Kirscher, Olin land all-league accolades

SANDPOINT — When opposing coaches game planned against the Sandpoint girls basketball team this season, they focused most of their attention on stopping two players, so it came as little surprise when junior post Maggie Kirscher and freshman guard Hailey Olin were named to the All-Inland Empire League 4A girls basketball team, as voted on recently by the league’s coaches.

Kirscher was a handful both on the blocks and the perimeter, leading the Bulldogs with 11 points and eight rebounds a game while shooting a solid 42 percent from the field. Most of the Bulldogs’ offensive sets ran through Kirscher, an excellent outside shooter who also possesses a variety of moves down low.

“She put up those numbers getting double, and sometimes even triple teamed,” said Sandpoint head coach Lance Bruce. “She’s an impact player and offensively does a lot of things really well. That inside-out versatility was what the coaches noticed.”

Olin wasted little time making her presence felt at the varsity level, showing a well-rounded game that belied her age while giving the Bulldogs a player to build around for the future. Olin averaged eight points and five rebounds per game, while leading the Bulldogs with three assists and three steals per game.

At the coach’s meeting, Bruce didn’t even have to bring up Olin’s name when discussion for Newcomer of the Year came up, as it was a foregone conclusion that Olin deserved the honor.

“She’s the ultimate competitor. She does it all and it’s every single day,” said Bruce of Olin, who also led the Bulldogs by shooting 71 percent from the foul line. “She never takes a day off, never takes a play off in practice or games. 110 percent is the only thing she knows, and you don’t find that very often in players.”

Both players return next season as the Bulldogs continue to build a program that can compete in arguably the toughest league in the state.

    2010-11 All-IEL 4A team

Coach of the Year: Robin Barnes, Moscow.   

Player of the Year: Abi Quinnett, Jr., Moscow.

Newcomer of the Year: Hailey Olin, Fr., Sandpoint.

IEL team: Neena Buchmann, Sr., Lakeland; Taylor Anderson, Jr., Moscow; Jenna Davis, Sr., Lakeland; Maggie Kirscher, Jr., Sandpoint. Nikki Redinger, Sr., Moscow.