Sandpoint and Clark Fork girls teams tip off hoops season tonight

SANDPOINT - Don't look now but the winter sports season is officially upon us tonight, when Sandpoint hosts Lake City in girls basketball action at Les Rogers Court, the season opener for both teams.

Bulldog players Koko James and Christina Johnson just recently finished their successful volleyball season, and will now roll into the next sport. They'll join Brittany Oakley, fresh off of a soccer season, and Kim Guercio on a Sandpoint team looking to make a run at state in its first year under new coach Lance Bruce.

Lake City returns Katie Baker, the state 5A player of the year as a sophomore, and the Gatorade player of the year in Idaho last year.

But other than Baker, who recently committed to play next year at the University of Montana, the Timberwolves will be really young - six sophomores and a freshman are on the roster.

"We're Katie Baker and a bunch of young girls that nobody's ever heard of, so I feel like we're under the radar," first-year Lake City coach Royce Johnston said. "But I wouldn't really want to play us, because of just the way that we will play."

Behind juniors Shaina Gustafson and Chelsea Macumber, Clark Fork begins its season tonight on the road against Timberlake. Without the services of senior Bailey Hewitt, head coach Dexter Vogel and the Wampus Cats will begin a quest for the North Star League title.

Post Falls also plays host to Moscow as three games highlight the regional prep schedule. All games tip off at 7:30 p.m.