Yote Notes – Jan. 23, 2008

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Coyotes open second half of CCC slate at home hosting Cascade and Warner Pacific

COMING UP: vs. Cascade, Friday, 7:30 p.m.; vs. Warner Pacific, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

LAST WEEK: at No. 10 Eastern Oregon (L 63-62), at Concordia (L 71-66 OT), at Corban (W 62-56)

RADIO/INTERNET/TELEVISION: All 30 regular-season games will be broadcast live in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM, the Home of the Coyotes. Sports information director Mike Safford returns for his seventh-year as Voice of the Coyotes, with the pregame show begining 20-minutes prior to tip-off each night. Both games will also be carried live on The C of I athletic website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/caa/radio.htm.

MAGGARD HAS MONSTER REBOUND NIGHT: In the win Saturday night at Corban, J.R. Maggard (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) was truly the “Windex Man” – as his career-high 16 rebounds lifted the Coyotes to victory, and recorded the most boards by a Yote in nearly five seasons. It marked the fourth time this season that the senior has registered a double-figure rebound game and upped his Cascade Conference rebound average to eight boards a night – ranking No. 4 in the loop. He is also sixth in the league in both offensive and defensive rebounds in conference action.

BIG REBOUND NIGHTS UNDER OWEN: The 16 boards by J.R. Maggard on Saturday marked the ninth time in the eight years that Mark Owen has been at the helm of the Yotes that a player has recorded 15-or-more rebounds in a game. Ty Shaw leads the way with four such games (20 vs. Evergreen State in 2000-01, 16 vs. Northwest Nazarene in 2000-01, 15 vs. Westminster in 2000-01, 15 vs. Concordia in 2000-01), with Tom Perkes recording a pair of games (16 vs. Southern Oregon in 2002-03, 15 vs. Eastern Oregon in 2002-03). Two others join Maggard on the list – Mike Homik (21 vs. Corban in 2001-02) and Eric Hare (18 vs. Lewis-Clark State in 2001-02).

OWEN HAS CONSECUTIVE GAMES STREAK END: A bout with a severe migraine headache and flu-like symptoms forced Josh Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) to miss last Friday night’s game at Concordia. It marked the first time in his college career that Owen was not on the court for the Yotes, ending a streak of 106 games. After playing on Saturday night, the senior is just one game out of tenth-place on the all-time games played list.

CALL HIM THE IRONMAN: The three-game week was a grueling affair for guard Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS), who barely found a moment on the bench. The junior played all 40 minutes Tuesday at Eastern Oregon, then did not leave the court in the overtime game against Concordia. Finally, Champ got two minutes of rest in the win Saturday at Corban. He averaged 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals over the course of the week.

NIELSON FIGHTS THROUGH THE PAIN: Talk about a gutty performance – forward Kurt Nielson (Rexburg, Idaho / Eastern Utah CC) averaged 35 minutes of action over the weekend, that after sustaining a broken foot in the loss Tuesday at Eastern Oregon. The junior, who was cleared to play by doctors, had 14 points in the loss at Concordia, followed by 11 points in the win at Corban – connecting on 3-of-7 three-point attempts along the way.

LONG SHINES IN STARTING ROLE: Following the loss to Concordia, head coach Mark Owen shook up the starting line-up against Corban, inserting Tucker Long (Pocatello, Idaho / Century HS) into the front line. The sophomore, making his second start of the season, scored ten points and recorded a career-high eight rebounds in the win – going a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line.

YOTES WELCOME CASCADE TO CALDWELL: Friday night, the Yotes open the second half of the CCC season, hosting Cascade College. After winning five of their eight non-conference tilts, the Thunderbirds (5-14, 0-10 CCC) have hit a rough stretch, losing nine games in a row – but five of the losses were by nine points or less. They have not played well away from home, going 1-8, with their lone win an 80-77 victory at Multnomah Bible. The T-Birds due have proven scorers on their squad in guards Ben Pawlak (13.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and Eric Taylor (16.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg), along with forwards Erving Adams (11.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Tayo Cotton (11.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg). The two teams met in December, with the Yotes winning 81-54. The Coyotes have won 17 straight in the series and hold a commanding 41-2 lead all-time.

REMATCH WITH WARNER PACIFIC: Saturday, Warner Pacific makes their lone appearance in Caldwell. The Knights (12-7, 7-3) are the hottest team in the CCC, having won five games in a row, including a crucial 88-84 victory Saturday night at Oregon Tech. WP opened the season ranked No. 3, but fell out of the NAIA poll after losing four out of five games in late December and early January. However, they have rebounded, thanks to their potent offense that averages 91 points a game – including seven games of 100-points or more. Reigning CCC Player of the Year Scott O’Gallagher (21.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.8 apg) leads the team, with fellow All-CCC guard Josh Jackson (17.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and 2007 Newcomer of the Year, forward Jalonta Martin (14.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 4.2 apg) each averaging in double figures. The Knights topped the Yotes 102-88 in December in Portland, but trails the all-time series 28-12.

CAREER RECORD BOOK: The Coyote career record book continues to shuffle each week, as a pair of Yotes continue their assault on history. Josh Owen ranks in the Top-11 in eleven categories – including No. 2 in career three-pointers made (242) and attempted (620). He is third in field goal attempts (1,053), fourth in free throw percentage (.862), sixth in points scored (1,371), eighth in steals (139), assists (264), and field goals made (443), is ninth in free throws made (243), and is eleventh in games played (107) and free throw attempts (282). Also on the list is junior Bryan Champ, who is No. 5 in career steals (144) – while closing in on the top-ten on the single-season steals list with 61.

CASCADE CONFERENCE TOP-SIX: The latest CCC Top-6 Coaches Poll was released on Monday – with teams jockeying for position. Oregon Tech remained in the top spot, despite losing at home to Warner Pacific. Eastern Oregon stayed at No. 2, despite topping the Yotes by one, Corban by two, and losing at Concordia. Warner Pacific stayed at No. 3, despite sweeping the trip to Southern Oregon, while Evergreen State moved up to No. 4 with a win at Northwest Christian. The two losses by the Coyotes dropped The C of I to No. 5, with Northwest rounding out the ranking. In last week’s NAIA Top-25 poll of 2008, Oregon Tech was ranked No. 6 with Eastern Oregon at No. 10, while Warner Pacific, the Coyotes, and Northwest each received votes. The C of I has a streak of 15 consecutive years of Top-25 rankings on the line in 2007-08. The next NAIA poll will released on Wednesday, Jan. 23 – with the CCC poll released each Monday and the national poll each Wednesday the rest of the season.

CASCADE CONFERENCE STATS: The Coyotes as a team continue to lead the CCC in steals per game (9.3) and in turnover margin (+3.9), ranking 11th in the NAIA in the latter category. The squad has improved in nearly every other league statistic – now No. 2 in three-pointers made per game (8.3) and scoring defense (70.9), No. 6 in field goal percentage (.441) and scoring margin (-0.1), No. 7 in free throw percentage (.688), three-point percentage (.333), and assists per game (12.6), is ninth in scoring average (70.8), and are No. 10 in blocks per game (1.9) and in rebound margin (-6.2). Individually, Bryan Champ leads the league and is No. 2 in the NAIA in steals per game (3.1), is No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1), and is No. 9 in assists per game (3.1). Josh Owen leads the league in minutes played per game (35.2), is second in three-pointers made per game (3.0), while ranking No. 5 in free throw percentage (.823) and No. 10 in scoring average (16.9). In league play, the Yotes lead the loop in scoring defense and three-pointers per game, while Champ leads the league in steals per game and assist-to-turnover ratio, and Owen has hit more three’s than any other player.

CASCADE CONFERENCE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Scott O’Gallagher (WP) 22.1, Nate Menefee (ESC) 21.6, Ryan Fiegi (OIT) 20.8, Wade Douglas (CRB) 19.2, Josh Jarrett (NCC) 18.5; Rebound Average – Jalonta Martin (WP) 8.5, Jarrett 8.3, Josh Wetzler (OIT) 8.2, Ryan Barker (CAS) 7.8, Christian Cavanaugh (OIT) 7.6; Field Goal Percentage – Wetzler .684, David Howard (ESC) .657, Kyle Janke (EOU) .608, Matt Ochs (CU) .602, Cavanaugh .592; Assist Average – Fiegi 5.8, Jesse Alvarez (CU) 5.3, Jeremy Templeton (EOU) 4.6, Martin 4.2, O’Gallagher 3.8.

EASTERN HANGS ON: A 15-3 run late in the ball game gave Eastern Oregon just enough breathing room, as the Mountaineers withstood a late College of Idaho charge, stopping the Yotes, 63-62, last Tuesday. Neil Fryer had a dunk and a pair of three-pointers in the Mountaineers push, as the No. 3 ranked team erased a ten-point second half deficit, building a 62-56 lead with 2:29 to go.  The Coyotes would not go away, as a Bryan Champ three inside the final minute got The C of I within 63-62.  After a defensive stop, the Yotes had a chance at the win, but Steffen Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union HS) rimmed out a three-pointer from the right wing as time expired. The Yotes, who saw a season-high four game win streak snapped, led the majority of the game - building a 33-25 halftime lead.  The visitors connected on ten three-point baskets in the loss, despite holding Eastern to their lowest scoring output of the season. Champ led the Coyotes with 15 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, with Kurt Nielson adding ten points and five rebounds.  However, the Yotes made just 10-of-18 free throws on the night.

SHORT HANDED YOTES LOSE IN OVERTIME: Playing without leading scorer Josh Owen, the Yotes had a gutty performance, but dropped a tough 71-66 overtime decision to Concordia, Friday in Portland, Ore. The host Cavaliers hit nine of their first 12 shots from the field, jumping out to a 23-5 lead eight minutes into the game.  The lead would grow to 20 before the Coyotes locked down defensively - limiting Concordia without a field goal for nearly 12 minutes - taking their first lead of the game on a J.R. Maggard lay-in at 43-41, with 11:05 remaining in the game. The visitors would use a 9-0 spurt, capped by an Andy Maxwell (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) three with 5:10 remaining to build a 58-50 margin - but would not convert a field goal the rest of regulation.  Desmond Meray canned a three, one of only four field goals made by the Cavs in the second half, with just over a minute to go to tie the game at 60-60. In overtime, the Coyotes (8-11, 5-4) made just 1-of-9 shots, while the Cavs connected on 7-of-8 free throws to notch their first win over The C of I in Portland since 2002. Maggard and Kurt Nielson each had 14 points, with Bryan Champ scoring 12 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and recording four steals in the loss.

REBOUND MARGIN LIFTS YOTES PAST CORBAN: Recording a dominating 43-25 edge in rebounding, The C of I ended a two-game losing streak, earning a hard-fought 62-56 victory at Corban College, Saturday in Salem, Ore. The charge on the glass by the Coyotes was led by J.R. Maggard, who had a game-high 16 rebounds. The Yotes held the Warriors without a field goal for the first six minutes of the game, jumping out to a 14-2 lead.  However, Corban fought back, scoring 15 of the next 17 points to take their first lead of the game.  It was short-lived, as Steffen Spinks canned a baseline jumper to give The C of I the lead for good at 22-21. After the Coyotes built a 37-24 lead early in the second half, the Warriors would try to hang around - closing within 50-45 with 3:52 left.  However, The C of I canned 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch to win in Salem for the second-straight year. Josh Owen returned to the line-up after missing Friday's game at Concordia, scoring a game-high 13 points.  Kurt Nielson had 11 points and Tucker Long, making his second start of the year, had ten points and a career-high eight rebounds.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyotes, head to the official homepage of The C of I men’s basketball – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Lady Yotes host Cascade and Warner, begin second half a game out of first place in CCC

COMING UP: vs. Cascade, Friday, 5:30 p.m.; vs. Warner Pacific, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

LAST WEEK: at No. 19 Eastern Oregon (L 68-50), at Concordia (W 63-43), at Corban (W 80-61)

INTERNET/RADIO BROADCASTS: All ten College of Idaho women’s basketball Cascade Conference road games will be carried live on radio in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action. In addition, the remaining six home games will be carried live on the World Wide Web at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/caa/radio.htm.

YOTES GET DEFENSIVE: In the victory over Concordia on Friday night, the Lady Yotes recorded their best defensive performance in nearly two years, holding the Cavaliers to just 43 points. It marked the 13th time in the seven seasons with Reagan Rossi as head coach that The C of I has held an opponent to 43 points or less in a game. The 2001-02 Yotes did it on five occasions (60-41 win over Warner Pacific, 99-36 win over Bethany, 70-42 win over Cascade, 62-42 win over Warner Pacific, 54-43 win over Concordia), as did the 2004-05 team (97-33 win over Walla Walla, 40-38 loss to Corban, 43-39 win over Oregon Tech, 67-36 win over Cascade, 37-36 win over Oregon Tech). The 2005-06 team did it once (68-40 win over Evergreen State), as did the 2005-06 team (68-40 win over Evergreen State) and the 2002-03 team (98-33 win over Walla Walla).

5-1 ON ROAD IN LEAGUE PLAY, WINNING BY BIG MARGINS: The 80-61 victory at Corban on Saturday night continued a trend for the Lady Yotes in league play – lopsided margins on the road. In the five road victories by The C of I, all have been by double-digit margins, with four of the five wins by 18 points or more. To continue the trend, the one game lost by the Coyotes was also by a double-digit margin.

HIGH SCORING EQUALS WINS: The Lady Yotes continued their scoring trends this week – as they remained undefeated when scoring over 80 points in a game this season. The C of I has a 7-0 mark when scoring 80-or-more points, has a 3-2 mark when scoring 70-79 points, but have a 1-4 record when failing to reach the 70 point plateau.

CLARK A MAINSTAY IN DOUBLE FIGURES: Averaging 17 points a game over the three games this week, guard Whitney Clark (Jerome, Idaho / Northwest Nazarene U.) extended her consecutive games in double-figures to nine. During the run, the senior has scored 18-or-more points on six occasions. For her career, Clark has scored in double figures 55 times, including a career-high 31 points last season against Corban.

VANDER ESCH HAS BIG WEEK: A key to the Yotes success last week was Christon Vander Esch (Riggins, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC), who averaged 17 points per game. However, it was the little things that really paid dividends for the squad – including her career high six blocked shots at Eastern Oregon, six steals and ten rebounds at Concordia, and equaling a career high 22 points in just 21 minutes of action at Corban.

DUFURRENA PLAYING WELL AS A STARTER: Since taking over as a starting forward for the Yotes, Magen Dufurrena (Denio, Nev. / Lowry HS) has put up the biggest numbers of her career. The senior is averaging seven points and six rebounds per game as a starter – including a pair of career-high 11 point outings, with one of them coming last Friday at Concordia.

ARE SLOW STARTS A CONCERN: Getting off to a good start has not been something the Lady Yotes have practiced over the last few games. The C of I missed their first 12 shots in a win over Northwest, while going nearly ten minutes without a field goal in last Tuesday’s loss at Eastern Oregon. The team then fell behind 19-7 at Corban, before rallying for the win.

IMPROVED T-BIRDS HEADED TO CALDWELL: The second half of the CCC slate opens Friday against Cascade College. The Thunderbirds (10-10, 3-7 CCC) come into Friday’s game on a three-game losing streak, and are losers of four of their last five games. Despite the rough stretch, Cascade is having their best season since the 2002-03 campaign, thanks to the play of guards Raquel Morin (13.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg) and Robin Swain (13.1 ppg, 3.9 apg), along with post Te Awhina Aranui (12.8 ppg, 11.6 rpg) – the lone player in the league averaging a double-double. The two teams met in December, with the Lady Yotes jumping out to a 30-7 lead en route to an 81-63 victory. The C of I has a 12-3 all-time series edge.

THE PACK IS BACK: Saturday, it’s Warner Pacific heading to town for a friendly with the Yotes. The Knights (5-14, 3-7) have jumpstarted their offense of late, scoring 68-or-more points in five of their last seven games – upping their season scoring average to 58 points a night. However, WP has struggled on the road this season, losing eight of their last night games away from Portland. The offense is led by post Danica Wilson (12.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and guard Jacque Barton (10.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg) – with Barton scoring 24 points in a 85-72 loss to the Yotes in December. It is the 22nd meeting between the teams, with The C of I holding a 14-7 series edge.

CAREER RECORD BOOK: Three players have found their way in The C of I career record book at the midway point of the 2007-08 season. Whitney Clark is amongst the leaders in ten different categories – No. 3 in three-pointers made (126), free throws made (267) and three-pointers attempted (401), No. 4 in points scored (1,056), No. 5 in free throws attempted (348), No. 6 in field goals made (329) and attempted (845), No. 8 in steals (125), No. 10 in assists (165, and No. 11 in games started (56). Denise Hill (Eugene, Ore. / Boise State U.) is No. 8 in free throws made (158), No. 10 in free throw attempts (231), while ranking No. 5 in field goal percentage (.484). Rounding out the group is Christon Vander Esch who is No. 4 in blocked shots (57) and No. 11 in steals (109).

CCC TOP-6: The latest CCC Top-6 Coaches Poll was released on Monday, with unbeaten Eastern Oregon continuing to record all 11 first-place votes. Southern Oregon swept all of the second-place votes, with the Lady Yotes garnering all of the third-place tabulations. Oregon Tech, Concordia, and Northwest Christian round out the poll. EOU remains the lone team in the NAIA Division II Top-25, sitting at No. 19, while Southern Oregon received 22 voting points and the Lady Yotes six voting points in the second national poll of 2008. The next national poll will be released on Jan. 23 and will be released every Wednesday the rest of the season.

LEAGUE STATISTICS: At the midway point of the league season, the Lady Yotes continue to lead the CCC as a team in steals per game (15.8) and turnover margin (+7.3) – ranking No. 4 in steals and No. 5 in turnover margin in the NAIA Division II. The C of I is second in the loop in scoring offense (75.6), three-pointers made per game (7.1), and three-point percentage (.345), No. 3 in free throw percentage (.696), No. 4 in assists per game (14.3), scoring margin (+7.1), and in field goal percentage (.409), No. 8 in blocks per game (2.2) and in scoring defense (68.5), and No. 10 in rebound margin (-4.9). Individually, Christon Vander Esch leads the league in steals per game (2.8) is second in blocked shots (1.4), and is ninth in rebounds per game (7.1). Also in the top-ten is ShaNae Horner (West Jordan, Utah / Snow CC), who leads the league in three-point percentage (.488), Kayla Brewer (Arco, Idaho / Butte County HS), who is No. 2 in three-point percentage (.436), Whitney Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS), who is No. 4 in steals (2.3), and Whitney Clark, who is No. 3 in scoring average (16.3) and No. 9 in three’s per game (1.5).

CASCADE CONFERENCE INDIVIDUAL TOP-FIVE: Scoring Average - Jessica Steigleman (CRB) 17.3, Brittany Bowsher (NU) 17.2, Whitney Clark (CI) 16.3, Crystal Idrogo (OIT) 16.3, Sheena Henderson (EOU) 14.5; Rebound Average – Te Awhina Aranui (CAS) 11.6, Jennifer Solberg (ESC) 9.2, Jackie Speer (SOU) 8.8, Henderson 8.2, Cora McVey (OIT) 7.9; Field Goal Percentage – Tiffanie Ulmer (EOU) .548, Emily Goette (CRB) .548, Elise Hawes (EOU) .520, Danielle Clauson (CU) .518, Ann Snodderly (CU) .518; Assist Average - Meagan Miyasaka (OIT) 5.0, Karissa Boyd (WP) 4.6, Amy Cross (NCC) 4.5, Kailey Bostwick (CRB) 4.3, Jenny Fiso (EOU) 3.9.

EASTERN OREGON CLAIMS FIRST PLACE BY RUNNING BY THE C OF I: Sheena Henderson scored 21 points and had 13 rebounds, leading No. 19 ranked Eastern Oregon to a 68-50 victory over the Lady Yotes, last Tuesday in La Grande. The win for the Mountaineers was their seventh-consecutive regular-season win at home over the Lady Yotes. Eastern jumped out to a 12-0 lead - holding The C of I without a field goal for nearly the first ten minutes of the game.  The Yotes missed their first 12 shots of the night, before Kayla Brewer canned a trey with 10:06 left in the period.  An Ashley Wolfe (Boise, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) three cut the margin to 24-18, but the Mounties closed the half on a 7-2 run to take an 11-point lead to the lockerroom.  The second half was all EOU, as the Mountaineers rode a 29-10 rebound edge to the win, building a 23-point lead in the frame.  Whitney Clark led the Yotes with 16 points, with Christon Vander Esch scoring nine points and a career-high six blocks.

YOTES STOP CONCORDIA BY 20: A big night from Christon Vander Esch helped the Lady Yotes record their fourth win in five outings, stopping Concordia University, 63-43, Friday night at Cavalier Court in Portland, Ore. The junior recorded her second double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and ten rebounds in the victory for the Purple and Gold.  She also had a game-high six steals and five assists. The C of I used a 16-2 run midway through the first half to build a 29-16 lead, and led by nine at the break.  After the Cavaliers cut the margin to 43-35, the Lady Yotes ran off twelve straight points, keyed by back-to-back Whitney Owen three-pointers, and were never threatened the rest of the way. The 43 points allowed by the Lady Yotes was the lowest total since The C of I held Oregon Tech to 36 points in a 37-36 playoff win during the 2004-05 season. Whitney Clark had 16 points in the win, with Magen Dufurrena tying a career-high with 11 points.   The Coyotes forced 29 CU turnovers - recording 16 steals as a team.

SWEET REDEMPTION AT CORBAN: Behind 22 points and six rebounds from Christon Vander Esch, The C of I completed a weekend sweep in the Willamette Valley, topping defending Cascade Conference champion, Corban College, 80-61, Saturday night. It wasn't easy in the early going for the Lady Yotes, as Corban connected on six of their first nine field goals, including three three-pointers, building a 19-7 lead at the 11:23 mark of the first half.  The C of I would battle back, taking their first lead of the game on a ShaNae Horner lay-up at 28-26 - with the game tied at 40 at the break. After eight lead changes in the second half, the Coyotes put the game away - holding the Warriors without a field goal for nearly 12 minutes, using a 22-1 run to take a 78-56 lead with two minutes left, sending Corban to their ninth-straight loss. Vander Esch had nine of the 25 free throws made by the Yotes tonight, recording her second 20-plus scoring night of the year.  Whitney Clark added 19 points, with Horner adding 12 points, six rebounds, and four steals in the win.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Lady Yotes, head to the official homepage of The C of I women’s basketball – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.

SWIMMING: Coyotes set to host Puget Sound in home dual on Thursday afternoon

LAST WEEK: at Whitman (Men L 128-61, Women L 125-67)

COMING UP: vs. Puget Sound, Thursday, 5 p.m.

COYOTE MEN SWIM WELL AT WHITMAN: The Coyote men saw Casey Walker (Caldwell, Idaho / Skyview HS) set a school record in the 200-freestyle at Saturday’s meet in Walla Walla, Wash. against Whitman College, meeting the NAIA automatic qualifying mark with a second-place finish in 1:51.06.  The freshman also took home a victory in the 100-backstroke (58.98).  Joining the winning parade was John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. / Foothill HS), who recorded a pair of wins for The C of I, claiming the 50-free (22.24) and the 100-free (49.09). Jeremy Younggren (Island City, Ore. / La Grande HS) placed second in the 100-free (50.94) and Scott Mikelonis (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS) placing second in both the 200-IM (2:13.86) and 100-breast (1:06.81).

SAVELL LEADS LADY YOTES: The Lady Yotes saw a banner day from Alphonsina Savell (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) on Saturday, with the junior winning both the 50-free (26.73) and the 100-breast (1:12.09), with her time in the breaststroke her fastest of the season. Ali Cabrera (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) notched her first victory of the season, winning the 100-free (1:01.53), with Kayley Pitzele (Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS) taking second in the 200-IM (2:31.08).  Annie Kerrick (Lewiston, Idaho / Lewiston HS) placed second in the 100-backstroke (1:08.00) - breaking her own school record in the process, as did Sara Rutter (Bakersfield, Calif. / Stockdale HS) in the 1,000-free (11:57.75).

HOME MEET THIS WEEK AGAINST PUGET SOUND: One of the more dominant swim programs in the Northwest will be making a visit to Caldwell this week, as the University of Puget Sound meets the Coyotes Thursday evening in The C of I’s final dual meet of the year. The NCAA Division III Loggers have won the past 11 Northwest Conference women’s titles, while their men’s team has never finished lower than third-place. Chris Myhre’s team is led by Garrett Shields on the men’s side, who holds the top time in the NWC in the 100-fly and 100-breast, with Amy Polansky leading the Logger women, notching an NCAA qualifying time in the 200-breast. It marks the third straight season that the two teams have met in a dual meet.

YOTES AMONG TOP-20 TIMES IN THE NAIA: Three C of I swimmers are among those listed in the most recent NAIA Top-20 list, released last Wednesday. Casey Walker ranks in the Top-20 in three events – No. 7 in the 100-back, No. 14 in the 200-back, and No. 20 in the 200-IM. John Green ranks in the Top-20 in two events – No. 11 in the 100-free and No. 20 in the 50-free, as does Alphonsina Savell, who is No. 17 in the 100-breast and No. 19 in the 100-breast. Five men’s relays and four women’s relays are also listed by the NAIA. The men’s 400-free relay is No. 8 in the NAIA, with the 200-free and the 200-medley teams at No. 9, with the 400-medley and 800-free relays at No. 10. The women’s 200-free, 200-medley, and 400-free relays are all ranked No. 13, with the 400-medley relay at No. 15.

NAIA AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS: Casey Walker – 200-freestyle, 100-backstroke, 200-backstroke, 200-IM; John Green – 50-freestyle, 100-freestyle; Alphonsina Savell – 100-breaststroke, 200-breaststroke; Ellen Judd – 200-breaststroke; Ashlee Byrnes (Vancouver, Wash. / Columbia River HS) – 200-butterfly; Men’s 200-freestyle relay; Men’s 200-medley relay; Men’s 400-freestyle relay, Men’s 400-medley relay, Men’s 800-freestyle relay; Women’s 200-freestyle relay; Women’s 200-medley relay; Women’s 400-freestyle relay, 400-medley relay.

NAIA BONUS CUT QUALIFIERS (must have at least one “A” qualifying time): Casey Walker – 100-butterfly; John Green – 500-freestyle; Alphonsina Savell – 50-free, 100-free, 100-back, 200-IM, 400-IM; Ellen Judd – 100-breaststroke.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more on the Coyote swim team, head to the official homepage of The C of I, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/swim.htm.

SKIING: Lady Yotes win at Mount Spokane, men place second

LAST WEEK: at Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference Qualifier #1 (Giant Slalom) at Mount Spokane, Wash. – Saturday (Men placed 2nd of 7 teams, Women placed 1st of 6 teams), Sunday (raced postponed due to weather)

COMING UP: at NWCSC Qualifier #2 (Slalom), Mount Hood Ski Bowl, Ore., Saturday-Sunday.

WOMEN OPEN UP SEASON WITH GS VICTORY: With three competitors in the Top-10, The College of Idaho women’s alpine ski team opened up defense of their five-consecutive NWCSC championships with a one-second victory over British Columbia in Saturday’s giant slalom event at Mount Spokane, Wash. Nicki Maxwell (Belfry, Mont. / Red Lodge HS) finished third overall, while freshman Lara Mann (Bedford, Mass. / New Hampton School) placed fifth, and fellow freshman Katie Kernan (Shelburne, N.H. / Gorham HS) took tenth. In all, the Coyotes had six skiers in the Top-20, with LaRue Seitz (Livingston, Mont. / Park HS), Maura Pickett (Troy N.Y. / Northwood School), and Stephanie Dunn (Anchorage, Alaska / Service HS) earning individual points in the race. Behind the Yotes and UBC, Idaho, Puget Sound, Oregon, and Washington rounded out the standings.

MEN STRUGGLE BUT PLACE SECOND OVERALL: Despite having just three skiers stay upright for both runs of Saturday’s giant slalom, The C of I battled to a second-place finish in the NWCSC opener. Transfer Dewey Moss (Jerome, Idaho / Oregon State U.) had his best finish ever in a GS event, placing second overall to lead the Coyote team. Returning All-NWCSC performer Aaron Flynn (St. Paul, Minn. / Central HS) placed fifth, with redshirt freshman Jake Riesterer (West Linn, Ore. / West Linn HS) taking 12th. It wasn’t good enough, however, to stop the University of Washington, who had three Top-9 finishers to take the team points. Idaho, Oregon, and British Columbia rounded out the Top-5 team finishers.

SUNDAY’S RACES CANCELLED: The second day of action at Mount Spokane was postponed on Sunday, after winds of 40 miles per hour made it unsafe for the athletes. “From the bottom of the hill, it looked like a gorgeous day,” said head coach Ron Bonneau. “But it was as bad as it gets on top – it is like it is in other sports, some days you just can’t play.” The teams are hopeful that they can make up the qualifying runs when the NWCSC makes its stop at Silver Mountain in two weeks.

ABOUT THE NORTHWEST COLLEGIATE SKI CONFERENCE: The Coyotes join 14 other teams as part of the NWCSC - with the schools competing in four weekend qualifiers during the regular season, comprising of eight giant slalom runs and eight slalom runs.  The C of I will compete against Gonzaga, Idaho, Washington, Washington State, Boise State, Oregon, Oregon State, Eastern Oregon, Puget Sound, Western Washington, Seattle, British Columbia, Central Oregon CC, and Chemeketa CC.  Last season, British Columbia provided the stiffest competition for the Yotes, but in 2008, both Washington, Oregon State, and Idaho all look to have quality talent. 

THIS WEEK'S VENUE: The Yotes will travel this weekend to Mount Hood Ski Bowl, just 50 miles east of Portland, Ore.  At over 5,000 feet of elevation, The C of I will ski the hill which currently has a base of 92 inches, with 106 inches at the summit. The Ski Bowl is the largest night skiing facility in the United States.

ABOUT THE COACH: Ron Bonneau is in his 18th season as head coach for The College of Idaho alpine ski programs. During his tenure at The C of I, the native of New Hampshire has seen the Coyote men's team qualify for the USCSA championships on ten occasions, with the women's team making appearances 13 times.  His 2004 women's squad finished second in the nation in the slalom and fourth in the alpine combined.  The Coyotes have seen much success in the 21st Century, as both the men's and women's programs, under Bonneau's direction, have won five-consecutive Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference championships, with the Lady Yotes taking home Western Regional championships in 1999, 2003 and 2006.  His women's teams have advanced to nine-consecutive USCSA championships, finishing in the Top-9 on each occasion. Bonneau, a graduate of Plymouth State College, replaced Tom Olson as the alpine ski coach in 1991 - and worked with Chris Melgaard on the nordic side to claim the women's nordic championships in 1994 and 1995.  During his tenure, he has coached five national champions, 30 All-Americans, and 62 All-America Scholar-Athletes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I alpine ski program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes - www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/skiing.htm.