Kootenai girls topple Mullan, snap 49-game losing streak

HARRISON FLATS - Junior post Ana Parker scored eight points and grabbed 15 rebounds as the Kootenai Warriors snapped a 49-game losing streak with a 41-27 victory over the visiting Mullan Tigers in North Star League play Friday night.

It was the first victory for Kootenai (1-13, 1-7 NSL) since late in the 2007-08 season, when the Warriors beat Wallace in the 1A District 1 championship game to advance to state.

"It's great for these girls," Kootenai coach Mike LaFountaine said. "These girls have been working hard; it's nice to see it paying off, and to see them get a little confidence going."

Ellison Schultz added eight points and Brie Benson had eight rebounds for Kootenai, which committed just four turnovers in the first half. Olivia Kincheloe had four assists for the Warriors.

Nicole Axtman scored a game-high 12 points for Mullan (5-12, 1-7).

After the game, Kootenai won a coin flip with Mullan for the second and third seeds, and will host the Tigers on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the first round of the 1A Division II District 1 tournament. The winner plays at top-seeded Clark Fork (11-8) on Friday in the championship game for the district's lone berth to state Feb. 17-19 at Nampa High.

Mullan 12 4 5 6 - 27

Kootenai 14 8 9 10 - 41

MULLAN - Gribble 0, McKinnon 6, Kotschevar 7, Koenig 2, Axtman 12.

KOOTENAI - K. Walton 1, S. Walton 2, Griggs 0, Schultz 8, Anderson 4, Benson 4, Kincheloe 7, Verkist 0, Mabbutt 7, Simpson 0, Parker 8.

Lakeside 53

Wallace 48

WALLACE - Joelle Miller scored 21 points, including a key 3-point play with 4:18 to play to put Lakeside up 44-43, and the Knights went on to beat the visiting Miners in North Star League play.

Lakeside (14-5, 6-2 NSL) and Wallace (10-8, 6-2), the two A-1 Division I teams in the league, split their two league meetings, and are tied for first with Clark Fork for the league title.

Lakeside won a coin flip with Wallace to earn the right to host the Miners in the 1A Division I District 1 playoff Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Plummer. That winner will face the third-place team from District 2 one week from today in a play-in game to state.

"The girls were really excited for the game and it took them a while to calm down," Lakeside coach Ron Miller said. "The little things paid off in the fourth quarter - making foul shots, taking care of the ball, making good passes ..."

Taylor Pasley scored 14 for the Miners.

Lakeside 9 14 14 16 - 53

Wallace 10 21 10 7 - 48

LAKESIDE - Miller 21, Gauthier 0, Whaley 0, Davis 15, Louie 0, S. Miller 4, Duncan 0, Brown-Sonder 10, Hendrickx 3.

WALLACE - Vester 4, Pasley 14, Snyder 2, Dire 7, Jennings 11, Bayer 2, Pehan 4, Dodge 2, Denson 2, Browning 2.

Kootenai 50

Mullan 23

HARRISON FLATS - Jake Zarpentine scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the host Warriors beat the Tigers in North Star League play.

Hayden Kraack added nine points for Kootenai (5-9, 3-3 NSL), which travels to Clark Fork on Tuesday.

Trevor Henderson scored 10 points for Mullan (3-13, 2-5), which plays host to the Lake City junior varsity on Monday.

Mullan 2 8 8 5 - 23

Kootenai 9 14 12 15 - 50

MULLAN - Litz 0, Johnson 0, Tr. Henderson 10, Kotschevar 2, Ty. Henderson 1, Trogden 4, Garitone 2, Hirsh 0, Scheel 4.

KOOTENAI - Zarpentine 21, Wallace 1, Myhre 3, Willms 5, B. Whipple 3, Carman 4, Pfeiffer 2, Kraack 9, D. Whipple 2.

Post Falls JV 71

Lakeside 70 (OT)

PLUMMER - Corey Koski scored 20 points and sank the go-ahead free throws in the final minute of overtime, lifting the Trojan junior varsity past the Knights.

Lakeside (10-5) helped force overtime on the strength of six straight free throws in the fourth quarter by Nate Weaselhead, following a foul and two technical fouls on Post Falls.

Weaselhead finished with 18 points and10 rebounds, and Jamie Flemming and Tucker Louie-McGee scored 15 points each for Lakeside.

The two teams play again Monday in Post Falls.

Post Falls JV 13 21 19 12 6 - 71

Lakeside 6 20 19 20 5 - 70

POST FALLS JV - Davenport 9, Floch 0, Korr 0, Hillman 4, Wiltse 9, Jackson 7, Koski 20, Mueller 15, Failor 2, Wardell 5.

LAKESIDE - Flemming 15, Higgins 3, Weaselhead 18, Chatman 6, Boyd 4, Louie-McGee 15, Smith 0, Flemming-Soto 4, Brown 5.

Christian Center 66

Pullman Christian 53

PULLMAN - Seth Howard scored eight of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter as the visiting Lions captured the Mountain Christian League game.

Colin Burgeson added 19 points, Dennis Chekota had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Ransom Storm grabbed 11 rebounds for Christian Center (16-3, 14-2 MCL), which plays Immaculate Conception on Monday.

Christian Center 24 9 14 19 - 66

Pullman Christian 13 14 14 12 - 53

CHRISTIAN CENTER - S. Howard 23, Chekota 16, Burgeson 19, Welch 2, McLeod 0, A. Howard 0, Kuchenski 0, Laws 0, Hansen 3, Storm 3.

PULLMAN CHRISTIAN - Weaver 9, Walker 0, Sh. Schaffer 0, Simanson 0, Lawford 6, Si. Schaffer 20, Sewell 0, G. Williams 0, Stone 14, Shirey 4, Laugerquist 0, A. Williams 0.

N.I.Christian d.

Immac. Conception

HAYDEN - The host Royals won by forfeit when visiting Immaculate Conception from Post Falls suspended four players and were unable to field a varsity team for Friday's game.

North Idaho Christian (8-15) plays The Oaks next Friday in the first round of the Mountain Christian League tournament at Pullman.