THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: Title games in threes for the north

The buzzer had yet to sound to start the final semifinal girls basketball games last Friday night, and you could tell, there was something special in the Nampa area last weekend.

Not one.

Not one.

But three.

Three teams from the northern part of the state in title games under the bright lights of the Ford Idaho Center.

FOR COEUR d’ALENE, its state 5A championship was a culmination of a strong season that saw the team finish the season unbeaten in January and February, capped by a 14-game win streak.

“I’m beyond happy for this group,” Coeur d’Alene junior guard Teagan Colvin said.

Coeur d’Alene graduates three seniors from its roster in Madi Symons, a Wyoming signee, Libby Awbery and Kendall Omlin.

“I couldn’t be more happy to get them that title in their last season,” Colvin said.

Coeur d’Alene, coached by Nicole Symons, was at state for the third time in her four years as coach.

“My mom is great,” Madi Symons said. “She’s done so much for this program and Coeur d’Alene. Both building and rebuilding this program. She’s put in so much time with the girls and I wouldn’t want to have anyone else as a coach.”

As for Colvin, with over 30 Division I offers, she’ll get some more help in the backcourt next season as her sister, Brookeslee, will be a freshman during the 2023-24 season.

“She’ll be a shocker to most,” Colvin said. “Hopefully she’ll come in ready to go and we can run that two-man game like we did a little bit this year with Madi and I. I think she might surprise a few people next year, and I know she’ll be ready for it.”

Speaking of surprises, as Sandpoint claimed its first basketball title in school history, beating top-seeded Shelley 69-65.

On Thursday, Sandpoint outlasted Minico despite Carlie Latta’s 32-point effort. Latta later went on to break the tournament scoring record, scoring 93 points in three games, breaking the previous mark of 82 by BYU-bound Amari Whiting of Burley in 2021.

Sandpoint finished runner-up in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1996 in tournaments played before the Idaho Center was built, then used to determine the champions each year.

IF IT kind of feels like deja vu for the Timberlake girls, it’s OK.

The Tigers have been here before.

A roster with a handful of freshmen and sophomores, only one graduating senior, nobody expects that team to get as far as the state title game.

But Timberlake, with a team that finished 18-9 in 2014, started two freshmen that year that turned out to be pretty good in guards Keelie Lawler and Allison Kirby.

“I think with how young this group is, it does feel a little like that season,” said Timberlake coach Matt Miller, who has coached the Tigers to nine title games in 18 seasons, with four state titles. “Time will tell how hard the kids work during the offseason and that kind of stuff. The kids will have a hard time seeing it now, but they had a great season.”

Keep in mind, outside of Snake River, Timberlake’s only losses came to Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene.

Not too shabby for a team that is still learning how to play together, right?

Timberlake only had 12 points in the second half of last Saturday’s state 3A championship game.

A handful of the players on the basketball team were also part of the girls soccer team in the fall, which upset top-seeded Coeur d’Alene Charter 4-3 in overtime in the opening round of that state tournament.

So, motivation, for next season, it runs deep in Spirit Lake.

“Next year, I want to be first place,” said Timberlake sophomore Lucy Simpson, who also plays soccer. “I want to come back here next year and beat Snake River. I want to take home the ‘W’.”

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.