Yote Notes – January 28, 2009

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

ATHLETIC NEWS:

 

TRACK TEAM TO HOST ST. PATRICK’S DAY MILE: The C of I track team will be hosting the first-annual Stuenenberg St. Patrick’s Day Mile road race though the historic Stuenenberg District of Caldwell, near The C of I campus.  The race, which is a flat, fast, one mile course, is open to runners, joggers, walkers, strollers, and wagon-pullers – and begins Sunday, March 15, at 2 p.m.  Entry fee’s are just $10 per person, or $5 for C of I students.  For more information, including a brochure, contact Pat McCurry at pmccurry@collegeofidaho.edu or by phone at 459-5085.

 

CIAA DINNER SET FOR TUESDAY NIGHT: The Yotes would like to invite all boosters and fans to the February College of Idaho Athletic Association Dinner, set for Tuesday, Feb. 3.  The dinner is set for 6:30 p.m. inside the Fireside Room of the Simplot Dining Hall, with the cost at $10 per person.  To RSVP, contact Dave Hahn at 459-5835 or by email at dhahn@collegeofidaho.edu.

 

BUY YOUR COYOTE GEAR ONLINE: Fans of the Yotes can now purchase official C of I athletic apparel and gear online at the Yotes new e-store at http://www.estoresbyzome.com/college_idaho.php - with a portion of every sale supporting Coyote Athletics.  Hats, sweatshirts, jackets, and t-shirts are just the tip of the iceberg on the Yotes e-store.  This weekend, basketball fans will receive a 15-percent off coupon for your first online purchase as part of their game-day program.

 

IDAHO PRESS TRIBUNE FEATURES C OF I/NNU SPORTS BLOG: Fans of C of I athletics can share their thoughts on the Yotes as part of the Idaho Press Tribune’s College of Idaho/Northwest Nazarene Sports Blog.  Beat writer Mike Stetson shares his thoughts and stories, along with pictures and videos, on both the Yotes and Crusaders, with fans having the ability to leave their thoughts on their favorite team.  The blog is linked on the front of The C of I athletic website or can be visited at http://www.idahopress.com/blogs/?blogid=6.

 

DONATE TO THE COLLEGE OF IDAHO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION: Click here to make your tax deductible gift to assist the CIAA with post-season championships team travel, scholarships and recruiting - https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/makeagift.asp

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL (12-10, 8-4 CCC): Yotes return home one game out of first, host Southern Oregon and No. 5 Oregon Tech

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Cascade (L 60-57), at Cascade (W 83-67), at No. 13 Warner Pacific (L 89-78)

 

COMING UP: vs. Southern Oregon, Friday, 7:30 p.m.; vs. No. 5 Oregon Tech, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

 

ON THE RADIO:  Both C of I games will be carried live in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford calling the action.  The Jackson’s Pregame Show will begin at 7:15 p.m., with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.  Friday’s game will be simulcast in the Medford-Ashland region on 580 KGAY-AM , while Saturday’s game with Oregon Tech will be carried live on 92.5 KLAD-FM with Bobby Thompson and Mike Garrard calling the action.

 

LIVE VIDEO ON THE WEB: All C of I home men’s basketball games will be available for pay-per-view viewing via the Internet, thanks to Penn Atlantic.  To access the games, head to http://www.pennatlantic.com/main.php, click College of Idaho on the “Choose School” dropdown bar, and select the game.  The viewing window should be available 15 minutes prior to game-time.  Radio voice, Mike Safford, will provide the play-by-play, of all internet games.

 

LIVE STATS AVAILABLE: All C of I home games will also feature Live Stats online at http://yotestats.i8.com/basketball/xlive.htm. 

 

JUMBLED MESS ATOP THE LEAGUE: Heading into the 2008-09 season, it was evident that there was much parity in the Cascade Conference – which is exactly what has occurred nearing the midway point of the season.  With home wins over Evergreen State and Northwest, Oregon Tech is once again atop the CCC standings with eight games remaining.  However, four teams are just one-game back – the Yotes, Eastern Oregon, Evergreen State, and Warner Pacific.

 

MCGEE’S DOUBLE-DOUBLE STREAK FOUR DECADES IN THE MAKING: Three games last week, three more double-doubles for Craig McGee (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS), who has etched his name in the record books with his lengthy streak.  The junior had 11 points and 13 rebounds against Cascade in Caldwell, followed by 25 points and 13 rebounds at Cascade, and a career-high tying 30 points and 14 rebounds at Warner Pacific - extending his double-double streak to seven games.  No Coyote has recorded seven-straight double-doubles since C of I Hall of Famer Taft Jackson recorded 17-straight during the 1965-66 season.  For his career, McGee has recorded 15 double-doubles – well off the school record of 102 double-doubles set by R.C. Owens from 1953-56.

 

DURING THE STREAK: During the double-double streak, Craig McGee has carried the load for the Yotes, averaging 18.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.  He has connected on 49-of-89 shots from the field – including his first career three-pointer at Warner Pacific.

 

MCINTOSH HAVING A BLOCK PARTY: With his minutes up since joining the starting line-up nine games ago, Jabari McIntosh (Union City, Calif. / West Valley CC) has been a stalwart on the defensive end for the Yotes – recording at least one blocked shot in each game, and multiple blocks in eight of nine games.  The junior transfer had a season-high six blocks in the win over Concordia – the most since Rich Fried had six blocks in a game during the 2004-05 season.  McIntosh is averaging seven points, five rebounds, and three blocks per game, while hitting 24-of-41 shots from the field.

 

CHAMP’S FREE THROW STREAK ENDS: Guard Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) saw his consecutive free throw streak end at 21, missing a freebie on Saturday at Warner Pacific.  The senior did keep a pair of long individual streaks going, as Champ has recorded a steal in 50 consecutive games, at least two points scored in 68-straight contests.  

 

CAREER RECORDS: Two Coyotes find themselves in the Top-10 on The C of I all-time career record book.  Bryan Champ ranks second all-time in steals (235), while needing 12 assists to crack the Top-10 in the category (217).  Craig McGee ranks fourth all-time in blocked shots (68) and free throw attempts (408), is No. 10 in free throws made (249), while closing in on the Top-10 in rebounds (474).

 

YOTES RECEIVE 5 POINTS IN NAIA POLL: The sixth regular-season NAIA Top-25 Poll was released yesterday, with Cedarville (Ohio) the new No. 1 team, Oregon Tech climbed to No. 5, Warner Pacific to No. 13, Eastern Oregon to No. 18, with Evergreen State at No. 25.  The Yotes were listed in the Others Receiving Votes category for the third-straight week, receiving 5 voter points.  The Top-25 poll will be released every Monday for the remainder of the season.

 

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE?: According to the Massey Ratings, published weekly, the Coyotes have the fourth-toughest schedule in all of the NAIA Division II.  The tabulation is based on win-loss records and classification of opponents.

 

COYOTES IN THE CCC STATS: As a team, the Yotes rank second in the CCC in scoring average (70.4), defensive field goal percentage (.418), and blocked shots per game (4.0), while ranking fourth in rebound margin (+1.1).  The squad is fifth in opponents rebounds per game (35.8), sixth in scoring margin (+2.6) and steals per game (7.4), seventh in rebounds per game (36.9), eighth in field goal percentage (.455) and defensive three-point percentage (.356), ninth in scoring offense (73.0), free throw percentage (.656), and assists per game (12.9), and tenth in three-point percentage (.320).  Individually, Craig McGee is in the top-ten in the league in five different categories – No. 4 in rebounds per game (8.9) and blocked shots per game (1.2), No. 5 in field goal percentage (.578), No. 6 in scoring average (16.6), and No. 10 in minutes played per game (31.1).  Bryan Champ ranks among the leaders in three categories – No. 3 in steals per game (2.4), while at No. 5 in both free throw percentage (.836) and three-point percentage (.420).  Three others rank in one category – Kelvin Potts (Oakland, Calif. / Chabot CC) is No. 6 in assists per game (3.8), Jabari McIntosh is No. 3 in blocked shots per game (1.4), and Brian Bergerson (Modesto, Calif. / Modesto CC) is No. 10 in three-pointers made per game (1.7).  As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in league-only counters in both scoring defense (68.8) and opponents’ field goal percentage (.404).

 

CCC LEADERS: Scoring Average – Nate Menefee (ESC) 23.8, Adam Moore (WP) 20.9, Ben Pawlak (CAS) 18.6, Steven Vaughan (CU) 18.5, Jguwon Hogges (OIT) 18.1; Rebound Average – Kaylone Riley (WP) 11.2, Josh Wetzler (OIT) 9.5, Paul Carollo (EOU) 9.0, Craig McGee (CI) 8.9, Alex Tiefenthaler (CU) 8.1; Field Goal Percentage – Wetzler .689, Christian Cavanaugh (OIT) .660, Steve Trotter (ESC) .598, Neil Fryer (EOU) .590, McGee .578; Assists Average – Justin Parnell (OIT) 5.3, Jeremy Templeton (EOU) 4.8, Kao Saelee (CAS) 4.5, Paul Martin (CRB) 4.2, Humphrey Jackson (SOU) 4.2.

 

SOUTHERN LOOKING TO PICK UP THE PACE: The weekend opens up with a Friday night tussle with Southern Oregon, who will look for a better effort than in their 55-44 loss to the Yotes in Ashland on Dec. 6.  The Raiders (7-14, 5-7 CCC) hit just 3-of-20 shots from behind the arc in the loss, while scoring the lowest point total by a CCC team this season.  Southern will look to end an eight-game losing streak on the road, dating back to their season opener at Pacific Union – hoping for solid production from guards Jarrad Childs (13.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Eli Thornton (11.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg).  It is the 56th meeting between the two teams, dating back to 1961, with the Yotes holding a 38-17 series edge, including winning the last six in a row.

 

IT’S HAMMER TIME FOR OREGON TECH: Saturday’s match-up with No. 5 ranked Oregon Tech is crucial for both teams, as the Yotes look to notch their third win this season against a Top-25 team, while the Owls (19-3, 9-3) look to complete the season-sweep of The C of I – helping their tie-breaking hopes in the postseason.  OIT has been stellar at home this season, boasting a 12-0 record, but is just 5-3 on the road – including losses at Evergreen State, Cascade, and Warner Pacific (while the Yotes are 2-1 in those three gyms).  Leading the way for Tech is dynamo guard Jguwon Hogges (18.1 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.5 rpg) and former NNU standout Justin Parnell (15.0 ppg, 5.4 apg), along with forwards Christian Cavanaugh (14.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .660 fg%) and Josh Wetzler (8.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, .689 fg%).  The Yotes played even with OIT through the first 25 minutes of the first meeting in December, but a six-minute dry spell doomed the Purple and Gold, as Tech ran away with a 79-60 win in Klamath Falls.  It is the 68th meeting all-time between the rivals, with the Yotes holding a 39-28 series edge.

 

TOP-TWO TEAMS IN CCC HISTORY: When OIT and the Coyotes battle, it pits the top two teams record wise in CCC history, dating back to the 1992-93 season.  The Yotes have an edge in all-time wins, as they are 196-88 all-time in league play, while the Owls are 192-92 in CCC competition.  However, Tech has claimed more league titles – five, than the Yotes, who have won three CCC championships.

 

GAME RECAP: C ASCADE 60, C OF I 57: A Ben Pawlak driving lay-up with 40-seconds remaining gave Cascade College the lead for good, as the visiting Thunderbirds won for the first time ever in Caldwell, knocking off The C of I, 60-57, last Tuesday night.  An 8-0 run early in the second half broke a 34-34 tie, with the T-Birds, playing their fourth game in five days, holding the margin until Bryan Champ canned a trey with a minute left to put the Coyotes up 57-56.  However, Pawlak took the ball at the top of the key, drove down the left side of the lane, and spun up the eventual winner.  The Coyotes, who had won the last 18 meetings with the Portland school, had two chances to win the game - Brian Bergerson missing a trey with 31 seconds left, and after an offensive rebound, Champ hit the back-iron with a trey with six seconds remaining, with the T-Birds hitting free throws to seal the win.  Pawlak led the T-Birds with 13 points, Erving Adams added 12 points and eight rebounds, with Boise native Jared Mace scoring ten.  Cascade won despite scoring their lowest output of the season - 27 points below their season average.  Steffen Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union HS) led the Yotes with 15 points, with Craig McGee recording his fifth-straight double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, but the duo combined to make 3-of-12 shots from the foul line.  As a team, The C of I connected on just 5-of-28 shots from outside the arc - including 2-of-17 in the second half.

 

GAME RECAP: C OF I 83, CASCADE 67:  Craig McGee recorded his sixth-consecutive double-double and The C of I never trailed, as the Coyotes rolled to an 83-67 victory over Cascade College, Friday in Portland, Ore.  Steffen Spinks scored ten of his 19 points in an opening 18-4 run, splashing a pair of three-pointers to go along with a breakaway dunk.  After the T-Birds would close within 18-11, the Yotes would use a 15-4 run - helping The C of I to a 46-29 halftime edge.  McGee would take over early in the second half, scoring three consecutive baskets, part of a 25-point, 13-rebound night, as the Yotes built a 77-46 lead with seven minutes left and coasted to the win.  Bryan Champ added 13 points, with Kelvin Potts scoring ten points with seven assists, as the Yotes hit 57-percent of their field goal attempts in the win.

 

GAME RECAP: WARNER PACIFIC 89, C OF I 78: Despite a monster night from Craig McGee, The C of I could not erase a second half deficit, as No. 16 ranked Warner Pacific toppled the Yotes, 89-78, Saturday in Portland, Ore.  The junior tied a career-high with 30 points to go along with 14 rebounds - recording his seventh-consecutive double-double.  Unfortunately, it was the Knights that defeated the Yotes for the second time this season.  Marquis Robinson scored 15 of his career-high 17 points in the second half, including nine-straight points in one stretch that helped WP build a 72-57 lead with five minutes remaining.  Early on, it was a see-saw affair, with the Yotes tying the score at 23-23 on a Terriel Thomas (Chicago, Ill. / Borah HS) lay-up with seven minutes left in the half.  However, the Knights would get a triple from Jake Glisson, starting an 8-0 run that would give WP the lead for good.  Adam Moore led the Knights with 23 points, with Glisson adding 16.  Kaylone Riley had six points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks for the victors.  Steffen Spinks had 14 points, with Bryan Champ scoring 13 in the loss for the Yotes, who have not won at WP since the 2004-05 season.

 

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

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (21-1, 12-0 CCC): No. 8 ranked Lady Yotes put 21-game streak on the line vs. No. 25 Southern and OIT

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Cascade (W 81-48), at Cascade (W 87-74), at Warner Pacific (W 85-69)

 

COMING UP: vs. No. 25 Southern Oregon, Friday, 5:30 p.m.; vs. Oregon Tech, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

 

ON THE RADIO: All C of I women’s road CCC games will be carried on the radio in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford calling the action.  This weekend, both games will be carried in other markets – as Friday’s game with Southern Oregon will be broadcast live in the Medford-Ashland area on 580 KGAY-AM, while Saturday’s game with Oregon Tech will be broadcast live in the Klamath Basin on 950 KLAD-AM.

 

LIVE VIDEO ON THE WEB: All C of I home women’s basketball games will be available for pay-per-view viewing via the Internet, thanks to Penn Atlantic.  To access the games, head to http://www.pennatlantic.com/main.php, click College of Idaho on the “Choose School” dropdown bar, and select the game.  The viewing window should be available 15 minutes prior to game-time.  Radio voice, Mike Safford, will provide the play-by-play, of all internet games.

 

LIVE STATS AVAILABLE: All C of I home games will also feature Live Stats online at http://yotestats.i8.com/basketball/xlive.htm.

 

LADY YOTES SECURE PLAYOFF SPOT: With their win at Warner Pacific on Saturday night, the Lady Yotes became the first team to clinch a spot in the eight-team Cascade Conference Tournament in late February.  The C of I has now advanced to the postseason in 13 of the 14 seasons since women’s basketball was reinstated at the College in 1995.  The Coyotes have advanced to three NAIA Division II national tournaments (1998 – first round, 2000 – quarterfinals, 2001 – championship game), but have never won a CCC Tournament title (advanced to the finals in 2000, 2002, 2005, and 2008).  

 

YOTES CLIMB TO NO. 8 IN NAIA POLL: The C of I climbed one spot to No. 8 in the latest NAIA Division II Top-25 Coaches Poll, released Monday afternoon by the national office in Kansas City. Mo.  The Lady Yotes notched their highest national ranking since the 2000-01 season, when they elevated to No. 4 and lost in the national title game.  Two other CCC schools were in the poll - Concordia climbed two spots to No. 15, while Southern Oregon re-entered the poll this week at No. 25.  The two unbeaten teams remaining in the NAIA Division II sit atop the poll - Morningside (Iowa) and Shawnee State (Ohio), followed by Northwestern (Iowa), Davenport (Mich.), and Sterling (Kan.).  Only four teams – Morningside, Shawnee State, Davenport, and the Lady Yotes have one loss or fewer.  The poll will be released each Monday for the remainder of the season.

 

LADY YOTES AT NO. 3 IN CFSN POLL/MASSEY POLLS: The Lady Yotes also find themselves among the Top-5 in a pair of unofficial polls.  The squad is ranked No. 3 in the College Fanz Sports Network NAIA Division II poll, while ranked No. 3 in the latest Massey Ratings – with the Lady Yotes schedule ranked 11th-toughest in the nation.

 

AGAINST TOP-25 TEAMS: The Lady Yotes will meet another Top-25 team on Friday night – the sixth ranked team they have faced this season.  The Lady Yotes stopped NAIA Division I No. 13 Cal Baptist and NAIA Division II No. 22 Holy Names in November, No. 25 Southern Oregon and NCAA Division III No. 24 Whitman in December, and No. 15 Concordia earlier this month.  The lone loss this season for The C of I was to NAIA Division I No. 16 Westminster in November.

 

HOME WIN STREAK AT 14: The win over Cascade last Tuesday helped The C of I extend their home win streak to 14, extending a new school record.  The Lady Yotes have not lost at home this season (11-0) and surpassed the old mark of 11 set from Feb. 5, 1999 to Feb. 12, 2000.

 

WIN STREAK RECORD EXTENDED: The three wins last week helped the Lady Yotes extend the school record for consecutive wins, now recording 21-straight victories in a row.  It has eclipsed the former mark of 13 in a row set during the 1996-97 season.

 

ALL-TIME CASCADE CONFERENCE WIN STREAKS: With the Lady Yotes sitting at 21 wins in a row, the squad has recorded the second-longest win streak in CCC history.  Northwest Nazarene holds the longest streak, winning 23-straight during the 1999-00 season.  Last week, The C of I moved past Western Oregon, who won 20 in a row during the 1995-96 season, on their way to the NAIA title, and Eastern Oregon, who won 19-straight during the 2003-04 campaign.

 

BEST START EVER: The 21-1 start pushes the Lady Yotes into elite status, as The C of I has recorded their best  ten, 15, and 20-game starts to a season.  The 1997-98 team had held the school record for best 20-game start, recording a 17-3 record.  The  Yotes have already secured the best 25-game start to a season, as the 1996-97 began 20-5.  Up next for the team is the school record for wins in a season – 26, set during the 2000-01 campaign, going 26-8, concluding with a run at the NAIA Tournament.

 

LOCAL KIDS HAVE BIG WEEKS: It was a banner week for a trio of Treasure Valley players for the Lady Yotes, as Nicole Gall (Boise, Idaho / Santa Clara U.), Whitney Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS), and Meghan Hughes (Eagle, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) each averaged in double figures in the three wins.  Gall hit 12-of-24 three-pointers, averaging 18 points a night, while Owen averaged 16 points and seven rebounds, including a career-high 23 points at Cascade.  Hughes averaged 12 points and four rebounds a game during the week, making 52-percent of her field goal attempts and 83-percent of her free throws.

 

VANDER ESCH MOVES UP IN THE RECORD BOOK: Forward Christon Vander Esch (Riggins, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) continues to make an assault on the all-time record book at The C of I, while also extending a pair of long streaks in the Coyotes three wins.  The senior has now scored at least one point in 61-straight games, recorded a rebound in 71-straight games, and a steal in 39-straight games.  She is No. 1 on The C of I career steals list (227), is second on the all-time blocked shots list (139), sixth all-time in free throws made (241) and attempted (359), eighth in field goal attempts (786), ninth in rebounds (600),field goals made (298) and points scored (886), and tenth in three-point attempts (154) – while closing in on the list in three-pointers made (49).

 

LADY YOTES IN THE CCC STATS:  As a team, the Lady Yotes lead the CCC in scoring average (80.0), defensive three-point percentage (.256), blocked shots per game (6.0), steals per game (17.9), and turnover margin (+6.7) – leading the nation in steals per game, second in rebounds per game, and third in blocks per game.  The team is second in the CCC in scoring margin (+15.5) and defensive field goal percentage (.360), third in assists per game (16.0), fourth in three-point percentage (.349), fifth in both scoring defense (64.5) and rebound margin (+3.0), sixth in both free throw percentage (.687) and field goal percentage (.402), and 11th in opponents rebound average (44.3).  Individually, Christon Vander Esch leads the loop in blocked shots per game (2.2), is second in steals per game (3.5) and rebounds per game (8.9), and eighth in scoring average (14.2).  Nicole Bruce (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) is third in blocked shots per game (1.6), while Nicole Gall ranks third in three-pointers per game (2.7), fifth in both steals per game (2.6) and three-point percentage (.408), and is seventh in scoring average (14.5).  Katie Strunk (Shoshone, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) ranks fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.511), with Meghan Hughes sixth in the league in field goal percentage (.490).

 

CCC LEADERS: Scoring Average – Kristina Schumacher (CAS) 21.9, Robin Swain (CAS) 18.1, Jacki Speer (SOU) 15.6, Katie Steigleman (CRB) 15.5, Emily Gray (NCU) 15.1; Rebound Average – Speer (SOU) 10.0, Christon Vander Esch (CI)  8.9, Gray 8.7, Maya Gross (CAS) 8.7, Ashley Baker (SOU) 8.0; Field Goal Percentage –Danielle Clauson (CU) .544, Ann Snodderly (CU) .526, Amanda Johnston (OIT) .522, Katie Strunk (CI) .511, Brianna Smith (EOU) .503; Assist Average – Meagan Miyasaka (OIT) 6.2, Kailey Bostwick (CRB) 5.0, Jenny Fiso (EOU) 4.5, Rebecca Gimeno (CU) 4.3, Nicole Morgan (OIT) 4.2.

 

SOUTHERN WANTS REDEMPTION IN CALDWELL: After a stretch midway through the season in which they lost 4-of-7, Southern Oregon has turned things around, as the Raiders (17-4, 9-3 CCC) come to Caldwell riding a six-game win streak.  No. 25 ranked SOU, the defending CCC Tournament champion, would like to turn the tables on the Yotes after The C of I handed the Raiders their first loss of the season, a 98-86 decision in Ashland.  The high-scoring Raider attack (78.0 ppg) is led by CCC Preseason Player of the Year, Jacki Speer (15.6 ppg, 10.0 rpg), with guards Whitney Scott (13.1 ppg, 4.2 apg) and Rhiannon Dickison (12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg) potent from outside the arc.  It marks the 32nd time the two teams have met since 1995, with SOU holding a 17-14 series edge.

 

THREE’S WILL FLY AGAINST OIT: Saturday’s game should be an interesting one for the fans, as Oregon Tech will come to Caldwell with their three-point shooting arsenal.  The Owls (12-9, 5-7) live and die by the three-pointer, having attempted nearly 100 more treys than any other school – converting 38-percent of their attempts, including a CCC record 19 triples in a win over Corban.  Four players average in double figures – led by 2008 CCC Newcomer of the Year, Amanda Johnston (14.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg), along with Kellie Morey (13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg.), Lisa Busch (12.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg), and Nicole Morgan (10.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg).  The Yotes hung on for a 75-74 win in Klamath Falls in December, but trail the all-time series with OIT, 9-8.

 

GAME RECAP – C OF I 81, CASCADE 48: Riding a wave of ten first-half three-point baskets, the Lady Yotes shook off a lack-luster first six minutes to sprint past Cascade College, 81-48, last Tuesday in Caldwell.  Early on, the visiting T-Birds hung close, taking a 16-9 lead on a Kristina Schumacher lay-up with 13:57 left in the period.  However, the hosts would outscore Cascade 59-10 over the next 24 minutes to blow open the game.  Nicole Gall would hit three consecutive triples, part of a 16-0 run over the final seven minutes of the first half to build a 40-22 halftime lead.  Cascade would pull within 45-26 with 17-minutes left, but the Yotes would rattle off 23-straight points, capped by a Katee Brewer (Arco, Idaho / Butte County HS) breakaway lay-up to take a 68-26 lead, with the Purple and Gold coasting to the win.  Gall led all scorers with 23 points, including seven three-pointers, with Owen and Meghan Hughes each scoring 14.  Schumacher led Cascade with 14 points, with Robin Swain adding 13 in the losing effort.

 

GAME RECAP – C OF I 87, CASCADE 74: Whitney Owen scored 14 of her career-high 23 points in the second half, as The C of I rallied from a big first half deficit to defeat Cascade College, 87-74, Friday in Portland, Ore.  The Lady Yotes missed their first ten shots of the game, as Cascade was spotted a 25-7 lead at the 11:32 mark of the first half.  However, Owen hit three treys in the opening period, with The C of I connecting on 19-of-23 free throws, as they whittled the margin to 40-36 at the break.  A pair of Robin Swain free throws gave the T-Birds a 52-46 lead with 13:46 remaining, but the Coyotes would go on a 16-1 run to take control.  A put-back bucket by Nicole Bruce gave the Lady Yotes their first lead at 55-53, with a Nicole Gall triple pushing the margin to 67-57 - as the Coyotes hit free throws down the stretch to push their win streak to 20 games.  Christon Vander Esch had 17 points and eight rebounds in the win, while Gall, battling a double-team all night, had 15 points, with Bruce adding ten.  Swain led Cascade with 30 points and six rebounds, while Kristina Schumacher ahd 20 points, six assists, and six steals.

 

GAME RECAP – C OF I 85, WARNER PACIFIC 69: Christon Vander Esch led five players in double figures with 20 points, as the Lady Yotes clinched their 13th playoff appearance in the last 14 years, stopping Warner Pacific, 85-69, Saturday in Portland, Ore.  A 15-0 first half run broke open a close game, as a three-pointer from Nicole Gall gave The C of I a 31-12 margin, with the visitors taking a 46-28 lead into halftime.  A 14-2 run early in the second half would push the lead to 64-35, with the Yotes withstanding a late charge by the Knights.  Gall had 16 points in the win, with Meghan Hughes scoring 13, and both ShaNae Horner (West Jordan, Utah / Snow CC) and Alexandria Allen (Yakima, Wash. / Columbia Basin CC) adding ten.  WP got a game-high 29 points from Jacque Barton, but were undone by 32 turnovers.

 

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

 

SWIMMING (Men 3-3, Women 0-6): Coyote men win two weekend duals, schedule meet at Whitman

 

LAST WEEK: at Willamette (Men W 109-74, Women L 104-82), at Pacific (Men W 101-91, Women L 114-80)

 

COMING UP: at Whitman, Saturday, 3 p.m. PT

 

COYOTE MEN EVEN DUAL RECORD AT 3-3: Coming into the 2008-09 season, The C of I men had never won a dual meet.  After a pair of victories last weekend in Oregon, the Coyotes evened their dual record at 3-3.  The Yotes won seven events on the way to a 109-74 rout of Willamette on Friday night, then rode a victory in the 200-free relay to notch a 101-91 win over Pacific.  Three different C of I men won three individual races during the weekend – as John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. / Foothill HS) won the 50-free and 100-free against Willamette, along with the 100-free at Pacific; Scott Mikelonis (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) claimed the 200-IM and 200-breast against Willamette and the 200-IM at Pacific; with Kemp Smith (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) winning the 200-fly and 1,650-free at Willamette and the 100-fly vs. Pacific.  James Rutter (Bakersfield, Calif. / Stockdale HS) picked up the other individual win for the Yotes, claiming the 200-back at Willamette.

 

WOMEN SWIM WELL, BUT DROP CLOSE DUALS: Despite quality swims from multiple athletes, the Lady Yotes were unable to pick up that elusive first dual win, dropping both meets to Willamette and Pacific – despite scoring at least 80 points on both Friday and Saturday.  Alphonsina Savell (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) led the way for the Lady Yotes with three individual wins – claiming the 200-IM and 200-breast at Willamette and the 100-breast at Pacific.  Also in the win column was Annie Younggren (Island City, Ore. / La Grande HS), who won both the 500-free and 1,000-free at Pacific.

 

NEW NATIONAL MARKS: Two Coyotes hit NAIA “B” marks over the weekend, as Kemp Smith met the Bonus Cut in the 200-fly (2:16.28) and Auriana Clapp (Eagle, Idaho / Meridian HS) hit the mark in the 500-free (5:55.91).

 

NAIA TOP TIMES: Two C of I swimmers have recorded times among the NAIA Top-20 through January 20 – John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. / Foothill HS) and Forrest Shoemaker (University Place, Wash. / Curtis HS).  Green holds the No. 10 time in the 100-free and the No. 12 time in the 50-free, while Shoemaker has the 20th-fastest time in the nation in the 1,000-free.  Both the men and women have four relay teams in the Top-20 – the men’s 400-free (No. 8); men’s 400-medley and women’s 800-free (No. 13); men’s 200-free, 200-medley, and women’s 400-free (No. 14); women’s 200-free (No. 17), and women’s 400-medley (No. 18).  The next update from the NAIA National Office is set for February 3.

 

NATIONAL MARKS PILING UP: Plane tickets to St. Louis and the NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships can already be secured for the Coyotes, as The C of I men have recorded nine NAIA “A” and eight NAIA “B” marks, with the Lady Yotes recording 13 NAIA “A” times and six NAIA “B” times over the two months of the season.  NAIA "A" - John Green (50-free, 100-free), Forrest Shoemaker (100-free, 100-fly, 500-free), Men's 200-medley relay, Men’s 200-free relay, Men’s 400-medley relay, Men’s 400-free relay, Alphonsina Savell (100-free, 100-breast, 200-breast, 400-IM), Auriana Clapp (100-breast), Ellen Judd (Missoula, Mont. / Sentinel HS) (200-breast), Annie Younggren (1,650-free), Ashlee Byrnes (200-fly), Women's 200-free relay, Women’s 200-medley relay, Women’s 400-free relay, Women’s 400-medley relay, Women’s 800-free relay; NAIA "B" - Jeremy Younggren (Island City, Ore. / La Grande HS) (50-free), John Green (200-free), Forrest Shoemaker (200-free), James Rutter  (100-back), Scott Mikelonis (100-breast, 200-breast, 200-IM), Kemp Smith (100-back, 200-back), Alphonsina Savell (200-IM), Annie Younggren (200-free, 500-free), Ellen Judd (100-breast), Kayley Pitzele (Sammamish, Wash. / Skyline HS) (1650-free), Auriana Clapp (200-breast, 500-free).

 

ONE MORE DUAL ADDED: The Coyotes will complete their regular season on Saturday, as the squad has added a meet at Whitman College.  The Missionaries are among the top teams on both the men’s and women’s sides in the Northwest Conference – with the men 4-2 in dual meets and their women 3-4.

 

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

 

SKIING: Lady Yotes continue their dominance with two wins at Willamette Pass

 

LAST WEEK: at NWCSC Qualifier #2 (slalom) – Saturday (Men 2nd, Women 1st), Sunday (Men 1st, Women 1st)

 

COMING UP: at NWCSC Qualifier #3 (Giant Slalom), Saturday-Sunday, Silver Mountain (Kellogg, Idaho)

 

LADY YOTES CONTINUE THEIR DOMINANCE: Two weeks and four races into the 2009 Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference season and The College of Idaho women’s alpine team is well on their way to a sixth-straight championship, as the Lady Yotes won both slalom qualifiers over the weekend at Willamette Pass Resort.  On Saturday, Kelley Fitzpatrick (Keizer, Ore. / McNary HS) took home the title with the fastest time in both runs, while four others notched Top-10 finishes – Katie Sawaya (San Rafael, Calif. / U. of British Columbia) in third, Jessica Wise (Reno, Nev. / Wooster HS) in fourth, Nicki Maxwell (Belfry, Mont. / Red Lodge HS) in sixth, and Katie Kernan (Shelburne, N.H. / Gorham HS) in ninth.  Sunday, Fitzpatrick had the fastest second run, on her way to a second-place finish, with Sawaya taking fourth, Gabrielle Gould (East Burke, Vt. / U. of Vermont ) in fifth, and Maxwell in sixth.

 

WIN STREAK FOR THE LADIES: With the team wins, the Lady Yotes have now won their last 13 NWCSC qualifiers, dating back to the 2007 season.

 

YOTES STUMBLE SATURDAY, REBOUND WITH WIN ON SUNDAY: With only three of seven C of I men able to complete both runs on Saturday, the Coyote men finished second to the University of Idaho in the opening slalom qualifier at Willamette Pass.  Eric Ostrand (Gilford, N.H. / Gilford HS) was the lone Coyote in the Top-10, finishing second overall, just 28-hundredths of a second out of the gold medal position.  Sunday was a different story, as four Yotes were in the Top-10, as Dewey Moss (Jerome, Idaho / Oregon State U.) took fourth and Mats Boehnke (Carson City, Nev. / Carson HS) finished fifth, while Ostrand was in eighth-place and Wes Beougher (Whitefish, Mont. / Whitefish HS) in ninth.

 

NWCSC TEAM STANDINGS: Men – C of I 380, Idaho 340, British Columbia 215, Oregon 210, Washington 185, Washington State 157, Puget Sound 153, Oregon State 132; Women – C of I 400, Oregon 300, British Columbia 260, Washington 185, Puget Sound 185,  Idaho 170, Washington State 144.

 

OFF TO SILVER MOUNTAIN: This weekend, the Yotes will tackle the giant slalom course for the second time, as the NWCSC heads into North Idaho for the third qualifier at Silver Mountain.  The teams were to compete last year at the Kellogg resort, but it was cancelled due to high winds and avalanche dangers.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I ski teams, head to the official home page of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/skiing.htm.

 

TRACK AND FIELD: Yotes set to open indoor season on Friday night

 

 

COMING UP: at United Heritage Combined Events and Invitational, Friday-Saturday, Jackson’s Indoor Track, Nampa.

 

INDOOR TRACK SEASON IS HERE: A limited number of C of I athletes will be competing this winter in three indoor meets, culminating at the NAIA Indoor Championships in Johnson City, Tenn.  Last season, the Coyote men finished 31st at the NAIA Championships, with the Lady Yotes finishing 21st.

 

TOP MEN’S COMPETITORS: The Yotes will have a limited number of distance runners compete indoors – led by senior Sam Hardy (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), sophomores Paul Sartin (Meridian, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) and Kiprotich Langat (Nairobi, Kenya / Soliat SS) and freshman Zeke Wilson (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS).  Sprinters and jumpers will make up the bulk of the Coyote contingent – led by freshmen Andre Archer (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) and George Fiadjoe (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS), along with junior Andy Swanson (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS).

 

TOP WOMEN’S COMPETITORS: The Lady Yotes will be led by indoor All-American, Stephanie Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS), who placed second last season at the NAIA Indoor Championships in the 3,000-meters.  She’ll be joined in the middle-distance and distance events by seniors Jayne Saunders (Emmett, Idaho / Emmett HS), Tegan Troutner (Lake Fork, Idaho / McCall-Donnelly HS), juniors Molli Lee-Painter (Moscow, Idaho / Moscow HS) and Stephanie Sparks (West Jordan, Utah / Juan Diego HS), sophomore Maggie Miller (Anchorage, Alaska / Lane CC), and freshman Kayloni Jones (Nine Mile Falls, Wash. / Lakeside HS).  The women will also have a quality group of sprinters and jumpers this winter – including freshmen Aurora Torres (Pendleton, Ore. / Pendleton HS) and Emilee Lantis (Yakima, Wash. / Hilo (Hawaii) HS), along with juniors Emily McCutchan (Eagle, Idaho / Cole Valley Christian HS) and Courtney Mitchell (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS).

 

LOOKING AHEAD TO OUTDOORS: The outdoor track season will begin on March 13-14 at the Northwest Nazarene Multi-Events meet.  The Coyotes look to compete in seven regular-season meets, before the Cascade Conference Championships in early May.

 

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