Post Falls, Sandpoint top winners

COEUR d’ALENE — Dani Failor and the Post Falls High girls basketball team, and Adam Tajan and the Sandpoint High boys soccer team were among the major award winners Saturday night at the 51st annual North Idaho Sports Banquet at the Best Western Coeur d’Alene Inn.

Failor, a senior, shared Female Athlete of the Year honors with Kylie Gordon of Moscow after leading Post Falls to the state 5A girls title. The Trojans were named North Idaho Female Team of the Year.

Tajan was named North Idaho Coach of the Year for Male Sports after guiding the Bulldogs to the state 4A boys soccer crown. Sandpoint’s soccer team was named North Idaho Male Team of the Year.

Coeur d’Alene cross country coach Cathy Compton was named North Idaho Coach of the Year for Female Sports after the Vikings won the state 5A championship.

Potlatch baseball coach Jim Shepherd earned North Idaho Coach of the Year for Male Sports for the smaller schools. Kamiah’s football team was named North Idaho Male Team of the Year for the smaller schools, and Kevin Hill of Kamiah was named North Idaho Male Athlete of the Year.

In the North Idaho college awards, North Idaho College volleyball player Yang Yang was named female athlete of the year; NIC wrestling was named team of the year; Idaho women’s basketball coach Jon Newlee was named coach of the year; and Idaho center Kyle Barone was named male athlete of the year.

Also at the banquet, Eric Yarber, Charles A. “Bud” Ford, Steve Burrato and George (Les) MacDowell were inducted into the Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame, and the undefeated 1982 Coeur d’Alene High football squad was honored as a “Legends” team.

AWARDS

COLLEGE

COACH OF THE YEAR — Jon Newlee, Idaho women’s basketball

TEAM OF THE YEAR — North Idaho College wrestling

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR — Yang Yang, North Idaho College volleyball

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR — Kyle Barone, Idaho basketball

HIGH SCHOOL

NORTH IDAHO COACH OF THE YEAR (MALE SPORTS) — Adam Tajan, Sandpoint soccer; Jim Shepherd, Potlatch baseball

NORTH IDAHO COACH OF THE YEAR (FEMALE SPORTS) — Cathy Compton, Coeur d’Alene cross country

MALE TEAM OF THE YEAR — Sandpoint soccer; Kamiah football

FEMALE TEAM OF THE YEAR — Post Falls basketball; Kamiah basketball

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR — Kevin Hill, Kamiah

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR — Dani Failor, Post Falls; Kylie Gorton, Moscow

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

BOYS TENNIS — Luke Ness, Lake City; Matt Finney, Lake City

GIRLS TENNIS — Christine Sayler, Lewiston

BOYS GOLF — Derek Bayley, Lakeland

GIRLS GOLF — Kaceelyn Pouttu, Kellogg; Amy Hasenoerhl, Lewiston

BOYS SWIMMING — Wyatt Jager, Moscow

GIRLS SWIMMING — Hailey Johnson, Genesee

BASEBALL — Levi Pereira, Coeur d’Alene

SOFTBALL — Casey Stangel, Lake City

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY — Sam Levora, Sandpoint

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY — Josie Brown, Coeur d’Alene

BOYS SOCCER — Timmy Mueller, Post Falls; Brett Dickman, St. Maries

GIRLS SOCCER — Kelcie Hedge, Post Falls; Liz Racer, Bonners Ferry

WRESTLING (5A-4A) — Bryce Parson, Lewiston

WRESTLING (3A-1A) — Blaine Invernon, Bonners Ferry

VOLLEYBALL (5A-4A) — Emilee Schlader, Lewiston

VOLLEYBALL (3A-1A) — Melissa Trost, Priest River

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD (5A-4A) — Wade Schumaker, Moscow

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD (3A-1A) — Kevin Hill, Kamiah

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD (5A-4A) — Morgan Struble, Coeur d’Alene; Madison Seaman, Coeur d’Alene

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD (3A-1A) — Megan Sullivan, Grangeville

BOYS BASKETBALL (5A-4A) — Nick Ellison, Moscow

BOYS BASKETBALL (3A-1A) — Derek Brown, Grangeville

GIRLS BASKETBALL (5A-4A) — Dani Failor, Post Falls

GIRLS BASKETBALL (3A-1A) — Bailey Nygaard, Kamiah; Lexi Turkenburg, Coeur d’Alene Charter

FOOTBALL (5A-4A) — Reece Mahaffy, Coeur d’Alene

FOOTBALL (3A-1A) — Kevin Hill, Kamiah