The Northern Lakes Mountaineers will make their maiden voyage this season.

And they couldn't be happier about it.

Northern Lakes - a joint American Legion baseball team of Lakeland and Timberlake high school - open the season tonight at Lakeland High in Rathdrum at 5 p.m. against the Spokane Bandits.

"We're just super excited to have our own thing," Northern Lakes coach Pat Capone said. "We're excited to be here."

All the players on the AA team are from Lakeland High.

Kris Jackson (shortstop, pitcher) and Blake Wrotenbury (center field) return after playing as freshmen at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore. Brian Howell, the team's starting third baseman, recently signed with Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Ore.

"I'm really excited to see Blake, Kris and Brian together," said Capone, a 2003 Lake City High graduate who went on to play at Big Bend Community College. "It's their team. They're all seniors, all put their time in and will be college players."

Most of the players played for the Prairie program last year before Rathdrum and Spirit Lake formed its own legion and baseball program sponsored by the Athol Legion post.

"I love baseball and I'm here for these guys," said Capone, who played Legion ball for the Coeur d'Alene Lumbermen. "I'm here for an opportunity for them to learn the game and want to teach the kids the game. I had a good college career and played semi-professionally in Australia. My job is to give my knowledge to the kids."

Capone will be assisted by Bruce Amende, who has coached this group of players for the past three years.

"He's been through the ringer with these kids," Capone said. "He's a great coach and going to be one of the next coaches in this area and a huge reason we're successful this season."

Ryan Pote will start in left field, and Cody Allen or Max Baker will be in right field.

"Ryan's a supreme athlete," Capone said. "He's our leadoff guy and setting the table for us."

Jared McDaniel, who caught for Lakeland this year, will see time at catcher, as well as some other spots on the field.

"He's going to be playing a little bit of everywhere for us," Capone said. "He's going to kind of be like our Ben Zobrist for us and catch, pitch and might play a little outfield."

JP Zaken will be the team's primary catcher.

"He's going to provide the team a lot of energy," Capone said. "He'll be a little bit of the Energizer Bunny, but he's a good player."

Kenny Cooper (second base) and either Allen or Dalton Strong will play at first base. Michael Bodak will be a utility player, either playing in the outfield or pitching.

"The biggest thing we have right now is the right mentality," Capone said. "We have kids that play the right way. They show up to practice ready to go each day and come from great families. The one thing we're always going to have is energy."

Northern Lakes will play its home AA games at Lakeland High.

The top finisher between Lewis-Clark, Prairie and Northern Lakes at the district tournament July 23-25 at Thorco Field in Coeur d'Alene will advance to the state AA Area A tournament July 27 to Aug. 1, also at Thorco Field. As host team, Coeur d'Alene earns an automatic berth to state.

"We have the physical talent to compete with anyone," Capone said. "We have a really legitimate chance of doing good things. We're not going to put restrictions on ourselves, and I think we can achieve our goals."