STATE 6A GIRLS BASKETBALL: Shorthanded Vikings run out of gas against Rigby

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

BOISE — You can give it all the gas you want, but if your engine isn’t active, you won’t go far.

It’s a lesson that the Coeur d’Alene girls basketball team learned the hard way in Saturday’s state 6A third-place game at Timberline High.

Playing without injured junior guard Brookeslee Colvin, the fourth-seeded Vikings lost to the second-seeded Rigby Trojans 63-34.

Sophomore Lexie Wheeler scored 23 points for Coeur d'Alene, which shot 9 of 40 in a loss to the second-seeded Rigby Trojans 63-34.

“We played well in the first quarter,” said second-year Coeur d’Alene coach Stacy Boyd, whose team trailed 13-10 after the first quarter. “We got a little stretched on the bench and a little fatigued and tired. I’m proud of the effort today. There’s probably 8 or 10 teams that would like to be where we are. They made it here, and did the best they could to get it done. We fell short, and just like last year, we’ll go back to the drawing table and build from this.”

Colvin, who entered the state tournament averaging 30.7 points per game, did not play after suffering a sprained right ankle in Friday’s semifinal game against Eagle. Colvin was in a walking boot Saturday.

“We prepared and talked about the next player up, and they tried to do that,” Boyd said. “Rigby came out and put some pressure on us, and they hit shots. We weren’t making a lot of shots, and things didn’t fall in our favor. But we’re going to build off this and come back and get back on this stage next year.”

No other Coeur d’Alene player scored in double figures.

“Brookeslee’s a really tough loss, but our game plan was to give it all you’ve got,” Wheeler said. “It’s our last game, and we had to give it everything. With this team, I think we’re really good at focusing on each other.”

Coeur d’Alene (22-4), which claimed back-to-back state titles in 2023 and 2024, went 1-2 at state for the second straight year. Rigby, which entered state unbeaten, finished 25-1.

“If we’re healthy, we’ll always do well,” Boyd said. “Injuries happen. Sickness happens. Even Payton (Brown), she was battling and played sick. I’m just proud of each one of them. It’s a good group.”

Coeur d’Alene had won 16 straight before Friday’s 76-47 semifinal loss to Eagle.

“I think this year, we had a good record,” Boyd said. “We were away from home for a long stretch and had maybe four or five home games. It really prepared us for today. The girls stepped up and did the best they could to fill that gap. It can happen to anybody. We’re learning that next man up mentality and let them know, injuries happen and you’ve got to keep playing and fighting. And we did that today.”

Junior Brinley Larsen scored 21 points for Rigby.

Coeur d’Alene        10    9    6    9    —    34

Rigby            13    23    21    6    —    63

COEUR d’ALENE — Yates 0, Wheeler 23, Brown 2, Bridge 0, Wallis 2, Shafer 2, Semprimoznik 5, Reardon 0, Robertson 0. Totals 9-40 14-18 34.

RIGBY — K. Larsen 11, Clifford 0, Dansie 0, B. Larsen 21, Barber 12, Matthews 2, Bowman 0, Taylor 2, Chapple 0, Holm 0, Youngstrom 2, Burnside 13. Totals 22-58 13-14 63.

    JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Coeur d'Alene sophomore guard Lexie Wheeler attempts to drive to the basket as Rigby's Lauren Burnside defends during the second half of Saturday's state 4A girls basketball third-place game at Timberline High in Boise.