It’s that time of the year again when we put our necks out on a chopping block.  It’s time to pick the winners of the 6 girl’s state basketball championships.  There will be no homer picks this year in the girls for me as the Lady Pilgrims did not qualify.   So without any further delay, here we go……

5A:  At least the undefeated teams, Centennial and Highland,are not on the same side of the IHSAA’s unseeded tourney bracket.  For that reason, I will go with the two powers meeting in the title game. In the end, Centennial will give Emery Roy yet another state title.

4A:   The unseeded bracket didn’t work too well in the 4A’s. Rigby and Middleton are ranked #1 and #2 in the state, yet they play each other in the opening round.  Bishop Kelly, who lost to Middleton in the District Championship, gets to play Moscow who is 9-15 on the season.  It makes absolutely no sense,and each year something likes this happens in one of the brackets.  Three words: seed the tourney!!  Wood River and Preston are to be reckoned with, but I’ll take Rigby over Preston in the title game.   

3A:  The Weiser Wolverines slipped up in District after an undefeated league season.  They will rebound from their loss in District and beat Timberlake in the finals for the state title.  Their road won’t be easy.  

2A:  The #1 ranked team, West Jefferson, open with the #3 team,the Marsing Huskies.  This is only the second time the Huskies have been to state. It’s a tough draw in the unseeded tourney.  I’ll take the West Jeff Panthers over the Declo Hornets for all the marbles.

1A1:  This is the division for the “big”small schools in Idaho.  Lapwai is often the class of this division,and I think this year is no exception. The run and gun Wildcats will beat Clearwater Valley for the title.  Both teams are ranked 1and 2, and are on opposite sides of the bracket.

1A2:  This is the“small” small school division.  The North Gem Lady Cowboys (or should it be the North Gem Cowgirls?) are ranked as the #1team unanimously.  I won’t go against the favorite here, and I’m picking them over the perennial powerhouse Richfield Tigers. 

So there you go…..just hit the comment button and pick your six teams that you think will be crowned champions.