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Pickleball tourney

begins today in Cd’A

COEUR d’ALENE — More than 400 players — including over 60 professionals — are expected for the Coeur d’Alene Classic pickleball tournament, presented by Selkirk Sport, beginning today and scheduled to run through Sunday at Cherry Hill Park.

Play in the USA Pickleball Association-sanctioned event is slated to begin at 8 a.m. each day on 18 courts, with championship matches on Sunday. Lights have been rented in case play runs late.

Play in divisions from beginner to pro level in singles, doubles and mixed doubles will be contested. Most of the players are local, though some of the entrants are from Canada, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Arizona.

Among the pros are Tyson McGuffin, a national champion in singles, and a former pickleball instructor in Coeur d’Alene and Hayden.

Food vendors will be on site, and spectators are welcome, said Kathy Skiftun, USAPA ambassador.

“We just want to get people there to watch,” Skiftun said.

Information: inwpc.com, Kathy Skiftun at (208) 446-6479

Poor air quality cancels

prep soccer jamboree

COEUR d’ALENE — Wednesday’s boys and girls prep soccer jamboree at Lake City High, scheduled to include Lake City, Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Sandpoint, was canceled due to poor air quality.

Most schools log on to airnow.gov to check the latest air quality readings, which are updated hourly.

As a general guideline used by school officials, if the readings are above 150, teams cannot play or practice outside.

Readings Wednesday morning were just over the 150 mark, and were expected to rise a bit during the day.

The jamboree will not be rescheduled.

Home kickoff times set

for Idaho football games

MOSCOW — The kickoff times for all five Idaho football home games this year are set.

Each of the Vandals’ first four games will start at 2 p.m. PT, while the home finale against Montana, Nov. 10, will kick at 3:30 p.m. PT.

Game times for three road games were also set. Idaho’s Big Sky Conference opener Sept. 22, at UC Davis is at 4 p.m. The Oct. 6 matchup at Idaho State is slated for 2:35 p.m. PT and the Oct 27 tilt at Eastern Washington will kick at noon.

2018 Idaho Football Schedule

(TV/streaming info in parentheses)

Times Pacific

Sept. 1 — at Fresno State, 7 p.m. (Facebook)

Sept. 8 — vs. Western New Mexico, 2 p.m. (PlutoTV)

Sept. 22 — at UC Davis, 4 p.m. (Eleven Sports)

Sept. 29 — vs. Portland State, 2 p.m. (SWX/PlutoTV)

Oct. 6 — at Idaho State, 2:35 p.m. (PlutoTV)

Oct. 13 — at Montana State, 1 p.m. (ROOT Sports)

Oct. 20 — vs. Southern Utah, 2 p.m. (SWX/PlutoTV)

Oct. 27 — at Eastern Washington, noon (ROOT Sports)

Nov. 3 — vs. North Dakota, 2 p.m. (SWX/PlutoTV)

Nov. 10 — vs. Montana, 3:30 p.m. (ROOT Sports)

Nov. 17 — at Florida, time TBD (TBD)

EWU seventh, Idaho receiving votes

in AFCA preseason football poll

Eastern Washington is seventh, Weber State eighth in the American Football Coaches Association preseason Top 25 Poll.

Montana is No. 25. Three other league teams EWU does play received enough votes by the coaches to “rank” in the top 31 — Idaho (26th), Northern Arizona (27th) and Southern Utah (31st).

Defending FCS champion North Dakota State is ranked No. 1, followed by James Madison, South Dakota State, Sam Houston State, Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State.