Yankoff makes a nice play off the field
When not slamming down alley-oop passes during basketball season, or fielding scholarship offers from major colleges in football, Coeur d’Alene High junior quarterback Colson Yankoff quietly did something pretty cool off the field recently.
As winner of the Gatorade Idaho Football Player of the Year award, Yankoff was able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program.
According to a news release, Yankoff will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants — one for each sport — will be announced throughout the year.
Yankoff’s choice — Specialized Needs Recreation of Coeur d’Alene.
According to its website, Specialized Needs Recreation “offers various recreation programs for youth and adults who have challenges participating in other programs because of a learning disability, sensory impairment, mental, emotional of physical handicap.”
Those close to Colson said he was inspired by watching a few basketball games involving special needs players, and noticed how those kids appreciated the few games they get to play in front of a crowd — games high school athletes get to routinely play — and wanted SNR to have the money.
Not only that, Yankoff has reached to area businesses to match the $1,000 grant. One prominent company so far has agreed to match it.
“He is a very mature young man,” Coeur d’Alene football coach Shawn Amos said.
• Friday’s Fight for the Fish spirit basketball games at Lake City High, pitting Coeur d’Alene vs. Lake City, will be the first for both Coeur d’Alene High coaches.
When he starred at Post Falls High, Viking girls basketball coach Scott Stockwell played in four Prairie Pig spirit basketball games against Lakeland, so he has some experience in a setting where the crowd noise often dwarfs the action on the court.
“I won’t be able to do much talking,” Stockwell said. “But I think our girls have seen it all by now (12 games into the season, as well as into Stockwell’s first season at Coeur d’Alene).”
Cd’A boys basketball coach Tony Hanna coached the past five years at Timberlake, which annually faced Priest River in a similar spirit event setting.
“Honestly, it’s another basketball game,” he said. “I know there’s a lot to it, and there’s a lot of side stuff. We’ll be working on hand signals, and things like that. Actually, I think the more pressure on the games, I feel like we’ve played a little bit better. I feel like we have players that can play under pressure, and can focus up. I think we’re going to be just fine.”
• Despite its 0-4 start in Intermountain League play, the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy girls basketball team has been quite competitive in most of its games.
Charter, which began its varsity girls program in 2009, moved up this year to the 3A IML from the 2A Central Idaho League.
The Panthers dropped their first IML game by 20 points to Bonners Ferry, then lost to Kellogg by 13. Last Saturday, they took Priest River to overtime before falling.
“I’m playing three freshmen (Sandy Faulkner and Imelda Bresee, both 5-11, and Julia Haag, 5-8) and we’re right there,” said Charter coach Doug Grant, who noted his team led at one time in all three of the losses. “I really like where we’re at. We’re just not winning the close ones in 3A, but I think when we get into the (district) tournament we’re going to surprise someone.”
Grant said the level of play from Bonners, Priest River and Kellogg is comparable to the top teams he faced in the CIL, St. Maries and Grangeville. The difference, he said, is the IML teams possess more speed, and ball control is more crucial.
“We actually have a size advantage in most of the games we play, with Faulkner and (5-10 sophomore Emma) Bartlett and Bresee,” Grant said. ... “We’re close.”
Notice Grant didn’t mention Timberlake, the defending state 3A champs. The Tigers have roughed up all IML foes this year, including a 58-13 win over Charter on Tuesday night.
“Nobody’s going to touch Timberlake,” he said.
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.