Idaho girls: Several strong squads take their game to state
The Idaho girls state tournaments start Thursday at various venues and North Idaho has several strong squads in the field this season.
5A at Ford Idaho Center, Nampa
Lake City Timberwolves (20-3)
State seed: District 1-2 champion
First-round opponent: District 3 second seed Eagle
Coach: James Anderson, second season
Players to watch: F Bridget Rieken, sr.; PG Chloe Teets, sr.; G Klaire Mitchell, sr.; G Dejah Wilson, sr.; P Brooklyn Rewers, so.
Notes: Four team members have signed to play in college – although three of them are in other sports (Rieken, soccer, Washington State; Teets, soccer, College of Idaho; and Mitchell, volleyball, Grand Canyon). All three were all-state in their “other” sports. Sara Muehlhausen, a reserve post, has signed to play basketball at NAIA Lewis-Clark State. … Ranked second in final media poll. … Lake City lost at top-ranked Mountain View 51-24 in its third game of the season. … Last qualified for state in 2017, when Timberwolves lost in consolation title game. … Won consolation title game in 2016. … Won state titles in 2007 and 1995.
4A at Timberline HS, Boise
Lakeland Hawks (10-11)
State seed: District 1-2 champion
First-round opponent: District 3 second seed Caldwell
Coach: Steve Seymour, 24th season
Players to watch: G Lauryn Cooper, sr.; W/P Taylor Elpers, sr.; P Katy Ryan, so.; G Mel Loutzenhiser, jr.
Notes: Lakeland is at state for the first time since 2009 – the last of 10 straight trips to state for the Hawks, a span which stretches back to their 3A days. … Since then, Moscow won four straight district titles, then Sandpoint won the next five. … Ryan, a 6-foot-3 lefty, is a double-double machine – and often is a triple-double threat because of her shot-blocking ability. She holds down the fort in the middle of Lakeland’s offense and defense, and is surrounded by experienced players like Cooper, Elpers, Loutzenhiser and seniors Izzy Kirk and Alaina Pruitt. … Lakeland won back-to-back 3A State titles in 2001 and ’02, as well as a A-2 State crown in 1989.
3A at Skyview HS, Nampa
Timberlake Tigers (20-2)
State seed: District 1-2 champion
First-round opponent: District 5-6 second seed Teton
Coach: Matt Miller, 14th season
Players to watch: G McKeeley Tonkin, sr.; G Taryn Soumas, so.; F Brooke Jessen, so.
Notes: After playing in the state title game six times in seven seasons, Timberlake “settled” for third place at state last season after losing to eventual champion Sugar-Salem in the semifinals. … Timberlake won 3A State titles in 2016 and ’17, and also played for the title in 2011, ’12, ’14 and ’15. … Went 5-0 vs. teams in the 5A Inland Empire League, beating Coeur d’Alene and Lewiston twice each, and Post Falls once. Went 6-0 vs. teams in the 4A IEL, sweeping Lakeland, Moscow and Sandpoint. … Timberlake is at state for the ninth time in 11 seasons. … Tigers are ranked No. 1 in final state media poll.
Bonners Ferry Badgers (17-6)
State seed: District 1-2 runner-up
First-round opponent: District 6 first seed Sugar-Salem
Coach: Travis Hinthorn, second season in second stint at Bonners Ferry.
Players to watch: PG Holly Ansley, so.; P Jerzie Pluid, sr.; F Baylee Blackmore, jr.
Notes: Badgers went two-and-out at state last year. … Bonners played Timberlake as tough as anyone in the Intermountain League has in recent years, losing “only” by 12 and 10 points. In the first game, at Spirit Lake, the Badgers led 24-17 at halftime before losing 45-33. … Was the last of the 48 girls teams to qualify for state, beating Kellogg 58-35 at home on Monday night in the district second-place game, a game postponed from Saturday by snow.
Class 1A Division 2 at Nampa HS
Genesis Prep Jaguars (12-10)
State seed: District 1-2 champion
First-round opponent: District 2 second seed Nezperce
Coach: Brandon Haas, second season
Players to watch: P Bella Murekatete, sr.; PG Rachel Schroeder, sr.
Notes: Program is in its fourth season sanctioned by the Idaho High School Activities Association. … Genesis Prep placed third at state two years ago, and lost last year in the state title game by two points to Butte County, which moved up to 1A Division I this season. … Murekatete has signed with Washington State, and Schroeder is attracting college interest. … Record is a bit deceiving, as the Jaguars “play up” in most of their nonleague games. Also, Murekatete and Schroeder didn’t play in their 49-17 North Star League loss at Wallace, and Murekatete didn’t play in a league loss to Clark Fork.