5A REGION 1 GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP: Lakeland up for challenge ... Hawks beat Sandpoint, advance to state 5A tournament

By JASON ELLIOTT 

Sports writer 

RATHDRUM — You don’t go anywhere staying content with your talent. 

So far, Lakeland’s been up to that challenge. 

Starting next Thursday, the challenge will get a lot tougher. 

Junior Presley Fagan scored 20 points for the top-seeded Hawks in a 77-73 win over the second-seeded Sandpoint Bulldogs in the 5A Region 1 girls basketball championship game at Hawk Court on Tuesday, advancing Lakeland to state starting next Thursday at Mountain View High in Meridian. 

Lakeland (18-4) is the top-ranked team in the 5A classification according to MaxPreps.com, which is used to seed the state tournament. Sandpoint (17-5) is second.

Senior Karstyn Kiefer and junior Mariana Bullington scored 15 points each for Lakeland, which captured its second regional title in three years. 

“It started last year,” second-year Lakeland coach Caelyn Caufield said. “We wanted to start a new culture and really it’s been them trusting each other and buying into whatever we need to. Continuing to work hard and play for each other in the end.” 

Kiefer scored 11 of her 15 points in the first half for Lakeland, which trailed 13-4 early in the first quarter after Sandpoint junior Jordyn Tomco scored 11 of the Bulldogs’ first 13 points. She finished with 14.

“It’s very emotional,” said Kiefer, the lone senior in the program. “We’ve put in a lot of work this year. It’s very rewarding to win a regional title on our home court.” 

Lakeland won the previous two matchups this season, beating Sandpoint 49-42 on Jan. 6 in Sandpoint and 66-38 in the Battle for the Paddle spirit game on Jan. 16 at Lakeland High. 

Lakeland rallied to take a 23-20 lead after the first quarter, with Fagan scoring nine points in the quarter. 

“We knew that if she (Tomko) starts hitting those shots, she can get on a roll,” Caufield said. “We didn’t change anything. We just told our girls that we had to do what we do and make sure we’re up tight on her. We just had to tighten up what we do.” 

Freshman Jaeli Hoffman scored six of her 12 points in the fourth quarter for Lakeland. 

“We told them after the Lewiston game and before this game, everyone on our team is a problem,” Caufield said. “We’re not just looking for just one person to take care of the points or take care of the defense. Everyone plays great defense, and on any given night, we’ve got somebody stepping up. It’s nice to have that option to have five kids on the floor that can contribute.” 

Junior Brecken Mire scored 30 points, 24 in the final three quarters for Sandpoint, which cut the deficit to 72-66 with 2:07 remaining before Lakeland pulled away. 

“The girls came ready to play, and that’s why we had the first quarter that we did,” first-year Sandpoint coach Madi Schoening said. “And why we had the game we did. It was easily the toughest game they’ve had to play this season. Our girls were ready to go.” 

Sandpoint faces Moscow, a 41-40 winner over Lewiston on Tuesday, in the regional second-place game on Thursday at Les Rogers Court in Sandpoint, with that winner advancing to face the third-place team from District 3 in a play-in game on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Grangeville. 

“Our girls are motivated with a chip on their shoulder,” Schoening said. “They’re ready to go right now. Our road to state just got a little tougher, but they’re ready to earn it. This half-seed hasn’t been a thing and we’d be upset because our season is over. But we’ve got another chance and we’re ready to attack it that way.” 

Schoening said she expected Sandpoint to see Lakeland again next week at state — which, if the seedings hold, would be in the championship game.

"100 percent," she said of expecting another meeting with the Hawks. "It's hard to beat a team four times."

Sandpoint    20    16    17    20    —    73 

Lakeland    23    22    16    16    —    77 

SANDPOINT — Butler 0, Laing 10, Laybourne 2, Tomco 14, L. Driggs 15, M. Driggs 0, Mire 30, Loutzenhiser 0, Betz 2.  

LAKELAND — Kar. Kiefer 15, Forsman 2, Bowie 5, Hoffman 12, Kap. Kiefer 0, Fagan 20, Bretveld 8, Bullington 15.  

    JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Lakeland junior guard Presley Fagan puts up a shot as she is falling to the ground during the second half of Tuesday's 5A Region 1 girls basketball championship game at Hawk Court in Rathdrum.