Northwest Notes Aug. 6, 2025

Post Falls, Lakeside high schools both score $5,000 from T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights Program

T-Mobile announced that Post Falls and Lakeside high schools have been selected as two of the first 450 schools nationwide to receive $5,000 through the T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights program — an initiative investing in small-town high school football communities across America.

Last month, T-Mobile announced year two of its commitment to small-town sports by announcing $4 million in total prizes — including a grand prize football field technology makeover — as part of this nationwide campaign. In total, T-Mobile will award: 

• One $1 million grand prize for a complete field tech upgrade, a renovated weight room from Gronk Fitness, an all-expense-paid trip to the SEC Championship and more

• 25 $25,000 finalist grants for football programs

• 450 $5,000 prizes for schools like Post Falls and Lakeside high schools.

Post Falls and Lakeside are now in the running for the $1 million grand prize.

Community engagement is key to winning the grand prize, a news release stated. The more local participation, the more it can help elevate Post Falls' and Lakeside's chances to win. 

Learn more at: www.FridayNight5GLights.com

Gonzaga, Oklahoma to meet in Spokane Arena on Nov. 8

SPOKANE — Gonzaga and Oklahoma will square off in men's basketball at the Spokane Arena on Nov. 8.

Tickets will go on sale through the Spokane Arena on Aug. 22. Tipoff time and broadcast information will be announced at a later date.

Gonzaga has won three of the four all-time meetings against the Sooners, including the last matchup, 87-71, in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis. Drew Timme led the Zags with 30 points and 13 rebounds, while Austin Reaves scored 27 points for Oklahoma.

The Zags have won the last three matchups versus the Sooners. In the 2012 Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., GU rolled to a 72-47 semifinal victory en route to the tournament title. The Bulldogs beat OU in the 2009 Ronald McDonald House Charities Classic, played at Spokane Arena, 83-69. Oklahoma won the first meeting in the 2007 All-College Challenge in Oklahoma City, 72-68.

Last season in the Spokane Arena, Gonzaga routed No. 7 Baylor 101-63 in a battle of Top-10 ranked teams on opening night. On Jan. 2 in the Community Cancer Fund Classic in the Spokane Arena, the Bulldogs beat Portland, 81-50.

Early in the 2022-23 season, GU cruised to an 88-72 victory over Kentucky in the Spokane Arena. The Top-5 matchup drew 12,333 fans, the largest crowd ever for any event in the history of the Spokane Arena. The Zags are 15-6 all-time in their games inside the Spokane Arena since it opened in 1995.

Gonzaga Men's Basketball History in the Spokane Arena

Nov. 24, 1995 — Washington State 72, Gonzaga 67, OT

Nov. 30, 1996 — Washington State 75, Gonzaga 62

Dec. 8, 1998 — Gonzaga 82, Washington 71

Nov. 29, 1999 — Gonzaga 73, Washington State 63

Jan. 2, 2001 — New Mexico 81, Gonzaga 80, OT

Jan. 6, 2001 —Gonzaga 93, Prairie View 50

Dec. 22, 2002 — Gonzaga 67, Eastern Washington 64

Nov. 24, 2003 — Gonzaga 82, Georgia 76, OT

Dec. 31, 2003 — Gonzaga 70, Eastern Washington 49

Dec. 21, 2004 — Gonzaga 83, Eastern Washington 70

Dec. 19, 2005 — Gonzaga 75, Eastern Washington 65

Feb. 17, 2007 — Memphis 78, Gonzaga 77, OT

Feb. 7, 2009 — Memphis 68, Gonzaga 50

Dec. 12, 2009 — Gonzaga 103, Davidson 91

Feb. 5, 2011 — Memphis 62, Gonzaga 58

Nov. 26, 2011 — Gonzaga 78, Western Michigan 58

Dev. 10, 2014 — Gonzaga 81, Washington State 66

Nov. 20, 2022 — Gonzaga 88, Kentucky 72

Jan. 4, 2024 — Gonzaga 86, Pepperdine 60

Nov. 4, 2024 — Gonzaga 101, Baylor 63

Jan. 2, 2025 — Gonzaga 81, Portland 50

Idaho mourns passing of former Vandal, Bullpup Cozzetto

MOSCOW — Beloved former Idaho football player and assistant coach Dan Cozzetto, who was part of Vandal teams that won four Big Sky Conference championships and six NCAA I-AA playoff appearances, has passed away. 

He was 70.

Cozzetto, who graduated from Gonzaga Prep, played tight end, linebacker, and offensive line for the Vandals between 1977-79. Upon graduation, he became a graduate assistant and then assistant coach for Idaho from 1979-89 where he was on staff under Idaho head coaches Jerry Davitch, Dennis Erickson, Keith Gilbertson and John L. Smith. 

He rejoined Erickson on the Vandals’ coaching staff in 2006. He was the special teams coordinator from 1983-88. In 1989, he was the offensive coordinator on a team that won the Big Sky Championship and had Walter Payton Award-winning John Friesz, the former Coeur d'Alene High star, as quarterback. His offense led the nation with nearly 500 yards per game, were number one in the country in passing offense (374.3 ypg), and sixth in the nation in scoring offense (35.1 ppg.).

While at Idaho, he also was crucial in the development of Mark Schlereth, who would go on to play 13 years in the NFL and win three Super Bowls, as well as Eric Yarber, a former NFL player who won a Super Bowl with Washington.

“Coach Cozz”, as his colleagues and student-athletes fondly referred to him, would go on to coach at Cal, Arizona State, Oregon State and Washington. He also went to the NFL where he would join the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff.

Boise State Athletics seeks nominations for next Hall of Fame class

BOISE — Boise State Athletics will induct its next Hall of Fame Class in the fall of 2026. 

The department is seeking nominations from the public for consideration by the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee.

To submit a nominee, visit broncosports.com/form/22

Nominations will be accepted through the month of September.

The Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1982 to celebrate the long legacy of exceptional performance and contributions by former Boise State and predecessor school student-athletes, coaches, teams, and distinguished contributors.

Former Bronco student-athletes must be removed for five years from earning their undergraduate degree from Boise State in order to be eligible for the Bronco Athletics Hall of Fame.

Boise State has inducted 18 classes since 1982. It was an annual event in the early years but slowed to every three years in the mid-1990s. The last class was inducted in 2024.

The largest class was nine in the inaugural year. 

The first class included the 1958 junior college national championship football team, the 1980 Division I-AA national championship football team, football coaches Lyle Smith and Tony Knap, football stars Dave Wilcox, Jim McMillan, Edward Lodge and Larry Jackson and national champion skier Billy Shaw. 

The Hall of Fame Class of 2024 featured Bronco legends representing five sport programs, from four decades and included those listed below.

• Tanoka Beard, Men's Basketball (1989-93)

• Ryan Clady, Football (2004-07)

• Brock Forsey, Football (1998-2002)

• Tasha Harris, Women's Basketball (2004-10)

• Troy Merritt, Men's Golf (2006-08)

• Allie Ostrander, Women's Cross Country and Track & Field (2015-19)

Sandpoint's Gove qualifies for Champions Tour event

ORTING, Wash. — Jeff Gove, director of instruction at The Idaho Club outside Sandpoint, shot a 5-under-par 67 and birdied the first hole of a playoff Monday at High Cedars Golf Club to earn the third and final spot in a qualifier for this week's Champions Tour's Boeing Classic.

Gove totaled six birdies, including five in the first seven holes, and finished tied with three other golfers for first place. Gove, Brad Adamonis of Ponte Vedra, Fla., and Gord Burns of Holland Landing, Ontario, all birdied the first hole of a four-for-three playoff to advance to the Boeing Classic, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

The 54-hole event runs Friday through Sunday at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge. The tournament's purse is $2,300,000, with the winner receiving $345,000.