Kirscher, Bailey and Ward earn All-IEL honors
SANDPOINT — A trio of standout performances led to three Bulldogs being named to the 4A All-Inland Empire League girls basketball team, as voted on by the league’s coaches.
Senior wing Grace Kirscher was named Most Valuable Player, after averaging 19.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.5 steals and three assists per game despite being targeted by opposing defenses.
Sandpoint head coach Duane Ward called her the team leader, after she led the Buldogs in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. She’ll take her talents to Eastern Washington University next season.
“She was the best all-around player in the league, hands down. Early in the year, with the injuries, we had to rely heavily on Grace and she pretty much carried us through those bad times,” said Ward. “There were times when the other team would double or triple team her, and she was still able to score and pass the ball out of those situations. She was able to step up and take charge when she had to. She’s improved every year, and really deserves this honor.”
Senior point guard Ciera Bailey also earned all league honors, averaging nine points, three rebounds and two steals per game, while bringing a ton of energy to the floor. She transferred in as a senior, and made an immediate impact on both ends of the floor.
Ward called her a good shooter, good defender and good free throw shooter, and a player who brought a positive attitude to the court.
“What a wonderful complement she was to our team. She fit right in, a welcome addition. She became our point guard, which relieved a lot of pressure from Grace. She took over our ball handling duties, and that was an important contribution and had a big impact on the success of our team,” described Ward. “She could get inside and score, get inside and pass the ball, a very smart basketball player. We could rely on her to bring the ball up against presses.”
Ward was named Coach of the Year, pushing all the right buttons on a team that had to deal with early-season injuries before romping through league play. Ward has taken the Bulldogs to state five straight years, building a strong program from top to bottom.
ALL-4A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
Coach of the Year — Duane Ward, Sandpoint
Most Valuable Player — Grace Kirscher, sr., Sandpoint
Newcomer of the Year — Melody Loutzenhiser, so., Lakeland
Ciera Bailey, sr., Sandpoint; Gracey Meyer, sr., Moscow; Hannah Broyles, jr., Moscow; Katie Kitchel, sr., Moscow; Sofi Schnepf, sr., Lakeland.