1A

Genesee Bulldogs
Record: 20-3
Head coach: Jason Boyd (first season)
Road to state: Defeated Deary 44-43 in first round of 1A District II tournament, defeated Troy 48-38 in semifinals, defeated Lapwai 64-48 in championship game.
Players to watch: Beau Dahmen, 6-0, jr., forward; Gareth Ford, 6-3, sr., forward; Ty Kinyon, 6-4, sr., center.
Notes, quotes: The Bulldogs lost a number of key seniors and their coach, Jeff Boyd, after winning the state title last year. But with Jason Boyd, the son of the old coach, and a talented group of players in charge, Genesee is a threat to repeat. The Bulldogs once again rely on their press defense and are led offensively by Dahmen, a skilled perimeter player.

Richfield Tigers
Record: 23-1
Coach: Garr Ward (13th year)
Road to state: Defeated Shoshone in District IV North semifinal, lost to Carey in championship game, defeated Shoshone in second-place game. Defeated Oakley in district third-place game.
Players to watch: G/F Braiden Buckner (sr.), G Michael Lezamiz (so.), G Tel Clark (jr.)
Notes: Richfield held the top spot in the media poll almost all year long, but was upset by Carey in the District IV North championship game. The Tigers’ relentless press defense and transition, when in full effect, is incredibly difficult to stop, but they’ve been known to take entire quarters off at times. Last year this team went two-and-out at state. This time around the expectations are much higher. The $64,000 question is whether Richfield can put four complete games together when it matters most, against top-level opposition.

Sho-Ban Chiefs
Record: 14-2
Head coach: Merle Smith
Road to state: Beat Rockland, 64-52, in first round of Rocky Mountain Conference tournament; lost to Clark County, 57-55, in championship game; beat Rockland, 61-51, in second-place game.
Players to watch: Magic Smith, G, Sr. (25.8 ppg); Vidal Lavatta, G, Sr. (15.5 ppg); Dalton Johnson, G, Sr. (12.9 ppg), Waco Preacher, G, Sr. (11.1 ppg).
Notes: There is hardly a tall bone in any of the Chiefs, but they sure are fast. Magic Smith, at 6-foot, is both the point guard and the center. He has sccored more than 30 points five times this year, including a 45-point, midseason outburst. His supporting cast can all drill 3’s to compensate for their lack of team height. The team’s only losses this year both came to Clark County, which sports two 6-foot-6 post players. If the Chiefs dictate the pace, they win. The opposite is also true.

Wallace Miners
Record: 16-6
Head coach: Chris Carlson, first season
Road to state: Lost 52-47 to Lakeside, beat Kootenai 56-28, beat Lakeside 47-38 for second place in the District 1 tournament.
Players to watch: Darrick Holmquist, 6-4, sr., P (13 ppg, 15 rpg), Jared Bilaski, 6-2, jr., PG (14 ppg), Jordan Beehner, 6-3, sr. (12 rpg).
Notes, quotes: The Miners got to state for the first time in 16 years despite losing junior point guard Nick Arthun, their leader in scoring, assists and steals, to a knee injury just prior to districts. “We definitely miss him,” Carlson said, “but the team pulled together. We just have a lot of dedication, and the big guy (Holmquist) helps.” Carlson described the 240-pound Holmquist as “an animal.” … Bilaski has moved over to point guard from shooting guard. … Wallace beat Silver Valley rival Kellogg, the Intermountain League and 3A District 1 champion, once, and defeated St. Maries of the IML twice.

Cascade Ramblers
Record: 20-3
Coach: Conor Kennedy, first season
Road to state: Beat Rimrock 40-39 in first round of District Three tournament, beat Greenleaf 57-49 in semifinals, beat Garden Valley 55-48 in double overtime in championship.
Players to watch: Anthony Beskoon, sr., forward (25.6 points, 10.3 rebounds)
Notes: The Ramblers never have won a state championship, but advanced to the semifinals last year after placing third in 2006 and 2005. This is Cascade’s eighth consecutive trip to the state tournament.

Hagerman Pirates
Record: 17-8
Coach: Kevin Cato (eighth year)
Road to state: Defeated Hansen in District IV South semifinals, lost to Murtaugh in championship game, lost to Oakley in second-place game. Defeated Shoshone in district crossover elimination game.
Players to watch: F Tanner Owen (jr.), G Morgan Knight (jr.)
Notes: Good shooting will be the maker or destroyer of this team’s dreams at state. The Pirates scraped into the state tournament on the third opportunity after losing two “winner-in” games in quick succession. Hagerman has the experience necessary to do well at state, but whether the team can put its scuffling in recent games firmly in the past is the key question.

Murtaugh Red Devils
Record: 16-7
Coach: Adam Johnson (second year)
Road to state: Defeated Oakley in District IV South semifinal, defeated Hagerman in championship game. Lost to Carey in district title game.
Players to watch: G Taylor Wilson (sr.), F Jesus Cabral (sr.)
Notes: The easiest way to sum up the Red Devils: When they’re hot, they’re hot, when they’re not, they’re not. They put together a respectable regular-season resume but caught fire in the subdistrict tournament to win the championship. The other side of Murtaugh’s streaky nature showed in the crossover, however, when Carey blew the Red Devils out of the gym. They rely heavily on Wilson’s outside shooting, and he’ll have to have four of the best games of his life if Murtaugh wants to make a legitimate title run.

Rimrock Raiders
Head coach: Gary Jones (27th year)
Record: 16-8
Road to state: Won district play-in game; lost to Cascade 40-39 in first round of District III tournament; beat Horseshoe Bend 47-32 in consolation game; beat Wilder 41-37 in consolation semifinal to qualify for state; lost to Council in third-place game.
Players to watch: Logan Thomas, senior guard; Chris Hipwell, senior guard
Notes, quotes: Rimrock is the only team from the Western Idaho Conference to advance to the state tournament after finishing fourth in the District III tournament. The Raiders, who have not been to state this decade, are led by Thomas, a 6-foot-2 guard that has a good all-around game and often leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. Jones is in his 27th year as Rimrock’s head coach.
 
Carey Panthers
Record: 21-3
Coach: Dick Simpson (sixth year)
Road to state: Defeated Community School in District IV North semifinals, defeated Richfield in championship, defeated Murtaugh in district championship game.
Players to watch: G D.J. Simpson (sr.), F Tyler Parke (sr.)
Notes: Simpson is the closest thing this team has to a star player, but in reality there are between three and six players that can do damage on any given night. This is another team with a lot of experience at the state tournament, both in basketball and in reaching the state football championship game the last two seasons. The Panthers have been ranked in the top 3 of the media poll almost all season long. Can they parlay their regular season success into a big-time state run?

Troy Trojans
Record: 17-6
Head coach: Guy Wells (seventh season)
Road to state: Defeated Kendrick 55-42 in 1A District II tournament, lost to Genesee 48-38 in semifinals, defeated Nezperce 58-43 in loser-out game, defeated Prairie 52-46 in third-place game.
Players to watch: Jason Smith, 6-3, guard, sr. (15 ppg); Riley Nelson, 5-9, guard, sr.; Jeffrey Nelson, 5-9, guard, jr.; Nick Garrison, 6-2, post/wing, jr. (9 ppg).
Notes, quotes: The Trojans are making their fifth consecutive trip to state, and always seem to be playing until the last day of the tournament. They won the title in 2005 and finished second in ’06. Troy started the season with three consecutive losses, but rebounded with a 12-game winning streak. The sharpshooting Smith is team’s top scorer.

Clark County Bobcats
Record: 17-5
Head coach: Frank Pickett (2nd year)
Road to state: Had a bye in the first round of the District 5-6 playoffs; Beat North Gem 61-56 in the semifinals round; beat Sho-Ban 57-55 in the district championship game.
Players to watch: Cole Wagoner, C, sr. (19.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg); JayTee Tarpley, G/F, sr. (17.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 3.7 apg); Heath Wagoner, F, so. (6 ppg, 6 rpg).
Notes: The Clark County Bobcats are coming off their first District 5-6 championship since 1977 with a close win over Sho-Ban. The Bobcats’ starting lineup features four players taller than 6-foot-3, three of whom are 6-foot-5. Their height is evident in their rebounding numbers. With so much height and a roster that’s just nine-players deep, the Bobcats struggle at the guard position. Senior JayTee Tarpley, 6-foot-5, often brings the ball up the floor and then posts up. His linebacker-esque build makes him a force on the blocks. Tarpley’s running mate, Cole Wagoner, averages nearly 20 points a game as a strong center with a very soft outside touch. Most of his points are scored outside the paint. Heath Wagoner and Mitch Hathaway provide additional rebounding and scary height. Cole Wagoner and Tarpley are both entertaining college scholarship offers from around Idaho, Montana and Washington.

Council Lumberjacks
Head coach: David Howe (12th year)
Record: 16-9
Road to state: Won district play-in game; lost to Wilder 46-40 in first round of District III tournament; beat Liberty Charter 62-28 in consolation game; beat Greenleaf 66-40 in consolation semifinal to qualify for state; beat Rimrock to finish third in district tournament.
Players to watch: Curtis Clagg, senior post (12 ppg, 8 rpg); Jesse Green, senior wing (10 ppg, 4 apg, 4 spg)
Notes, quotes: This is the 11th year Council has advanced to the state tournament under Howe. This year’s team advanced to state despite losing Matt Paradis, who at 6-foot-3, 250-pounds was named the 1A player of the year in football, to a knee injury. All five starters have led the team in scoring during a game this season.
“Right now it seems like we are peaking,” Howe said. “They have been playing so well; We will be a tough out if we keep playing the way we are now.”

Clark Fork Wampus Cats
Record: 17-4
Head coach: Brian Powell, third season in third stint at Clark Fork, seventh overall.
Road to state: Beat Kootenai 49-26 and Lakeside 66-51 to win District 1 title.
Players to watch: Mike Martin, 6-1, sr., PG (16 ppg, 4.5 apg), Drew Wilkinson, 6-3, sr., W (14.5 ppg); Jared Broggi, 6-5, jr., P (12 ppg, 9 rpg), Thomas McMahon, 6-3, sr., P (9 rpg).
Notes, quotes: Clark Fork, which went two and out at state last year, enters state this year on a seven-game winning streak. … Three of Clark Fork’s four losses were to 3A teams, including one to state qualifier Bonners Ferry. … The Wampus Cats go 6-5, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 and 6-0 in the starting lineup. “For a school our size, we’re pretty tall,” Powell said. “And for our size, we’re pretty quick.” Powell said last year’s experience at state, brief as it was, should be helpful this year, as all but one of the key players from last year return. “We’d like to be playing on Saturday for something,” he said.

Oakley Hornets
Record: 15-9
Coach: Scott Arnell (fourth year)
Road to state: Defeated Hansen in District IV South consolation final, defeated Hagerman for second place.
Players to watch: G Payson Bedke (so.); G Colton Bedke (sr.); F Mark Pickett (jr.)
Notes: Oakley is the Class 1A Div. I state football champion, and many of the players on that team also show their dazzling speed on the hardwood. The Hornets are capable of filling it up from inside or outside, but haven’t yet put the entire package of offense and defense together for an extended period of time. Add the fact that potent senior forward Mitch Bedke is done for the year with a knee injury and Oakley may struggle with limited depth and the absence of one of its best players.

Lapwai Wildcats
Record: 20-3
Head coach: Eric Spencer (fourth season)
Road to state: Defeated Culdesac 71-43 in first round of 1A District II tournament, defeated Prairie 56-47 in semifinals, lost to Genesee 64-48 in championship game.
Players to watch: Drew Church, 6-4, sr., post; Justin Hernandez, 5-8, sr., guard.
Notes, quotes: The Wildcats have returned to powerhouses status this year. They finished the season No. 2 in the 1A ranks, and won 12 consecutive games before falling in the district title game. Church, a high-scoring post, and Hernandez, an athletic point guard, lead the way. Lapwai has won seven state championships since 1984, including its first 1A crowd in 2006.

Garden Valley
Record: 18-3
Coach: Destry Jones, second season
Road to state: Beat Liberty Charter 58-40 in first round of District Three tournament, beat Wilder 41-38 in semifinals, lost to Cascade 55-48 in double overtime in championship.
Players to watch: Dustin Moore, sr. point guard (17 points); JC Tucker, jr., guard (12.2 points); Matt Sipple, jr., forward (6.7 points)
Notes: This is Garden Valley’s first trip to state since 1999. The Wolverines, who have never won a state title, were co-1A Long Pin champs with Cascade as the team’s split their two-game regular-season series. Garden Valley has five seniors on its 12-player roster.