through some adversity those last few games. It was a team effort.”
On paper, this morning’s matchup looks a bit lopsided – Coeur d’Alene is 5-0 against Lake City this season. But when everything you’ve worked for is on the line, you can throw the records out the window.
“They’re a good team and we can’t look past them,” Vikings pitcher Breana Burke said. “It’s the state tournament and anything can happen.”
“Every time we play them, we just get better and better,” said Lake City senior and future Weber State outfielder JaeCie Wilson. “This is really our time. This is our shot.”
Whoever wins today’s matchup at Post Falls High School, it’ll be a tough road to a championship. The winner will have to turn right around and try to best the loser between Eagle (28-1) and Meridian (19-10). A win there and you’ll have to beat the Eagle-Meridian winner twice for the title.
“I told (Bieber), every time we play them this year, I’m going after him,” said Lenz, who was once a student of Bieber’s at CHS. “We feel like we’ve been getting better each day, and we’re excited for the opportunity to play them one more time.”
Coeur d’Alene 10, Mountain View 0: Burke and Jane Wilkey combined on a two-hitter for the Vikings, who scored six runs with two outs in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Vikings senior Jadyn Behm had three hits with a homer and four RBIs in the win.
Eagle 6, Coeur d’Alene 5: Eagle sophomore Hailey Fisher homered in the top of the seventh to break a 5-all tie, sending Coeur d’Alene to the loser’s bracket. Vikings senior Bryce Catt homered in the sixth to knot the game at 5, and senior Kylie Rasmussen also homered for the Viks.
Mountain View 5, Lake City 4: Wilson, Katelynne Murphy and Haley Loffer each had two hits for the T-wolves, whose seventh-inning rally fell short against the defending 5A champs.
Coeur d’Alene 6, Vallivue 2: Senior Analisa Raynor’s two-run homer in the sixth extended the Vikings’ lead, and junior pitcher Breana Burke scattered six hits and drove in a run. Rasmussen also homered for the Viks.
Lake City 5, Idaho Falls 2: Loffer’s RBI single capped a three-run fourth to give Timberwolves the lead for good. Junior Rummor Walker provided insurance with a two-run double in the seventh, and junior pitcher Michaela Flerchinger scattered three hits over the final five innings in the win.
4A: Lakeland was eliminated after a pair of losses at Ramsey Park in Coeur d’Alene. The Hawks fell 11-0 to Middleton in their first game, then 11-1 to Twin Falls.
3A: Timberlake and Bonners Ferry were both eliminated at Ramsey Park.
The Tigers opened with a 12-3 win over Shelley, but then lost to Homedale 18-0 and Filer 11-9. Bonners Ferry lost 12-6 to Kimberly and 11-9 to Filer.