Rebounding key for Bengals — ISU men's basketball begins season with plenty of goals to achieve

Basketball season is here.

The Idaho State Bengals sit five days away from their exhibition opener with Dickinson State.

The Blue Hawks finished last season 12-18 overall and were picked last in the Frontier Conference’s preseason coaches’ poll.

But the Dickinson State game, whatever the ultimate result is, means nothing in Idaho State’s final win-loss record. After 33 days of practice it is coach Bill Evans and the Bengals’ first opportunity to see the 2013-14 roster in action during a live game.

With eight newcomers, that’s a big deal because Evergreen visits Pocatello Nov. 9, and that game does count. After that, ISU travels to Arizona State, San Francisco and California State, Bakersfield.

Consider Dickinson State a dress rehearsal.

And one area Evans will watch closely is the Bengal’s rebounding performance.

A year ago, Idaho State was outrebounded 1,033 to 855 and finished last in the Big Sky in rebounding margin.

A team that cannot rebound means an opponent picks up extra possessions, more shots and it demoralizes a defense that worked hard for 30 seconds and forced a contested jump shot only to have the offense scramble to the miss first.

Rebounding, or the lack of it, made a difference in a two-point loss to Central Michigan (rebounding margin, -15), a two-point loss to Southern Utah (rebounding margin, -14) and a two-point defeat at Montana State (rebounding margin, -1). Look up and down ISU’s 2012-13 schedule. Close losses are abundant and while rebounding did not solely swing the ultimate result one direction or another, it helped.

The Big Sky race is tight. Weber State is a clear and heavy favorite. But nabbing one of the other six spots available in the postseason tournament will come down to details. A rebound here or there can make the difference.

Evans and the ISU coach staff are, of course, aware of its important importance. In the offseason, they recruited accordingly.

Evans brought in Jeffrey Solarin, Scotty Tyler, Ajak Magot and Justin Smith, guys who either play in the post (Solarin, Tyler, Magot) or are athletes that can compete at the Division I level for rebounds.

Solarin, Tyler, Magot and Smith join returnees Andre Hatchett, Chris Hansen and Ayibakuro Preh as forwards and wings tasked with the rebounding burden (though, when it comes to the boards, ISU is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach).

“One area that I’ve seen that I’m pretty sure we’re better at is the ability to rebound the ball,” Evans said. “We’re bigger. We just have a bigger team.”

The outlook for an improved rebounding squad took a hit when ISU found out that two foreign players, 6-foot-5 Ben Wilson and 6-foot-9 Andre Slavik, will be forced to redshirt this season. Each faces amateurism issues with the NCAA.

It makes the future even brighter for Bengal basketball, but it means in the present day that Preh and Magot have to perform at a high level right away.

As a junior, Preh, a 6-9 center, started 15 games and averaged 2.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 16.2 minutes.

He’s ready to make a leap in his final year at ISU, but Preh broke his foot in the offseason right as the summer workout session was about to begin.

“I felt a little set back because the summer workout really helps improve personal development and skills,” Preh said. “... But I’m going to try and not let that affect my effort on the court.”

From what Evans has seen in the preseason, Preh’s feel for the game is much better this year despite the summer spent with a walking boot.

And Preh’s demeanor has taken the biggest jump.

“I don’t like guys to hang their head,” Evans said. “He would do that occasionally. Not out of disrespect. I think almost more culture than anything. I think he’s doing a better job of understanding that he’s going to make mistakes and he can’t hang his head.”

It’s not just Preh’s play on the court that’s critical. He needs to bring along Magot, a rangy 6-foot-11 center from Cochise College.

“He’s come a long way. It’s a new system for him, obviously,” Preh said. “I’ve experienced it since last year. I think he’s really picking it up and he’ll be good for us this year.”

Preh and Magot can form a one-two punch in the middle of Idaho State’s defensive zone that protects the rim and, naturally, cultivates a positive rebounding margin.

“It’s really important getting rebounds,” Magot said. “You can’t win games without rebounds or defense.”

Idaho State’s exhibition game with Dickinson State is Monday at 7:05 p.m. in Reed Gym.

I’ve learned more about Poky’s Cook since her firing

Far as I can tell, the best moment in Laraine Cook’s four-year run as the Pocatello girls basketball coach came in last season’s state tournament.

From an on-court perspective, it was also the ugliest.

In the semifinals of the 2012 Idaho High School Girls 4A State Tournament, Bishop Kelly rocked the Indians 51-24. The final score makes it seem closer than it really was.

The eventual state champions’ larcenous defense scored 27 points on 24 forced turnovers and held Poky to five made field goals the entire game.

I saw it in person. The Knights turned out as a terrible matchup for the upstart Indians who had stunned Burley 47-44 the night before in the opening round of the state tournament.

I write that Poky “stunned” Burley because the Bobcats had beaten the Indians twice earlier in the season to the tune of 50-37 and 42-23. Pocatello had just snuck into the state tournament despite season-ending injuries to two starters, and junior sharpshooter Paige Durrant had so much tape on her knee that she could have extended it throughout her body to complete an impressive mummy impersonation. Oh, and another starter, Allie Parker, had an injured thumb.

So a lopsided loss to a team that outscored its state competition 152-90 comes across as expected rather than a surprise.

But, man, 51-24, what a whitewash.

And that’s why I came away so impressed afterward. I walked up to Cook as she stood on the same floor where her squad suffered its worst loss of the season and missed a chance to play their hated city-rival Century for the title.

I shook her hand, felt a firm handshake and Cook looked me directly in the eye while I spit out some pathetic question asking a coach to encapsulate what went wrong in a 27-point loss (hint: just about everything).

She was honest, gave Bishop Kelly all the credit it deserved and dismissed any notion that her team couldn’t bounce back in its next game.

Her main point: “You can’t sit there and cry about a loss. It’s not the end of the world.”

So the team that limped into the district tournament and nearly beat Century in the district title game before staggering to Boise for state didn’t treat the loss like “the end of the world.” Less than 24 hours later, Paige Durrant scored 22 points, Carly Parker had 17 and Allie Parker added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and the Indians knocked off Twin Falls for the third-place trophy.

That turnaround and Pocatello’s season as a whole shocked me. The multitude of injuries that ravaged the Indians meant they weren’t supposed to take third at state. They didn’t have any business there. At least that’s what I thought before they proved me wrong. Pocatello did belong amongst the state’s elite 4A teams.

Cook manipulated the situation around that loss to Bishop Kelly masterfully.

The Idaho State Journal’s sports staff nearly created a coach of the year award for girls basketball just so we could hand out the first one to Cook.

And I used to think that was Cook’s best moment as head coach at Pocatello High School.

I learned how wrong that thought was after School District 25 fired Cook for a photograph she posted on Facebook.

Since then, mostly through social media, dozens have come out in defense of Cook saying her role in Pocatello girls basketball extended far beyond her duties as a coach.

They say Cook engaged with players, instilling an inner confidence in their games on the basketball court and their lives off of it.

Cook knows a loss on the floor isn’t the end of the world, but the effects a coach can have on a player are immense. I can’t oversell the idea that a coach in any sport can — and do — change lives, for better or worse. In Cook’s case, it sounds like the former.

From a win-loss perspective, Cook produced, but what she was doing away from the court is even more important — and impressive.

Those days are done, at least at Pocatello High School. The School District has made its decision. When one returning player heard, she started to cry. And she cried. Her entire chest turned bright red as the shock set in.

I feel terrible for her and everyone else who played for Cook. The Indians lost one starter from the team that beat Twin Falls, and with a nucleus surrounding Carly Parker, Brooke Pierce, Kealee Hewatt and Durrant, Pocatello is poised for a great season. Or I thought they were. Cook’s absence changes that.

Look, I don’t know if the school board has made a mistake firing Cook. I haven’t seen the photo or spoken with Cook. I don’t feel like I’m in a position to form a strong opinion.

But she’s gone. I’m just here to make a plea to the community. The Pocatello Indians have lost a good coach. They need another one, fast. If you haven’t already, put the word out and let’s help Poky find the best candidate possible. The girls deserve it.

The ending to Pocatello versus Bishop Kelly was ugly. But the final note to that season could not have turned out brighter with the way Poky gathered itself and won a third-place trophy the next day.

Here’s hoping the ending to the latest Pocatello basketball debacle has a similar type of finish.

For background on Laraine Cook and the situation at Pocatello High School, please click here, here and here.

Defense key in Rams’ dominant performance

For a full game recap of Highland 51-6 victory over Idaho Falls, click here.

And for a photo gallery of the game, click here.
 
Idaho Falls swayed as a group, arm in arm, before sprinting on to the field for a pivotal district matchup of two 5A unbeatens.

The Tigers carried a sledgehammer painted orange, a gimmick, a symbol of their attitude and physical nature of the football team from an hour up north.

But the Highland Rams brought the boom.

To write that Highland whipped Idaho Falls 51-6 doesn’t make the issue clear enough.

The Rams whipped a Tigers squad that strutted into Pocatello confident, ego boosted by their perfect 7-0 record and an opportunity to claim the postseason’s No. 1 seed from the 5A 5-6 District.

AJ Martin, Idaho Falls senior quarterback, had directed the Tigers’ offense to 44 points a game. With the exception of a slight misstep against Hillcrest, Martin and his slew of speedy receivers hadn’t scored less than 40 points in a single contest.

So it had to be, with 5:33 left in the second quarter, that Martin’s 80-yard bomb to Dakota Baker was the kick start to Idaho Falls dynamic, explosive offense.

Wrong.

Dead wrong.

It only managed to stem the rout.

Highland turned three first-half interceptions into 20 points, led 30-6 by the break and in the end, that sledgehammer should have been ceremoniously painted black, white and red.

“If we can turn turnovers into points, it puts a lot more pressure on the other team,” said Highland head coach Gino Mariani, “and it makes us go. We get into a rhythm. I love our ability to create turnovers, and that was big tonight.”

The Rams ripped off 51 points — six of those courtesy of a Greg Gwinn 98-yard kickoff return — with 522 total yards of offense, but Highland’s defense — constantly, perpetually overlooked and underappreciated, admittedly by me — turned out as the star.

Idaho Falls plays offense like it’s late. When they’re rolling, the Tigers can run a play every 15 seconds and they’ll alternate between the pass and run, run and pass. Martin will throw short to a wide-receiver screen or deep to a corner route.

And if a defense does manage to corral IF receivers, Martin can scramble away from pressure and extend drives with his feet.

Well, at least he could against other Tiger opponents.

Friday night in Holt Arena, where both sides were open to fans and Idaho Falls arrived in a big group, Highland bottled up Martin like no other team has this season. The defense sucked the life from the Tigers and their fans.

“If we could contain the quarterback, we knew we could shut down their offense,” said junior linebacker Kyler Manu, who snagged an interception right before the first-half whistle.

When Martin did escape the pocket, he paid for it.

“We knew that if we got a couple hits on him he’d be a little more scared to roll out of that pocket,” Manu said.

Who knows if the Rams had him scared, but Martin tossed three times as many interceptions as touchdowns, and Highland dropped as many picks as it managed to hold on to.

The dropped interceptions is one of the few areas Highland coaches can gripe. Quarterback Tommy Jewell, efficient as ever, threw for 232 yards on 18 passing attempts. Running back Thad Hansen cranked out 145 yards on 18 carries.

And Highland took a 24-point halftime lead and only poured it on from there, outscoring the Tigers by 21 in the second half.

Let’s wrap up the game with one story.

On senior night, big left tackle Bo Burrup, all 6-foot-5, 230 pounds of him, dealt with cheap shots from Idaho Falls the entire game.

So a run play to the left side, he flattened an IF defender. In football terms, it’s called a pancake. He smothered him, laid right on top and let that Tiger feel his entire weight.   

That was retribution. And when the whistle blew, Burrup got right up and walked back to the huddle.

“I did it clean,” he said. “... It’s the best thing in football. I love it. Getting the pancake. It’s what you go for.”

Seems fair to say that 51-6 is sort of like a pancake, too.

Breaking down the 2A 5th District playoff race

Scary movies give me nightmares, and if I’m being honest, I cover my eyes anytime a show flashes to a surgery scene or there’s a slight chance of a gross-out factor.

Yeah, I’m a wimp. My wife tells me so.

Considering my aversion for blood of any kind — with the exception of a Vulcan’s green blood from “Star Trek” — Halloween isn’t my favorite holiday. Christmas, New Year’s, the Fourth of July, shoot, even Valentine’s Day are times of happiness and joy.

Then there’s Halloween where we celebrate things that go bump in the night.

I don’t get it.

But I have to say, if you spend any time covering high school sports in Idaho, this has to be one of the best times of the year, even if that nasty red stuff is splashed over everything, because we’re 10 days away from the 2A classification kicking off the high school playoffs.

And in the 2A 5th District, with one weekend left in the regular season, we have no idea which three teams will reach the postseason.
 
   Here are the current 2A South East Idaho standings.    1 West Side 2-0, 6-1
    2 Aberdeen 1-1, 5-2
    3 Soda Springs 1-1, 5-2
    4 Malad 0-2, 2-5

    This week's games are both Thursday night: Malad at Aberdeen, 7 p.m. and Soda Springs at West Side, 7 p.m.
    Here are the various scenarios and what they could mean depending on who wins.

    West Side beats Soda Springs
    Aberdeen beats Malad    Playoff seeding would go like ...
    1 West Side 3-0
    2 Aberdeen 2-1
    3 Soda 1-2
    4 Malad 0-3

    West Side beats Soda Springs ... but ...
    Malad beats Aberdeen    Playoff seeding would go like ...
    1 West Side 3-0
    2 Aberdeen, Soda, Malad all 1-2

    Soda Springs beats West Side
    Aberdeen beats Malad    Playoff seeding would go like ...
    1 West Side, Soda, Aberdeen all 2-1
    4 Malad 0-3
   
    Soda Springs beats West Side ... but ...
    Malad beats Aberdeen    1 Soda Springs 2-1
    2 West Side 2-1
    3 Malad 1-2
    4 Aberdeen 1-2


To wrap all that up, if home teams win Friday night (Aberdeen and West Side), West Side is the top seed from the district, Aberdeen goes in at No. 2 and Soda Springs grabs the final playoff spot. That’s the likeliest scenario. The Pirates have consistently been the best team in the 5th District since losing to Firth 24-12 the opening week of the season.

In district play, West Side has outscored its two opponents 79-34. Throw out the loss to Firth and the Pirates have outscored 2A opponents to the tune of 134-50 this season. Against the Tigers a week ago, the Pirate defense limited Aberdeen to less than two yards a carry and 105 total yards of offense.

Aberdeen, meanwhile, is 3-0 at home and the Tigers' offense that struggled mightily in Dayton faces a Malad team that gives up touchdowns in bunches (the Dragons allow 34.4 points per game).

But, if Malad's offense (28 ppg) gets going early and the Dragons win for the first time since Sept. 6 (and West Side takes care of Soda), then West Side is the No. 1 seed and there would be a three-way tie for second place between Malad, Soda and Aberdeen. This would lead to another Kansas City Playoff to determine which two football programs advance to the playoffs (the playoff would be Saturday at Marsh Valley High School).

The other scenario that creates a chaotic mess is if Soda Springs upsets West Side and Aberdeen takes care of Malad. Then there's another three-way tie, but it would be for the No. 1 seed. In that case they'd flip a coin to determine the seeding for the three postseason spots.

Finally, the scenario that's the most unlikely to happen, both road teams (and underdogs) win. If Soda takes out West Side and Malad beats Aberdeen, the Cardinals are the district's No. 1 seed, West Side is second and Malad slides in at No. 3.

The ultimate takeaway points here: West Side, Aberdeen and Soda Springs all control their own playoff destinies. If they win, they advance to the playoffs. Malad has to win and then reach the postseason through the Kansas City Playoff avenue or via a Cardinals upset.

The fact all these scenarios are still in play with one game left is why this is the best time of the year, even with ghouls and scary things prowling the night.

Idaho State vs. Sacramento State postgame blog

Idaho State 2, Sacramento State 1

For a full game recap, click here.

Star of the game: Amanda Ellsworth. Here’s one guarantee. Any time a player breaks the career goal mark for a program, they’ll slide in as my star of the match.

Ellsworth scored twice and she now leads Idaho State with seven goals this season. More importantly, Ellsworth has four goals in the Bengals last four games.

In the game recap, you can find head coach Allison Gibson’s comments on Ellsworth and her accomplishments. Here’s the fully transcribed audio from Gibson on Ellsworth after the 2-1 victory.

“I’ve said it for three years now. She’s just such a competitor. You can see it written all over her face. You can see it in her warmups and you can see it in the way she plays. So I think it (Ellsworth breaking the record) was definitely going to happen. The fact that it happened this early in her career I think is phenomenal. I think she’ll continue to pack on the numbers. Stacy’s was 10 years, so I think this’ll be set in stone for quite awhile.”

When you recruited Ellsworth did you think she’d have this much success?

“I saw some flashes in her. I saw her in a college camp and she scored some goals there. I thought she would be more of a player that we would have to develop at this level. But the things you don’t always see when you’re recruiting is just that fire on the inside and what the locker room looks like. That kind of stuff. That was a huge surprise for me and obviously a very good surprise just to see her intensity level and her ability to compete day in and day out in training and demand the best of herself and the players around her. That’s what makes great players. It’s just that they’re at that level all the time. ‘Oh, I wonder if she’ll be on today?’ She doesn’t have that.

“It’s like (ISU goalkeeper) Sheridan (Hapsic). They don’t have that. What you see is what you get. In a good way.”

Bengals picked 10th by coaches, 11th by media

Big Sky men's basketball preseason polls

 

Coaches' Preseason Poll

Team	First-Place Votes	Total Points
1. Weber State	10	100
2. North Dakota		86
3. Montana	1	84
4. Northern Colorado		77
5. Eastern Washington		55
6. Montana State		54
7. Sacramento State		39
8. Portland State		38
9. Northern Arizona		32
10. Idaho State		22
11. Southern Utah		18

 

 

Media Preseason Poll

Team	First-Place Votes	Total Points
1. Weber State	31	370
2. Montana	3	322
3. North Dakota		308
4. Northern Colorado		251
5. Montana State		220
6. Eastern Washington		188
7. Northern Arizona		161
8. Sacramento State		140
9. Portland State		116
10. Southern Utah		92
11. Idaho State		65

Idaho State’s final four games dictate team’s fate

Journal File Photo

Idaho State’s season hangs precariously on the edge.

It’s the proverbial do-or-die time for the Bengals. After next week, ISU will either continue practicing for the Big Sky Tournament or they’ll turn in their gear.

With four games left for the defending conference champs, the year can end as a nightmare or as a dream.

Dream scenario: Idaho State wins each of its last four conference games, ensuring a berth in the postseason tournament (the top four teams qualify).

Nightmare scenario: Idaho State stumbles in one or more of its final games and the Bengals finish outside the top four.

Both scenarios remain in play.

Idaho State (5-6-2, 2-1-2 Big Sky) hosts Sacramento State (7-6-2, 3-2-1 Big Sky) today at Davis Field, and Portland State (8-4-2, 5-0-1 Big Sky) arrives Saturday.

The Vikings lead the conference with 16 points (three points for every win and one point for a tie) and the Hornets are stuck in a three-way tie for second at 10 points.

The Bengals sit in sixth with eight points. That has to be a stressful spot, right?

“We’re athletes; we live for the moment and pressure (like) those last two minutes of a game — those pressure moments,” said ISU midfielder Lauren Bermudez. “... So I think these last four games are perfect. Hopefully, the fans come and it’s a great atmosphere.

“It’s not pressure. It’s excitement and adrenaline.”

The rest of the Bengals reflect Bermudez’s attitude. Junior defender Taylor McBride said, “This is what we’re here for. Bring it on. This is the time for us to jump out of the hole we’re in and get it done.”

Idaho State is in an eerily similar situation to last season. Through five conference games in 2012, the Bengals were 2-2-1 and in eighth place. They won each of the last four games on the way to the postseason’s No. 1 seed and the Big Sky Conference championship.

But that team, the one that scored more goals than any other in the league, is gone. This year’s squad is fifth in goals per game and ninth in shots.

“It’s really just about creating more offensive opportunities and getting the ball into the attacking third as much as possible,” said Idaho State head coach Allison Gibson.

In particular, Gibson has harped on the mantra of finding the second goal. It hints at the idea that all of the teams in the conference are competitive. Rarely can the Bengals win a match by scoring a lone goal.

“Someone just has to bury the ball in the back of the net,” McBride said. “... (Gibson) can’t possibly train us any more on that. It just has to be us. ... Because that’s exactly what it comes down to. Our conference is that close.”

Idaho State and Sacramento State kickoff today at 4 p.m.

NOTES: Gibson and Sacramento State head coach Randy Dedini have a long history since they both played and graduated from Sonoma State. Gibson said they are old friends with similar coaching styles. ... Idaho State leads the all-time series 10-3-3. ... The last time ISU lost at home to Sacramento State was Oct. 27, 2005.

Sanchez shuts out the noise — Senior point guard’s maturity and leadership crucial to ISU turnaround

Journal File Photo

An Idaho State men’s basketball practice is loud, especially in the tight confines of Reed Gym.

Assistant coach Jay Collins keeps up a steady rhythm of shouts, mostly instructions and assistance.

Head coach Bill Evans expects, no, demands, his players have a good time, and that means attacking every rebounding drill or defensive workout with enthusiasm.

Evans’ guys are constantly yelling at each other tidbits of encouragement while always clapping, clapping, clapping. There is a lot of clapping. It’s omnipresent. And as they run an offensive set, each player screams where he’s going off a screen.

When the Bengals are scrimmaging, Collins is wailing, players’ shoes are screeching and defenders howl out screens. It’s a cacophony of noise that’s the soundtrack to Idaho State’s preseason basketball practices as they prepare for the 2013-14 basketball season.

Amongst the racket is Idaho State senior Tomas Sanchez.

Sanchez, who graduated from Shorewood High School just outside of Seattle, Wash., is back for his second and final season as the Bengals starting point guard.

He fits into the noise of Reed Gym, fading into it at times, but make no mistake, Sanchez is one of the team’s leaders. He’s a Kool-Aid drinker, and his maturation from last season could define Idaho State’s success when it begins this year with an exhibition match Nov. 4.

Sanchez is not the loudest player at practice. He isn’t chatty. That’s not his personality. But he might be the most competitive. When he speaks, teammates listen.

“(Sanchez) knows the importance he has on this team, what he can do for us and how much he can take us to the next level,” said junior wing Chris Hansen. “He’s embraced it and he’s really accepted it and taken it head on.”

As a junior, the 6-foot-3 guard started in 29 games and averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. Those numbers were fine, but Sanchez spent the summer working out with graduate assistant David Marek to improve his strength. He added 5 to 7 pounds.

“It’s natural that every year you want to get stronger, but after last year going through the Big Sky, I noticed it would be a lot easier if I was stronger,” Sanchez said.

Plus, Sanchez says, his confidence has kicked up another notch. He knocked down three game-winning shots a year ago, and even though Idaho State finished with a league-worst 6-24 record, he feels like he belongs in the conference.

Evans sees the development. He sees the physical strength but also the poise of a senior point guard who’s accepted the leadership role.   

“In all my years of coaching, I don’t know if I’ve ever been around a better person, a more caring person, a more respectful person than Tomas Sanchez,” Evans said. “I’ve coached a lot of guys.

“If I told him to roll around from one end of the floor to the other, he wouldn’t even look at me. He’d just start rolling.”

Sanchez’s role on the team extends beyond his influence from a leadership perspective, of course, he needs to score, too.

Idaho State averaged a league-low 57 points a game last season. The margin between the conference’s second-highest squad, Montana State (70.6) and 10th-highest, Sacramento State (64.7), was smaller than the difference from the Hornets to the Bengals.

Some of that was by design. Evans wanted to play slow. But with athletic guys like Jeffrey Solarin and Evann Hall added to the roster, the Bengals will seek opportunities to play faster.

"We’ve got guys that can get up and down, and I think coach trusts me as a decision maker on the break,” Sanchez said. “And I just think we need easy buckets. We didn’t get a lot of easy buckets (last season), so hopefully running we can get a couple a game. That can be the difference.”

Sanchez is hinting at the idea that if Idaho State can add a few layups in transition, the Bengals can strangle teams defensively and find more wins on the schedule.

Not that many outside of the Idaho State basketball program expect the Bengals to do that. College Basketball Talk’s Rob Dauster tabbed ISU 10th in his preseason poll.

Honestly, though, for Sanchez that’s all just outside noise.

“You’re going to use anything you can as motivation, and I just think we all want to prove people wrong and prove that we’ve improved a lot since last year,” Sanchez said. “Hopefully, we can ... make the tournament and surprise some people.”

H.S. football voters have some issues — I can help

Dear Idaho high school football media voters:

Call me The Fixer. No, I’m not Yakov Bok from the famous 1966 novel. I’m a sports writer on a quest to right the wrongs in the weekly Idaho football media poll.

I’m a guy who’s vote is like a number other than zero in the Jaguars’ win column, it doesn’t exist. I watch helplessly as a 2-3 Coeur d’Alene football team receives a No. 1 vote one week and an undefeated Idaho Falls squad — one that scores like Oregon wishes it could — drops out of the rankings entirely after a bye the next.

The newest poll comes out today, and my fingers are crossed that the Tigers sneak back in. Even if they do, though, this feels like an appropriate time to go over some ground rules for how the state’s football voters should treat the privilege of casting a ballot each and every week.

Uh, first, remember to vote.
In the second week of the poll there were 11 votes given out, and that poll sat between two weeks where there were a total of eight votes. A couple weeks, there were nine votes, once 10 and we were back to eight a week ago.

So what’s going on? How many guys and gals have votes? The media poll, big shocker here, is composed entirely of media members. There’s folks from newspapers and television. Quite literally, all they do is write and talk about sports.

And they’re forgetting to vote? How is this OK?

All individual polls should be made public.
The polls lack transparency. I’m tired of it.

Whether it is pollsters neglecting to do their jobs or idiotic votes cast like somebody was throwing a dart at a wall, there’s far too many examples of lunacy for me to take. If the polls were public then perhaps everyone would take the role seriously.

Some voters already do release their own poll. My boss, for example, includes his personal ballot with the actual poll on his blog every week. David Bashore does the same thing on the Times-News website in Twin Falls and Paul Lambert at the Post Register reveals his entire poll, too.

All the voters should reveal their polls in some format, but I just spent 15 minutes trying to find them and couldn’t. So let’s release the final poll and include all the ballots.

If we did that then there’s a legit chance somebody wouldn’t cast a vote for a 2-3 team to be 5A’s No. 1 squad, even though that 2-3 team had lost to another team that was undefeated in the same poll.

Am I making myself clear here? In the Oct. 2, 2013 state-wide Idaho media poll, Coeur d’Alene, 2-3 at the time, had a No. 1 vote. That same person could have tabbed Highland (5-0), Capital (5-0) or Idaho Falls (5-0) for the top spot. But, no, they choose the Vikings. I can only assume they saw Coeur d’Alene’s record, thought it said 3-2 and presumed the Vikings had beaten the Rams 24-21 in their showdown at Holt Arena Sept. 21.   

What’s the justification for the Coeur d’Alene vote? Does that pollster think the Vikings are the favorite to win the 5A championship? That’s actually not much of a stretch. They’re really, really good, and if Coeur d’Alene reaches the playoffs, they won’t have to leave northern Idaho.

But favoring a team to win a month from now is something different than casting a vote today. These pollsters need to anchor their ballots to on-the-field results. Hidden agendas and regional biases are garbage and have no part in the weekly rankings.

Sports writers who don’t have a high school football media vote should calm down when they do not agree with how someone else voted.
Hey, who’s writing this list!?

We (I) should all remember this is not the Bowl Championship Series. Polls in high school football serve a single purpose — they’re fodder for me to whine about.
And I’m more than happy to fulfill that role. So, pollsters across Idaho, stop voting for Coeur d’Alene as 5A’s best squad until Highland, Capital or Idaho Falls provide a reason to do just that. Recognize Idaho Falls is one of the best teams in the state, and give Shelley the love it deserves and put them as the undisputed No. 1 in 3A.

Thanks,

The Fixer.

Idaho State vs. Weber State postgame blog

Julie Hillebrant/ISU Sports Information

Idaho State 1, Weber State 1, 2OT

For a full game recap, click here.
 
Star of the game: Idaho State’s photographer Julie Hillebrant. She took the photo above and it’s awesome.

The play happened with about five minutes left in regulation. Ellsworth unleashed a left-footed shot that arched towards the upper left of Weber’s net, a pretty piece of soccer from Ellsworth. But check out that save by Weber’s goalkeeper Ryann Waldman. Hey, speaking of keepers ...

Star(s) of the game: Idaho State goalkeeper Sheridan Hapsic and Weber State goalkeeper Ryann Waldman. The two opposing keepers combined for 13 saves (nine of those by Hapsic) and each can be credited with keeping their team in it.

If either Hapsic or Waldman would have had an off game, their team would have lost — easily (for reference, check out the photo above).

Extra note: I gleaned a couple comments from fans at the game and felt the need to share.

As heard from a Weber State fan ...
   
“Which one is your granddaughter on the team!” Then she turned to her pals and said, “I said granddaughter so she’d think I thought she looked that old!”

As heard from an Idaho State fan ...

“Oh, come on, everybody on their team is a theater major!”

Both comments are hilarious. I did some investigating and Weber State does have a bachelor’s degree in theatre. Unfortunately, Weber’s athletic website doesn’t list its players majors. So there’s just no way to confirm that ISU fan’s belief the ENTIRE Wildcat soccer squad are theatre majors.

Cabilan, Bengals start 3-game stretch at home with Weber State

Journal File Photo

It’s possible to take Vanessa Cabilan, all 5-foot-2-inches of her, and establish a ratio of size to tenacity. When done correctly, Cabilan’s size:tenacity ratio is astronomical.   

The Idaho State sophomore defender describes her game as tenacious, but add on terms like pesky, ornery and annoying.

“I’m that irritating mosquito. If I fall, I’ll get back up,” Cabilan said.

Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Cabilan started all 20 of Idaho State’s games in 2012. She was a Big Sky Honorable Mention honoree and she made the All-Tournament team after the Bengals won the conference championship.

Cabilan started this season on the bench with a broken collarbone. She returned to the lineup Sept. 13 in a loss to Hawaii and has started every match since Florida Gulf Coast Sept. 15.

She’s small in stature but her effect on the field is pronounced. The Bengals are 3-2-1 since she stepped back into the starting lineup.

“That kid just never gives up,” said ISU head coach Allison Gibson after the Bengals beat Eastern Washington 1-0 Sept. 26. “Sometimes she makes the wrong decisions, but she makes the wrong decisions at 100 miles an hour. And then she recovers at 100 miles an hour.”

Speed is Cabilan’s greatest strength. She’s fast enough that it never matters how tall or beefy an opponent is who stands across from her.

“They’re like, ‘Oh, she’s little. I’ll probably get past her.’ So I try to make my presence known beforehand,” Cabilan said. “I’ll get the first foul on that player so they’ll know I’m there.”

Gibson says Cabilan is a vocal leader, too. She’s never afraid to speak her mind in the locker room.

Her teammate and fellow starter on ISU’s defensive backline, Lia Margolis is, by comparison, a towering 5-foot-4. She understands what it’s like to deal with opposing forwards in the Big Sky Conference that possess a height advantage.

“She kind of reminds me of myself. It’s never fun to be the smaller girl when you have to defend these people when you can barely see over their shoulder,” she said. “But she came in as a freshman and just did so well with us. She’s so consistent. I hate playing against her.”

Margolis and Cabilan help form a defense that’s recorded four shutouts this season, including three in their last five games.

It’s that Idaho State (5-6-1) defense that has helped the Bengals to a 2-1-1 conference record.

And it’s that same defense and a home-field advantage at Davis Field that can catapult the Bengals up the standings in the next week.

Idaho State hosts Weber State today at noon. It’s the start of a three-game home stand with Sacramento State Thursday and Portland State Oct. 19.

The Wildcats (7-3-2, 3-1-0), Hornets (6-5-2, 2-1-1) and Vikings (7-4-1, 4-0) have a combined record of 20-12-5 and they’re 9-2-1 in the Big Sky. They’re all either tied with or above the Bengals in the conference standings.

Good luck finding an ISU player who will talk about any of that, though. The Bengals are fervently focused on Weber State.

“We all just need to take it game by game and just make sure the game we’re playing right now is the most important,” Cabilan said. “We try not to focus on the whole conference itself.”

Concentrating on Weber State isn’t much of an issue. The Wildcats have beaten Utah State and Utah Valley this year, teams who both knocked off Idaho State earlier this season.

WSU averages 1.5 goals per game (second in the conference), 13.92 shots (second) and no team has given up fewer goals.

The last time Idaho State and Weber State played the Bengals prevailed 4-3 in penalty kicks during the Big Sky Tournament.

“It’s a big rivalry. “... And they’re doing well this season, too, so it’s going to be a big game,” Cabilan said. “But playing at home, I mean, it’s an advantage, and I think we’re all really ready to just play a team that we know we can beat.”
   
NOTES: Whitney Peterson broke her nose early in the match against Southern Utah last Sunday. The sophomore hopes to delay surgery and play the rest of this season, if cleared medically. ... Junior Amanda Ellsworth is currently second in goals and points in Idaho State history. She trails Stacey Peterson-Allen (2000-03) by three goals and four points. ... Weber State leads the all-time series with Idaho State 10-6-2.

The ISU Bengals are drinking the Kool-Aid

Journal File Photo

Gulp and guzzle like it’s the last drop of water in the desert.

Drink in the Kool-Aid because to do so exhibits total and utter commitment.

And, no, this isn’t some cryptic reference to a kooky cult.

This Kool-Aid is harmless, and, for that matter, there isn’t any of the sugary stuff to be seen.

“Drinking the Kool-Aid” is a major theme of coach Bill Evans and the Idaho State men’s basketball team as they prepare for the 2013-14 season at Reed Gym.

Fall practice began Sept. 28 and the first game, an exhibition match versus Dickinson State, is Nov. 4.

That’s a solid chunk of times for Evans and the Bengal coaching staff to take 14 players and mold the foundations of a team. There’s a mere six returners from last season’s 6-24 squad and eight newcomers.

A clear line of demarcation runs right down the middle of the fresh faces. Four of the new players are true freshmen.

There’s Scotty Tyler from Grafton, Wisc., a 6-foot-7 lanky shooter. Andre Slavik arrives in Pocatello from Beacon Prep in Houston, Texas. He’s originally from Slovakia.

Erik Nakken is a 6-3 guard out of Cedar City, Utah, and Justin Smith is an athletic 6-5 wing from Colorado Springs, Colo.

Some of the freshmen will be expected to contribute right away. But a year ago, they were still in high school, so those guys represent more of the future of Bengal basketball than the present.

The quartet of junior college transfers, however, step in to help fill the void left by nine departures off last season’s roster.

Jeffrey Solarin is a 6-foot-4 junior wing who’s known for his rebounding and defense. Like Chris Hansen, Solarin is from Colorado and he played at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., with ISU assistant coach Andy Ward (before Ward joined the Bengals in 2012).

In his two years at Northwest, Solarin left with 992 career points and 559 rebounds.

Junior Ben Wilson is 6-5 and from North Platte Community College. Evann Hall, a sophomore, is a 6-4 guard who played one year at San Bernardino Valley College. Finally, adding size to Idaho State’s frontcourt, 6-11 Ajak Magot is out of Cochise College.

How the freshmen and junior college guys mesh with returners like Hansen, Tomas Sanchez and Andre Hatchett is a major factor to what Evans is working on until November rolls around.

Evans will know if things are headed in the right direction if all they choose to drink the Kool-Aid. There’s even a T-shirt handed out to the players who have earned the distinction.

It’s gray with ISU basketball on the front, and on the back it says, “I drink the Kool-Aid.” Note, it doesn’t say, “I drank the Kool-Aid,” because it’s an honor that Evans can give and yank right back.

Right now, the six returners all have their T-shirts. What exactly have they done to earn them?

“Buying into how we do things at Idaho State,” Hansen said. “Being good teammates, cheering each other on and working hard. Just doing what your role is on the team, and not trying to do too much or too little.”

Is a center who struggles to hit free throws launching 3-pointers? If so, he’s not drinking the Kool-Aid.

But it’s more than how a guy practices and performs during games. No player is invested if he’s skipping class or treating teammates poorly. Evans never wants to hear a negative word from one player to another.

It’s all in an effort to facilitate an atmosphere around the team that’s positive, demands maximum efforts and, hopefully, leads to an improving men’s basketball program.

“This year, coach Evans has more of his kind of players here,” Hansen said. “Hard workers, no one complains. Everyone is on board. Not saying that last year we didn’t have that. But everyone here kind of has the culture built into them.”

Practice notes: At practice Monday, Idaho State used the lineup Tomas Sanchez, Chris Hansen, Jeffrey Solarin, Andre Hatchett and Ayibakuro Preh quite a bit. If they played tomorrow (which, of course, they don't) I think that's the starting five. ... Looks like Idaho State will look to run more this season. The Bengals finished 11th in scoring in the Big Sky a season ago (at 57.0 ppg). ... Further evidence ISU wants to improve the offense, lots of time early in practice honing the offense against man-to-man defense  (though, it should be noted, in no way is Evans going to deemphasize defense this season).

Landon Hayes is a monster for 4-1 Soda Springs football

Take Patrick Willis, that pugnacious linebacker from the San Francisco 49ers, and morph his abilities into those of Adrian Peterson, the running back of the Minnesota Vikings who runs like a muscle car with turbo injection.

Smash their respective talents into a big ball, mix it up and what do you get?

Well, that would be Landon Hayes.

Hayes is a senior offensive and defensive star for the 4-1 Soda Springs Cardinals.

Let’s go to a moment from Soda’s 36-6 victory last Friday against American Falls.

Hayes flew in and met a Beaver running back in the hole on a dive play. He laid down the boom like a hammer to a nail. It was spectacular — awesome with a capital A (in my best Dick Vitale impression).

One problem, though — it was clearly a helmet-to-helmet collision because of the resounding pop that echoed from Soda Springs to Bancroft and back.

Ten years ago, shoot, five years ago, that kind of hit would have been plastered on highlight shows across the country every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. The flag flew in for an illegal hit. Boos rained down from the Cardinal faithful. More than anything, I think they knew that it was an illegal hit, but Hayes is so spectacular at what he does fans didn't want to see the play nullified by a personal foul call.

Hayes did provide a smorgasbord of other opportunities for Soda fanatics to go nuts. Against the overmatched Beavers, Hayes racked up touchdowns on the ground, in the air, via both passing and catching, and he returned a fumble 20 yards for six points, too.

Hayes’ offensive stat line against American Falls: One pass for 23 yards and touchdown. Nine rushing attempts for 78 yards and a touchdown. One catch for 25 yards and a touchdown. And a recovered fumble he scooped up and rumbled with into the end zone.

By my count, he had his hands on the ball 12 times, and four of those turned into scores. That's a touchdown every third time he touched the pigskin.

And that followed a four-touchdown performance the week before against Marsh Valley.

Listen, he wasn't the only reason Soda pounded AF. Heck, I'm not even sure he was the biggest reason. After the game, Soda head coach Brent Erickson pointed to how his offensive and defensive lines manhandled their opponent in the trenches.

Hayes' contributions, however, extend beyond what he provides from a statistical perspective. He missed most of Soda's first two games with an injury. The Cardinals' offense slogged though a 6-0 victory against West Jefferson. And then they lost in Montpelier to Bear Lake 19-7.

Hayes returned for game No. 3, and Soda's offense, coincidentally or not, took off, slapping point totals of 34, 31 and 36 on scoreboards in three-straight victories, with Hayes posting eight total touchdowns.

So we have five games of evidence, hardly a sample size of any substance, but we’re still left with a good idea of one thing.

With Landon Hayes on the field, Soda's offense is averaging 37 points per game. With Hayes out, that point total drops to 6.5.

Is Hayes really worth 30.5 points a night? Maybe not. But for the sake of Soda's playoff aspirations, Cardinal fans hope it’s something close.

I've written this before, but West Side, ranked No. 3 in the 2A statewide media poll, Aberdeen, Malad and Soda Springs are shaping up for a royal rumble in the next three weeks.

Four teams, and three will survive to see the postseason. This year, the Cardinals play both Aberdeen (this Friday) and West Side (Oct. 24) on the road with a home game against Malad (Oct. 18) sandwiched in between.

If Soda is going to be one of thre three survivors, Hayes will have to continue his Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis impersonation to maximum effect.

I don’t think that’ll be a problem.

Diving deeper into the 2013 ISU men’s basketball schedule

Journal File Photo

Fun fact: Idaho State is the lone men’s basketball team in the Big Sky Conference to end its 2012-13 season on a winning note.

In the process of building a program — one that aims to win more than last season’s total of six — there’s stumbling blocks and challenges littered along the path.

One of the roadblocks lying in wait for 2013-14 is a nine-game nonconference schedule that includes six away matchups, including trips to Arizona State, San Francisco, Utah, Washington and a game with Idaho at CenturyLink Arena in Boise Dec. 20.

As Idaho State and head coach Bill Evans prepare for the upcoming season that kick starts with an exhibition game against Dickinson State Nov. 4, it’s got to be exhausting to constantly have the media and fans drudge up last year.

Very little of it is positive, at least from a straight win-loss perspective, which, of course, influences the perception of a season and whether it’s regarded as a success or failure.

But last year’s results, trends, strengths and weaknesses have everything to do with how Evans and his staff recruited for this season, and what they will emphasize to try and flip a 5-15 conference record into a berth in the Big Sky Men’s Basketball Championship, the conference postseason tournament the top seven squads reach.

In the coming weeks, the Journal will dive deeper into the roster changes, offseason improvements of key returners like Sanchez, Chris Hansen and Andre Hatchett and how eight newcomers (on a 14-player roster) will fit into the Bengal rotation.

About that schedule, though. It’s better than Evans’ first year in Pocatello when the Bengals were true road warriors with one game in Holt Arena in one 54-day span.

“I think we spaced them out pretty good,” Evans said, shortly after the schedule was released. “... It’s about as good as you can get.”

With athletic budget constraints, the Bengals are forced to schedule “guarantee games,” contests at sites like Pac-12 foes Arizona State and Washington. The cash is great, but the chances of winning are, well, not as great.

As Evans himself says, when it comes to guaranteed games, “It is what it is.” In reality, all the programs in the Big Sky have them. Northern Arizona has Texas Tech and USC. North Dakota travels to Wisconsin and Oregon. On and on it goes.

It means long road trips with alarm clocks buzzing hours before sunlight. Players hop on a bus, drive a couple hours, go through security, jet off on a plane, land, find food, check in to a hotel, have a shootaround and play in an unfamiliar gym.

Yeah, OK, it’s not exactly hard labor, but a glamorous lifestyle it is not.

And there’s a careful balance for coaches to find, too. Two teams in the Big Sky finished last season with a winning record, Montana at 25-7 and Weber State at 30-7. Dealing with emotions and managing confidence is essential.

“The psychological thing is a real factor, and that’s why I don’t spend time beating our guys up over wins and losses,” Evans said. “... For me to spend the first two months (yelling at) them and never singing any praises, by the time they get to league, they’re so wore out from coach Evans they don’t want to play anymore. So there’s a real fine line there on how you handle that.”

Idaho State begins the season at home against Evergreen Nov. 9. The Bengals opening Big Sky game is Jan. 2 versus Portland State.
   
Notes: Marcus Bradley, who transferred from San Bernardino Valley College last May, is not enrolled at Idaho State this fall. The 6-foot-7 forward is still attempting to meet academic requirements to enroll at ISU, possibly by the spring semester.

Introducing Century, the best 1-3 football team ever

Let me take you to an alternate universe, one exactly like our own but with just a few small tweaks.

In this alternate reality, Century’s football team is ranked second in the state, and the D-back faithful are buzzing with excitement and anticipation. And they should. The Diamondbacks are undefeated.

Behind a powerful spread offense with dynamic playmakers like Scott Kuhn, Remy Lambson, Mason Spillett and Logan Fackrell, senior quarterback Shane Rominger is like a high school version of Peyton Manning. He just hangs out in the pocket gunning touchdown passes against helpless defenses unable to corral the D-back speedsters.

Century is 4-0, and it all began Sept. 6 at Holt Arena when the heavily-favored Rams’ last-ditch, 80-yard comeback drive fell just short. Highland quarterback Tommy Jewell scrambled out of the pocket, looked downfield, but he missed the open receiver in the end zone. Instead, he ran, juked and twisted his way to the Century 3-yard line.

The clock struck zero before the Rams could run another play, though, and the D-backs beat their cross-town rival for the first time in the school’s history.

In this alternate reality, one so close to this one, defeating Highland spurred Century to greater heights. Rominger, middle linebacker Austin Ferguson and the crew were confident entering the season, but taking out Highland validated all the off season preparation.

In the world close, so close to ours, holding on to late to fourth-quarter leads emerges as a theme.

Century suffered a let down in its second game when Skyline visited the Dome. The Grizzlies’ quarterback Zak Bennett (who Matt “Crazy Pants” Gittins loves to point out looks like Matthew Stafford, because, well, he looks exactly like Matthew Stafford) runs around, avoids pressure and wills his team to keep it close.

But up 21-19, the Diamondbacks’ defense comes up big again in the fourth quarter when they had the Grizzlies pinned at their own 28-yard line with three minutes and 24 seconds left. Bennett, for all his elusiveness, is sacked on fourth and 10 and Skyline turns the ball over on downs.

After pummeling the Blackfoot Broncos 38-21 on the D-backs’ opening road trip of the season, Century moved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the 4A 5-6 District.

It set up a crucial game of unbeatens at Rigby High School last Friday.

Once again, Century clung to a lead in the fourth quarter. Rigby had first and 10 on the Diamondbacks’ 49-yard line.

The Trojans methodically worked their way to the 10. They had already gaffed, shanked and bumbled through two missed extra points and an errant field-goal attempt, but with less than three minutes left to play, Rigby head coach Randy Waite had no choice but to go for the winning kick.

Before the attempt, though, Century’s defense jumped offsides. A 27-yard field goal morphed into a 22-yard gimme. But, no, miraculously, Rigby’s kicking game caved to the pressure and the Trojans made like Florida State and went wide right.

Century escaped, stayed undefeated and Pocatello’s local sports writer wrote a column declaring the Diamondbacks were “The Chosen Team,” with the reasoning that all their talent came together every Friday night with pure, simple luck to form an unbeatable combination.

In that alternate reality, Century coaches David Spillett, Keaton Campbell, Robert Blevin, Caleb Caple, Jay Ferguson, Scott Eldredge and Rich Woodfin all sleep soundlessly, like men who know the D-backs can handle every tough situation. A few even start to believe that they do have special team, “The Chosen Team.”

Because in three close games, they had always figured out some way to do just enough.

But that alternate universe, of course, doesn’t exist.

Century isn’t 4-0. The Diamondbacks are 1-3 and they’ve watched three fourth-quarter leads slip away like Lane Kiffins’ popularity in Los Angeles.

I shouldn’t have called it an alternate universe. It’s more like a fantasy for D-back fans, coaches and players.

It’s unreal, almost implausible that Century has led Highland, Skyline and Rigby and each time the other team has made the key play to win late, whether it’s a field goal by Skyline and Rigby or a touchdown pass from the Rams.

It’s rotten luck, and some of it’s self-imposed. The D-backs have committed turnovers and penalties and poor execution has struck at the worst times.

Can I say what we’re all thinking?

Century is the best 1-3 team — ever. And that’s just about the worst thing to be.

But if luck never lasts, shouldn’t bad luck run out too?