Copyright Lewiston Morning Tribune
As Idaho’s fall prep sports season winds to a close, the Tribune readership area will be represented at the state tournament level by a substantial number of teams in both football and volleyball. State-bound area football teams include Lewiston in Class 5A; 2A teams Kendrick, Kamiah, Logos of Moscow, Prairie of Cottonwood and Potlatch; and 1A programs Deary, Genesee, Timberline of Weippe and Salmon River of Riggins. In volleyball, Moscow has advanced at the 5A level; Kamiah and Troy at 2A; and Genesee and Salmon River of Riggins for 1A. Football forces The area’s most-recent football playoff qualification, and perhaps the most dramatic, came when the Lewiston Bengals won a three-way “Kansas tiebreaker” event on Monday against the Sandpoint Bulldogs and the Lakeland Hawks of Rathdrum, claiming their first Inland Empire League title since 2016 in the process. “Our morale is up, and the kids are really believing,” first-year Lewiston coach Zane Hobart said. “We told this team from the beginning that we thought this was a team that could make a playoff run and make some noise, and now we’ve put ourselves in a position to go and achieve those goals.” The eighth-seeded Bengals (3-6) will begin their playoff campaign facing a now all-too-familiar opponent as they host Lakeland (8-1) at 7 p.m. Friday on their new home field at the P1FCU Sports Complex. “We are excited for that rematch,” said Hobart, whose team dropped a 42-17 regular-season finale to the Hawks before getting the better of them during the league tiebreaker. “Lakeland’s a good football team, but to get the opportunity to get a state win and get a chance at these guys again — now three times in seven days — we’re looking forward to the challenge.” The youthful Bengals field few returners with playoff experience. Senior leadership includes quarterback Mason Way and running back Austin Topp, while juniors Blaze Hepburn and Michael Earl and sophomore Dallas Richardson have also featured prominently in the Bengals’ box scores over the course of an up-and-down season to which they hope to add at least one more “up” while they have the chance. A win over the Hawks could send Lewiston south to face the classification’s second seed, Hillcrest of Ammon. “It’s a big moment for the program, and it’s the step in the right direction we want to take,” Hobart said of the state berth. “It’s going to be a big week for us.” While Lewiston winning-it-all would be considered a significant upset, the same is not true for area teams across all size classifications. At Class 2A, the Kendrick Tigers are reigning state champions and top seeds, entering the playoffs on the back of an undefeated regular season and Whitepine League title. Not only that, but the Kamiah Kubs and Logos Knights are the bracket’s second- and third-ranked teams, respectively, and are seeded to meet each other in the semifinals with a potential crack at the Tigers (9-0) on the line. “If two Whitepine teams could make the championship and have it out in the Kibbie Dome, that would be pretty exciting,” Kendrick coach Ty Koepp said. “I can’t recall the last time that happened, but that would be pretty neat.” Before that, of course, the bracket must play out. Kendrick (9-0) has a week off before hosting No. 8 Notus on Nov. 7, while the Whitepine League’s other four representatives will all play this Friday — Valley of Hazelton (6-3) at Prairie (6-3) at 1 p.m., Glenns Ferry (4-5) at Kamiah (7-1) at 2 p.m., Oakley (3-6) at Logos (7-2) at 6 p.m. and Potlatch (4-4) at Hagerman (6-3) at 6 p.m. Pacific. “I’m doing my part and making sure everything’s the same it’s been the last four years,” said Koepp, a 20-year-old former Tiger quarterback whose team has won four consecutive state titles in all, having dominated what is now known as Class 1A during Koepp’s last three years of high school before moving up to conquer 2A last season. In the Class 1A bracket, an all-area showdown between host Genesee (7-1) and Timberline of Weippe (2-5) is lined up for 7 p.m. Friday, while the Salmon River Savages (6-3) will visit the Wallace Miners (7-2) for another opening-round encounter Friday at 4 p.m. Pacific. Regular-season 1A Whitepine League champion Deary (5-4) will enjoy a first-round bye and await an opponent to-be-determined for a Nov. 7 showdown. Volleyball hopefuls The Moscow Bears booked their first state volleyball tournament berth in three years by upsetting regular-season league champion Lewiston in loser-out play at Districts before overcoming Pocatello in a five-set Class 5A play-in match. Jessa Skinner, a starter for Moscow (15-14) since 2022 and a member of the last state-qualifying squad, is perhaps the most experienced member of a large senior class of Bears that also includes Allison Dorigo, Jacqueline Williams, Kayla Windley, Laura House, Cate Gloeckner, Ella Young and Hadliegh Barnes. “With how up-and-down the season went for us and then the outcome we got at the end, for these eight seniors to go to State — they’re over the moon,” Moscow coach Kacey Halbert said. “Mentally, I think they’re ready, and I think they’re prepared.” The Bears have made the trip south to Boise’s Timberline High School, where they will begin their state campaign facing familiar foe Lakeland (11-9) today at 4 p.m. Pacific. Lakeland handled Moscow in both of the teams’ previous encounters this year, but Halbert said that her Bears are in prime position to turn the tables on the Hawks given their late-season surge. As was the case in football, the area’s most prolific state-level representation and success in volleyball has come in the smaller divisions — in particular, Class 2A, for which the championships are to be held today through Saturday at Post Falls High School. Perennial state title contender Troy (27-4) is seeded second, while the Kamiah Kubs (21-8) — who upset the Trojans in the district tournament to earn their first state berth in recent memory — are fifth. “We are excited to have the opportunity to continue our season at the state tournament,” said Kamiah coach Jackie Landmark, whose team enjoyed a statistical triple-double from senior Emma Krogh in its district title-winning effort. “I think we have been peaking at the right time and have been focusing on our mental game. ... We have big goals for State, and would love to bring home the title.” Troy coach Deborah Blazzard, whose Trojans had an unbeaten regular-season 2A Whitepine League run but failed to win Districts for the first time in a decade, feels they have become a “better team because of it,” having “refocused” on the weaker points in their game. Key returners from last year’s third-place Trojans lineup include the likes of junior offensive hitter Tessa Stoner and sophomore setter Emma Wells. Kamiah takes on No. 4 Oakley in the opening round today at 3 p.m., then Troy meets No. 7 Wilder at 7 p.m. The Trojans and Kubs are in opposite halves of the draw, and could have a rematch with the state championship on the line. In the Class 1A tournament scheduled for today through Saturday at Coeur d’Alene High School, the Genesee Bulldogs (23-6) and Salmon River Savages (23-5) hold the second and third seeds, respectively. Genesee, which moved down in size classification last year, made a fourth-place showing in its debut 1A state appearance. Coach Pete Crowley said the Bulldogs have high hopes to improve on that result with an experienced lineup including six seniors and two left-handers who bring a “different sort of look” than most opponents are used to facing. Salmon River’s only defeats in its last two-dozen matches have come against the classification’s top-ranked team, the Horseshoe Bend Mustangs (20-5). The Bulldogs and Savages are seeded to meet in each team’s second match, with the winner potentially taking a crack at Horseshoe Bend in the title round of the double-elimination bracket. First, however, Salmon River must defeat No. 6 Leadore today at 5 p.m., and Genesee must overcome No. 7 Carey at 7 p.m. Wendt may be contacted at (208) 848-2268, or cwendt@lmtribune.com.
