COEUR d’ALENE — With a fast-paced attack, an attacking defense and a new coaching staff, the Sandpoint High girls basketball team is heading back to the state 4A tournament.

Junior Madi Schoening scored 28 points, and freshman Grace Kirscher scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half as the top-seeded Bulldogs downed the Moscow Bears 58-43 in the title game of the 4A Region 1 tournament Wednesday night at North Idaho College’s Rolly Williams Court.

“I feel like we’re playing really well; I feel like we’re peaking at the right time,” Schoening said. “All 14 of us are clicking together.”

Sandpoint (14-8) will play the District 3 runner-up next Thursday at 5:15 p.m. PST in the first round at state at Timberline High in Boise.

Moscow finished 10-12.

Duane Ward, in his first year in his second stint coaching Sandpoint’s girls, is now two of the last four coaches to guide a Bulldog girls team to state — he also coached the 1996 Alli Nieman/Tanya Allmaras-led Sandpoint team to a runner-up finish in A-1.

“He had as much to do with it as I did,” Ward said, referring to assistant coach Will Love. “We’re really co-coaches.”

“It’s quite a thrill; I’m happy for the kids,” Ward added. “I thought our kids exceeded their own expectations, and a lot of people’s expectations. I couldn’t be more proud of Sandpoint, and what these kids have done.”

Sandpoint led by 14 at halftime, and Moscow came no closer than eight in the second half.

Schoening finished with 15 rebounds. Elani Williams had six boards, and Riley Couch hit a pair of 3-pointers for six points.

Schoening, who broke Nieman’s single-game scoring record of 40 points with a 49-point outburst at Lakeland last week, scored 20 in the first half, and also grabbed eight rebounds. She was able to beat Moscow’s man-to-man defense for the most part and when she didn’t, Riley Couch and  Kirscher each hit a 3-pointer in the first half when their defenders dropped off to help.

Kirscher, aggressive out top in the Bulldogs’ zone defense, had a couple of steals to go with a blocked shot in the first half.

Sandpoint jumped on Moscow early, with Ward exhorting the Bulldogs to push the pace. Kirscher’s 3 helped Sandpoint open with an 8-0 run. Schoening’s 3-point play made it 16-2, and Lily Martin’s put-back early in the second made it 23-4.

Before last season, the last regional title for Sandpoint’s girls came in 1982.

Moscow  4  13  13  13 — 43

Sandpoint  18  13  12  15 — 58

MOSCOW — McDaniel 0, Kitchel 2, Bayly 0, G. Meyer 10, Stephens 9, Hill 3, Simpson 8, N. Meyer 9, Davis 1.

SANDPOINT — Williams 4, Schoening 28, Converse 0, Robertson 0, Ward 0, Martin 2, Couch 6, Kirscher 18, Bluemer 0.