1A Division I District 1 girls basketball championship: Wallace edges Lakeside, advances to state play-in game.

COEUR d’ALENE — The Wallace High girls basketball team won its first district championship since 2013 on Thursday night.

But the Miners know their road to state is not completed yet.

Senior Elli Welch led four players into double figures with 13 points, and Wallace beat Lakeside 51-47 in the 1A Division I District 1 title game at North Idaho College.

Some years, the district champ advances directly to state. But this year, a state play-in game beckons, and Wallace (14-4) will play District 2 third-place team Clearwater Valley (xxx) on Saturday at noon at Post Falls High for a berth to the state tournament Feb. 17-19 at Columbia High in Nampa.

But that little extra detail didn’t curb the Miners’ enthusiasm when the final buzzer sounded Thursday night at Rolly Williams Court.

“This is huge for the girls,” fifth-year Wallace coach Nichole Farkas said. “They’ve been working at this for a long time; I’ve got a group of five seniors, and Lakeside and us are always kinda back and forth, so we’re excited to get to that next-level game.”

Brittany Phillips added 12 points, Jaden House 11 and Grace Hunter 10 for Wallace, which broke a 35-all tie after three quarters with a couple baskets early in the fourth, and protected that margin down the stretch with clutch free throw shooting from McKelvy Specht, Welch and Phillips.

“Both teams played really well, and both teams were scrappy,” Farkas said. “I don’t know what put us over the edge. We made some clutch free throws at the end; that was a big help.”

Wallace will be seeking its first trip to state since 2008, the year before 1A split into two divisions.

Senior Jolissa Holt hit three 3-pointers and poured in 32 points for Lakeside (10-6), which went to state the last two years.

“I was proud of everyone on the team; they left it out there. I couldn’t ask for much more,” Lakeside coach Chris Dohrman said. “Defensively, we had some lapses, and we missed some shots we should have had. Offensively, we struggled a little bit, which we usually don’t. You’ve got to give credit to Wallace and their defense. They were switching quite a bit between 2-3 zone and 1-3-1, and our ball movement wasn’t quite what we needed it to be today. But I’m proud of the girls; great season. That’s how it goes.”

The teams tied for the Scenic Idaho Conference title after splitting their two meetings in league play, Wallace winning 63-52 at home on Jan. 27, Lakeside winning 39-38 in Plummer on Feb. 5.

Wallace 13 9 13 16 — 51

Lakeside 12 11 12 12 — 47

WALLACE — Specht 2, House 11, Br. Phillips 12, Welch 13, Hedrick 3, Hemphill 0, Hunter 10.

LAKESIDE — A. Holt 3, J. Holt 32, Wienclaw 0, Rivera 5, Allen 0, Matt 5, Havier-Gorr 2, Tsawklai 0, Erickson 0.