Winter state high school tourneys start this week

Brace yourself for three state high school tournaments in three weeks.

The state high school girls basketball tournaments run this Thursday through Saturday in the Boise area.

Next weekend are the state wrestling tourneys at Holt Arena in Pocatello.

The following weekend are the state boys high school basketball tournaments, back in the Boise area.

In the state 5A girls tourney, Lake City (19-4) opens Thursday vs. Centennial (21-3) at 5:15 p.m. PST at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

In the 4A tourney, Sandpoint (13-9) faces Burley at 2 p.m. Thursday at Timberline High in Boise.

In the 3A tourney, Timberlake (21-2) opens vs. Kimberly at 2 p.m. Thursday at Middleton High.

And in the 1A Division II tourney, Lakeside (15-5) opens vs. Rockland (18-6) on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. at Nampa High.

The 5A Region 1 boys basketball tournament starts Friday, with No. 4 seed Lake City at No. 1 Lewiston, and No. 3 Post Falls at No. 2 Coeur d’Alene.

On Saturday, berths to state are up for grabs as 5A, 4A and 3A schools meet at Lakeland for their respective regional/district tournaments. The 2A state-qualifying tournament is Saturday at Clearwater Valley.

North Idaho College’s men’s and women’s basketball teams play their final two home games as members of the Scenic West Athletic Conference this week, hosting Salt Lake on Thursday and Snow on Saturday.

A King of the Cage mixed martial arts card is scheduled for Thursday at the Coeur d’Alene Casino in Worley.