Thrice as nice!

NAMPA - Rosenthal, Drager, Buttrey ... and now Orlandi.

Viking players all - the first three already members of state championship teams at Coeur d'Alene High - joined this year by Orlandi, a freshman who came up big off the bench in the Vikings' 51-45 come-from-behind victory over 5A Inland Empire League rival Lewiston in the state championship game Saturday night at the Idaho Center.

Coeur d'Alene (22-3) rallied from 10 points down to win its third straight state title, in its fifth straight trip to the title game.

Orlandi, who scored 13 points in nearly 27 minutes, helped put the game away on 9-of-10 shooting from the free throw line.

"I knew we should win, but we had to play hard," Orlandi said. "I was nervous at first tonight, but it was a good time to start playing well."

The win is Coeur d'Alene coach Dale Poffenroth's sixth state title overall, and third in his six years with the Vikings.

"We knew we'd have to do something different after playing them three other times this season," Poffenroth said. "I kept telling the girls it's not over until the final buzzer. Lewiston is a good team, with some strong pieces."

Lewiston (21-3), which won two of the first three meetings with Coeur d'Alene this season, jumped out to a 25-15 lead at the start of the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Nicole Redd.

Trailing by nine, the Vikings broke off a 14-0 run, as the Bengals went scoreless for 6:08 in the fourth quarter, and took a 41-36 lead on a 3-pointer by Amanda Buttrey.

"That (Amanda) Buttrey 3-pointer was a game changer," Lewiston coach Pat Teichmer said. "We just struggled shooting and when she hit that shot - our girls looked like they were in shock."

Coeur d'Alene never let the Bengals within four points again, closing out the game on free throws from Buttrey with 17.2 seconds remaining.

"I told our girls to be patient and give the ball to (Carli) Rosenthal," Poffenroth said.

Rosenthal, a 6-foot-3 junior playing in her third straight title game, finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds - five on the offensive end - and four blocked shots.

"I'm not sure who votes on it, but Carli, Kendalyn Brainard and Orlandi should be on the all-tournament team," Poffenroth said. "Both those freshman played tough and should be on that team."

"It's kind of nice," Poffenroth said of winning a third straight title. "We ended up five points short of it the last time I had a chance in Washington (at Central Valley, where he coached for 17 years before coming to Coeur d'Alene). It's hard to do, but it's pretty nice."

Poffenroth also credited the win to Orlandi's play at guard, allowing senior Dayna Drager to step into the post late in the game.

"Our kids had to play out of position all year," Poffenroth said. "We didn't have a guard to run the offense - but it looks like we do now."

It was Coeur d'Alene's eighth state girls title overall.

Of the future, Poffenroth added that he's looking forward to the challenge of next year when it comes in November.

"We'll come back and try again," Poffenroth said. "We're going to need to put some pieces together and move some kids around and hopefully find a few more pieces. Right now, I'm going to enjoy the bus ride home and see what my math class has been up to the last couple days."

Lewiston, at state for the first time since 1989, was bidding for its first title since 1976 - the first year of the girls state tournament.

"I'm proud of this moment," Teichmer said. "We'll have this memory for the rest of their lives. We were 2-2 against Coeur d'Alene this season, and I'm proud of that. I'm looking forward to next season. All four of our kids are great kids. Kaci (Baldwin), Nicole (Redd) and Jessica (Kramer) all played big minutes this weekend. They are the best leaders I've ever had as a coach. Together, they were a special group."

Kramer had 15 points, Redd 13 points for the Bengals.

Lewiston 12 10 14 9 - 45

Coeur d'Alene 6 9 14 22 - 51

LEWISTON - Kramer 15, Wilson 7, Baldwin 0, Guzman 0, Redd 13, Johnson 2, Blinn 4, Fuller 4. Totals 17-38 9-16 45.

COEUR d'ALENE - Baughman 0, Buttrey 7, Drager 1, Orlandi 13, Parker 2, Legel 0, Rosenthal 22, Brainard 6. Totals 16-37 18-24 51.

STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL RESULTS

Saturday’s Games

At Bishop Kelly High, Boise

CONSOLATION — Boise 47, Meridian 37

THIRD PLACE — Highland 60, Centennial 51

At the Idaho Center, Nampa

CHAMPIONSHIP — Coeur d’Alene 51, Lewiston 45

At Mountain View High, Meridian

Saturday’s Games

CONSOLATION — Bishop Kelly 50, Moscow 44

THIRD PLACE — Jerome 53, Rigby 35

At the Idaho Center, Nampa

CHAMPIONSHIP — Middleton 44, Bonneville 42

At Skyview High, Nampa

Saturday’s Games

CONSOLATION — Sugar-Salem 64, Marsh Valley 32

THIRD PLACE — Weiser 39, Kimberly 34

At the Idaho Center, Nampa

CHAMPIONSHIP — Priest River 45, Kellogg 33

At Kuna High

Saturday’s Games

CONSOLATION — Parma 55, Declo 44

THIRD PLACE — New Plymouth 58, Grangeville 51

At the Idaho Center, Nampa

CHAMPIONSHIP — West Jefferson 65, Soda Springs 46

1A Division I

At Columbia High, Nampa

Saturday’s Games

CONSOLATION — Challis 45, Tri-Valley 28

THIRD PLACE — Raft River 57, Troy 48

At the Idaho Center, Nampa

CHAMPIONSHIP — Clearwater Valley 51, Lapwai 49, OT

1A Division II

At Nampa High

Saturday’s Games

CONSOLATION — Summit Academy 39, Clark Fork 29

THIRD PLACE — Dietrich 56, North Gem 49

At the Idaho Center, Nampa

CHAMPIONSHIP — Richfield 41, Carey 35