Cd'A girls focused, ready for state's best

Coeur d’Alene High girls basketball coach Dale Poffenroth said he won’t use the movie Hoosiers as motivation for his team prior to the state 5A girls basketball tournament, which begins today at the Idaho Center in Nampa.

The Vikings (19-4) are the two-time defending state champs, but have only three players — junior post Carli Rosenthal, senior guard Dayna Drager and senior guard Amanda Buttrey — who have ever played in the Idaho Center before.

But Poffenroth said he won’t be pulling out the tape measure and proving to the players that the basket is the same height there as it is back home, like they did in the movie.

“I did that once when we played in the Kingdome (in Seattle), because the Kingdome was just huge,” said Poffenroth, who won three state titles in 17 seasons at Central Valley, before coming over to Coeur d’Alene six years ago. “So I took the tape off the bus and we went in and measured the basket and people were going, ‘where are those hicks from?’

“We won’t do that here, though.”

Coeur d’Alene opens vs. Boise (22-1) today at 2 p.m. PST. The Braves, third last year, are led by Jordin Juker, a four-year starter who averages 10.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game. Boise is ranked No. 1 in 5A, Coeur d’Alene No. 2.

“I think we need to go into a game with confidence, and not let the nerves of state get to us,“ said Drager, who like Rosenthal is a returning starter. Buttrey came off the bench last year. “It’s nerve-wracking going to state, and getting in that big gym. ... It’s overwhelming. ... we need to go into every game and focus on having fun.”

While Coeur d’Alene brings little experience back to state, the other contenders are inexperienced at this level as well.

Centennial returns just one starter (Taylor Hagood) from a team which had Coeur d’Alene on the ropes in last year’s title game before losing in overtime.

None of the Lewiston players were born the last time the Bengals played at state (in 1989).

“Pat (Teichmer, Lewiston’s coach) asked me about that — do you take them out and show them the facility, or just go play,” Poffenroth said. “I’m just going to go play; it’s just another gym.”

Boise returns three starters, but only Juker played in 2007, the previous time the Braves went to state.

Coeur d’Alene has had balanced scoring this season. Drager averages 11.0 points per game, freshman Kendalyn Brainard 10.7, Rosenthal 9.9, Buttrey 7.5.

Rosenthal averages 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game. Brainard averages 6.3 boards and 2.7 assists. Buttrey is tops in steals (1.6), followed by junior Heather Baughman (1.5).

A rematch with Lewiston in the finals is possible. The Bengals (19-2) are in the other half of the bracket, opening vs. Mountain View (15-10). That winner plays the winner between Centennial (21-2) and Meridian (16-7) in the semifinals.

Lewiston has beaten the Vikings twice in three meetings this season. Coeur d’Alene finished fourth at state in 2005, Poffenroth’s first season, then played for the state title the next four years — with runner-up finishes in 2006 and ’07.

The Coeur d’Alene-Boise winner plays either Highland (20-3) or Eagle (16-7) in the semis. Coeur d’Alene, Boise, Centennial and Lewiston are regarded as favorites, though Poffenroth said all five District 3 (Boise area) teams are fairly equal.

“I think we’ve got a good chance,” Poffenroth said. “I think Lewiston’s as good as anybody on their side, and we’re as good as anybody on our side. We’re just going to have to see.”

“They could go all the way again,” Lake City coach Royce Johnston said of Coeur d’Alene. “It could be a rematch down there of these two teams (Coeur d’Alene and Lewiston). They (the Bengals) have a good combination of inside/out, guards and big players, and that’s what you need to win down there. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit.”

Notes: All 5A, 4A and 3A games at state can be seen via webcast at IdahoSports.com. The 2A, 1A Division I and 1A Division II games will be available through audio-only webcasts. All six championship games from the Idaho Center can be seen via webcast.

Bonneville, the defending 4A champion, is undefeated (23-0) and returns forward Mailie Garner, last year’s 4A player of the year ... 4A Moscow (7-15) has the worst record of any team playing at state, but nine of those losse came to the four teams in the 5A Inland Empire League.

Sugar Salem (20-3) is the defending 3A champion. Kellogg (16-8), which opens vs. Marsh Valley (18-4) today at 2 p.m. PST at Skyview High in Nampa, is led by senior forward Chelsea Morgan (11 points, 7 rebounds), senior guard Ryder Ashcraft (10 points per game) and senior guard/forward Kirsten Viche (9 points, 7 rebounds). Priest River (16-6) opens vs. Fruitland (22-1) at 7 p.m.

In 1A Division II, Clark Fork (15-5) opens vs. defending champion Richfield (18-4) today at 12:15 p.m. PST at Nampa High. The Wampus Cats are back at state for the first time since 2003. Senior guard Shaina Gustafson (15 points, 6 assists, 9 steals per game) returned for last week’s District 1 title game victory over Mullan after missing two weeks following an ATV accident. The machine flipped on top of her, and she broke part of her shoulder blade. She’s not back to 100 percent, but as far as the Cats are concerned, at least she’s back.