Daring rescue at Baun Gymnasium

By Bradley Guire – Times-News writer

I hate to say it, but I got a little distracted at the basketball game Wednesday night.

I was covering the Twin Falls-Wood River girls game at Baun Gymnasium, and the antics of the student sections caught my attention. Wood River brought a small but spirited crowd to the contest, all decked out in matching shirts and displaying spirit posters. They also passed around a mop with a stuffed brown bear atop the part where the sponge should have been.

The students took turns hoisting it up or using the bear to sweep up around the Bruin players during the pregame and halftime warmups.

With Twin Falls up by 15 points, I let my mind wander a bit as I watched the helpless bear on the mop absorb punishment rather than a spilled Coca-Cola.

But by the third quarter, a Bruin student dared to cross enemy lines and liberate the furry P.O.W.

The Times-News could neither confirm nor deny the condition of the bear, who has yet to be identified.

Gomis ineligible for postseason

Community School athletic director John Remington e-mailed the Times-News Thursday morning to clarify the status of Senegalese exchange student Daniel Gomis for the postseason.
The long and the short of it is that Gomis can play regular-season games but must sit out in the postseason, and the team will be seeded eighth in the eight-team Northside Conference tournament.
In my Dec. 27 story on Gomis, I reported that his postseason status was unclear, as exchange students are now treated as transfer students under Idaho High School Activities Association bylaws and are ineligible to participate in varsity athletics for one school year.
Typically transfer (and now exchange) students played junior varsity for the one season they were banned from varsity play, but the Community School does not have a JV basketball team so it requested a compromise, of sorts.
“We were willing to forfeit any postseason play by our team … the conference was extremely generous in allowing us to play (in the tournament) without Daniel,” Remington said. “Furthermore, we are deeply appreciative of the ISHAA even allowing Daniel Gomis to play this season given the fact we have no junior varsity program.”
The Northside Conference voted 7-1 to permit Gomis to play during the regular season and seed the Cutthroats last for the conference tournament. Gomis is not permitted to play during any postseason games.
– David Bashore, Times-News writer

Bashore’s Ballot

Here’s how Times-News writer David Bashore voted in the boys and girls prep basketball media polls for this week, with the ballot submitted Tuesday evening.

Records as of Jan. 5
Girls
Class 5A: 1. Boise, 2. Centennial, 3. Lake City, 4. Coeur d’Alene, 5. Highland
Class 4A: 1. Bonneville, 2. Jerome (12-1), 3. Middleton, 4. Minico (10-3), 5. Wood River (11-2)
Class 3A: 1. Fruitland, 2. Sugar-Salem, 3. Marsh Valley, 4. Kimberly (8-1), 5. Timberlake
Class 2A: 1. North Fremont, 2. West Jefferson, 3. Parma, 4. Butte County, 5. Firth
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Lapwai, 2. Challis, 3. Clearwater Valley, 4. Troy, 5. Shoshone (9-4)
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Dietrich (10-1), 2. Carey (6-3), 3. Richfield (7-1), 4. Summit Academy, 5. North Gem

Boys
Class 5A: 1. Eagle, 2. Centennial, 3. Vallivue, 4. Madison, 5. Post Falls
Class 4A: 1. Skyview, 2. Twin Falls (7-1), 3. Moscow, 4. Middleton, 5. Jerome (5-3)
Class 3A: 1. Sugar-Salem, 2. Fruitland, 3. Weiser, 4. Shelley, 5. Buhl (4-2)
Class 2A: 1. Glenns Ferry (9-1), 2. West Side, 3. Soda Springs, 4. Cole Valley Christian, 5. Firth
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Prairie, 2. Castleford (5-1), 3. Shoshone (6-0), 4. Genesee, 5. Troy
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Mackay, 2. Carey (4-1), 3. Murtaugh (4-1), 4. Nezperce, 5. Community School (4-1)

Bashore’s Ballot, Dec. 15

Here’s how Times-News writer David Bashore voted in the boys and girls prep basketball media polls for this week, with the ballot submitted Tuesday evening, Dec. 15. This is Week 5 for the girls’ poll and Week 3 for the boys.

Girls
Class 5A: 1. Boise, 2. Coeur d’Alene, 3. Centennial, 4. Highland, 5. Eagle
Class 4A: 1. Bonneville, 2. Jerome, 3. Middleton, 4. Wood River, 5. Preston
Class 3A: 1. Sugar-Salem, 2. Fruitland, 3. Timberlake, 4. Priest River, 5. Kimberly
Class 2A: 1. North Fremont, 2. Parma, 3. West Jefferson, 4. Soda Springs, 5. Grangeville
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Lapwai, 2. Challis, 3. Clearwater Valley, 4. Kendrick, 5. Shoshone
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Richfield, 2. Dietrich, 3. Carey, 4. Summit Academy, 5. North Gem

Boys
Class 5A: 1. Eagle, 2. Centennial, 3. Vallivue, 4. Madison, 5. Post Falls
Class 4A: 1. Skyview, 2. Twin Falls, 3. Moscow, 4. Middleton, 5. Bishop Kelly
Class 3A: 1. Fruitland, 2. Sugar-Salem, 3. Snake River, 4. Priest River, 5. Marsh Valley
Class 2A: 1. Glenns Ferry, 2. West Side, 3. Firth, 4. West Jefferson, 5. Soda Springs
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Troy, 2. Prairie, 3. Castleford, 4. Raft River, 5. Shoshone
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Mackay, 2. Clark County, 3. Richfield, 4. Carey, 5. Nezperce

Bashore’s Ballot

Following is Times-News writer David Bashore’s prep basketball ballot for the week of Dec. 9. Records are as of Dec. 8. This is Week 2 for the boys poll and Week 4 for the girls poll.

Girls
Class 5A: 1. Coeur d’Alene, 2. Boise, 3. Centennial, 4. Capital, 5. Highland
Class 4A: 1. Bonneville, 2. Jerome, 3. Middleton, 4. Wood River, 5. Minico
Class 3A: 1. Sugar-Salem, 2. Kimberly, 3. Snake River, 4. Marsh Valley, 5. Shelley
Class 2A: 1. North Fremont, 2. Grangeville, 3. West Jefferson, 4. Soda Springs, 5. Parma
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Lapwai, 2. Challis, 3. Clearwater Valley, 4. Shoshone, 5. Hansen
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Richfield, 2. Carey, 3. Dietrich, 4. Summit Academy, 5. Camas County

Boys
Class 5A: 1. Madison, 2. Post Falls, 3. Eagle, 4. Centennial, 5. Lake City
Class 4A: 1. Twin Falls, 2. Skyview, 3. Bishop Kelly, 4. Moscow, 5. Jerome
Class 3A: 1. Fruitland, 2. Shelley, 3. St. Maries, 4. Timberlake, 5. Sugar-Salem
Class 2A: 1. Glenns Ferry, 2. Firth, 3. Melba, 4. Declo, 5. Aberdeen
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Prairie, 2. Castleford, 3. Genesee, 4. Shoshone, 5. Raft River
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Carey, 2. Mackay, 3. Richfield, 4. Clark County, 5. Murtaugh

CSI volleyball starts victory tour

David Bashore’s “From the Sidelines”

The College of Southern Idaho volleyball team is making the rounds to celebrate its national championship victory with fellow students and townsfolk.
CSI’s student senate arranged a reception Friday afternoon in the upstairs of the Taylor Building for the team, which served as the first leg of its victory tour. Players and coaches were gifted with medals and saw a poignant slideshow of the trip to the national tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Later Friday the team participated in the Festival of Lights Parade in downtown Twin Falls, and followed that with a students-only celebration party in the dorms.
Another CSI class has arranged a breakfast meet-and-greet with the team for 10 a.m., Monday in the upper level of CSI Gymnasium.

Bashore’s ballot

Here is this week’s ballot for Times-News writer David Bashore in the Idaho prep basketball media polls. This is Week 3 for the girls poll and Week 1 for the boys poll. Check Friday’s Times-News print edition for the full poll.

Ballots cast Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Girls
Class 5A: 1. Coeur d’Alene, 2. Boise, 3. Lake City, 4. Centennial, 5. Capital
Class 4A: 1. Bonneville, 2. Jerome, 3. Middleton, 4. Bishop Kelly, 5. Wood River
Class 3A: 1. Sugar-Salem, 2. Marsh Valley, 3. Fruitland, 4. Shelley, 5. Kimberly
Class 2A: 1. North Fremont, 2. West Jefferson, 3. Parma, 4. Soda Springs, 5. Grangeville
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Lapwai, 2. Clearwater Valley, 3. Challis, 4. Troy, 5. Shoshone
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Richfield, 2. Dietrich, 3. Carey, 4. Summit Academy, 5. Camas County

Boys
Class 5A: 1. Madison, 2. Vallivue, 3. Post Falls, 4. Eagle, 5. Centennial
Class 4A: 1. Skyview, 2. Twin Falls, 3. Minico, 4. Middleton, 5. Moscow
Class 3A: 1. Priest River, 2. Fruitland, 3. Shelley, 4. Buhl, 5. Filer
Class 2A: 1. Glenns Ferry, 2. Declo, 3. Cole Valley Christian, 4. Melba, 5. Firth
Class 1A Div. I: 1. Prairie, 2. Castleford, 3. Genesee, 4. Cascade, 5. Shoshone
Class 1A Div. II: 1. Murtaugh, 2. Mackay, 3. Carey, 4. Nezperce, 5. Summit Academy

Highlights from the Bruin football banquet

By Bradley Guire – Times-News writer

Since the Twin Falls football team was kind enough to invite me to its banquet Monday,  I thought I would share the awards list. Here goes …

Most Dedicated Defensive Practice Player: Jordan Staley

Most Dedicated Offensive Practice Player: Aaron Julianto

Varsity Warriors: Jayson Welker, Cannon Sims Clark, Zack Van Loo, Zak Slotten, Brennon Lancaster, Brady Barton

Special Teams Player of the Year: Jayson Welker

Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Year: Zak Slotten

Most Valuable Offensive Player of the Year: Jon Pulsifer

Most Valuable Player of the Year: Zak Slotten

Dr. David McClusky Award: Brett Kohring

Paul Ostyn Award: Brett Kohring

Tale of the Tape: CSI vs. Missouri State-West Plains

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — The dust has settled, and just two teams remain in contention for the 2009 NJCAA Division I volleyball national championship. The College of Southern Idaho takes on Missouri State University-West Plains on Friday night at around 5:30 p.m., MST.

Here’s a brief comparison of the two teams.

CSI
Record: 31-6
Seed: 4
Highest rank (excl. preseason): 1
Lowest rank (excl. preseason): 8
National championships: 8
Championship appearances (excl. 2009): 8
Key players: Jessica Peacock (RS), Torrey Hulsey (MB), Barbara Alcantara (S)

MSU-West Plains
Record: 27-8
Seed: 6
Highest rank (excl. preseason): 7
Lowest rank (excl. preseason): 9
National championships: 0
Championship appearances (excl. 2009): 2
Key players: Katja Stepanova (LS), Briana Walsh (LS), Patricia Figueiredo (S)

Common opponents: Salt Lake (CSI 4-2, MSU-WP 0-1), North Idaho (CSI 2-3, MSU-WP 0-1), San Jacinto-Central (both 1-0), Miami Dade (CSI 2-0, MSU-WP 0-2), Snow (CSI 2-0, MSU-WP 1-0), Eastern Utah (CSI 1-1, MSU-WP 1-0), Seminole State (both 1-0), New Mexico Military Institute (both 1-0), Frank Phillips (CSI 1-0, MSU-WP 0-1), Western Wyoming (CSI 2-0, MSU-WP 1-0)

CSI advances to quarters

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — The College of Southern Idaho volleyball team defeated Seminole State College (Okla.) 25-17, 25-12, 25-19 at the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championships Thursday afternoon to advance to the evening’s national quarterfinals.
Jessica Peacock had 11 kills to pace CSI (29-6), which got nine from Torrey Hulsey and six each from Samantha Misa and Elisa Brochado.
CSI hit .363 as a team, committing just six errors in attack and 13 total. The Golden Eagles got five solo blocks, two each from Misa and Hulsey and one from Peacock.
CSI will play Miami Dade (Fla.) at approximately 7 p.m., MST Thursday evening for a berth in the semifinals.