Five more local high school girls basketball teams - Lake City, Post Falls, St. Maries, Kootenai and Lakeside - tip off their seasons tonight.

Lake City plays host to Lakeland, Post Falls is home vs. Sandpoint, St. Maries travels to Kootenai, and Lakeside is home vs. Potlatch.

Timberlake is the final local team to begin its season, Thursday at home vs. Sandpoint.

Brief looks at the six local teams to open this week follow.

All high school and North Idaho College basketball and wrestling teams will be highlighted in the upcoming Press winter sports special section.

Lake City: The Timberwolves return three starters - senior guard Hailey Jackson, senior post Madi Farrell and junior point guard Natalie Wheelock - from last year's 10-12 squad. Farrell was the Newcomer of the Year in the 5A Inland Empire League last year.

Others in the mix for playing time include sophomore wing Camryn Wendlandt, junior guard Clarissa Smith, sophomore guard Whitney Meier, sophomore guard and Mead transfer Cierra Dvorak, senior guard Dakota Wilson and sophomore wing Olivia Maryon.

"We'll be athletic, and put pressure on, and get up and down the court," second-year Lake City coach Bryan Kelly said. "And this year there are a lot more (scoring) threats on the court."

Post Falls: Four members of last year's state 5A championship team are playing in college - Dani Failor (Army), Brooke Litalien (Lewis-Clark State), Hallie Gennett (Sacramento State) and Katie King (North Idaho College).

That leaves Lexi Smith, a senior guard and the lone returning starter, as one of the few varsity returners from that 24-1 club.

"It's going to be a process," third-year Trojan coach Marc Allert said.

Junior wing Sam Runkle and junior guard Shayna Allert return with varsity experience. Junior guard Kim Reynolds is one of the newcomers coach Allert figures will play quite a bit.

The Trojans have no one taller than 5-foot-11.

"We're pretty athletic; our first five kids will be able to get up and down the floor," Allert said. "We'll have to do some things different defensively, because we won't be able to match up with bigger teams."

Timberlake: There will be plenty of new faces in Spirit Lake this season, as the Tigers try to improve on last year's 4-17 campaign.

Three players return, including two starters - senior post Jessica Norlander, an all-Intermountain League player last year, and sophomore point guard Peyton Rhodes.

Freshman guard Allison Kirby, who suffered a shoulder injury last week, is one of the newcomers being counted on by Matt Miller, in his ninth year as Timberlake coach. Others include freshman guard/forward Keelie Lawler senior guard/forward Abbigale Seubert.

"Our only true post is Norlander, and we're just tiny after that," Miller said. "We've got good team speed; it's probably the fastest team I've ever had."

St. Maries: Back are four seniors who started at one time or another for the Lumberjacks during last year's 5-17 campaign - post Kerstin Auer, point guard Haylee Waddell and wings Madi McQueen and Chelsea Thaut.

Sophomore Alexis Cordell and freshman Kelsey Auer - Kerstin's sister - should challenge for minutes. And returnees Kendall Brusseau, Catherine Flach and Madison Posselt add depth.

"I think we're going to be a little faster this year than we have been in the past - hopefully we can push the ball up the floor, get some transition baskets," said Jay Sines, in his fourth season as St. Maries coach. "We're going to have to take care of the ball. Same ol' thing - last year we averaged close to 30 turnovers. If our defense holds tight, and we cut the turnovers down, we may have a better season."

Kootenai: The Warriors were the proverbial team that "got hot at the right time" last season. Winners of just two games in the regular season, Kootenai won both games at the District 1 tournament to advance to the state 1A Division II tourney.

"I think it gave them a taste; they now understand what it takes to get to state," said Mike LaFountaine, beginning his seventh season as Kootenai girls coach. "If we get better every night, the rest will take care of itself."

Kootenai lost just one senior off last year's 4-20 squad. Senior guard Austin Andersen and three junior guards - Katey Mae McInturff (an all-North Star League selection last year), Lacy Goodson and Kaylee Carman - are returning starters. Senior guard Emily Martin was a part-time starter last year.

"We'll be able to get out and play some pressure defense," LaFountaine said.

Lakeside: The Knights return four starters from last year's 12-11 team that lost to Wallace 2-1 in a best-of-three series for the 1A Division I District 1 title - senior guards Avery Brown-Sonder, Francine Hendrickx (an all-NSL pick last year) and Kim Duncan, and sophomore guard Talia Hendrickx.

Others in the mix for playing time include sophomore post Cailyn Dohrman, junior guards Jasmine Zahir (a transfer from Lake City) and Shailee Zachary, or senior guard Deeanna Crowe.

Second-year Lakeside coach Stacey Sonder said he beefed up the Knights' schedule, playing many of the top teams from District 2 like Lapwai and Prairie, to challenge is squad, which boasts eight seniors.

"Our strength is our conditioning; we've been working hard on that," Sonder said. "They can all handle the ball really well. We'll rely on quickness and our ability to push the ball."