Hungry Wildcats focused on turnaround

LAPWAI - As Lapwai prepared to play host to Wallace this week for its football season opener, the despair of a four-point loss in the finals of the state basketball tournament back in March surely lingered in the minds of many Wildcat players.

Lapwai's basketball-crazed community dreamt of yet another year of both the boys and girls cagers bringing home first-place state trophies in the same season. But Prairie of Cottonwood doused those dreams at the Idaho Center in Nampa last winter with a 54-50 triumph over Lapwai.

When the Wildcats hit the hardwood this winter, they'll return every single player from their rotation, naturally pegging them as state title favorites.

But - first things first - don't forget about football.

Most of the members of the basketball state runner-up team will ply their talents on the gridiron this fall in an effort to turn around a three-win team from the year before.

For third-year Lapwai coach William Big Man, returning athletes all over the field offer a positive development toward that goal.

"They come in hungry, they want to win," Big Man said. "They've worked out all summer long, they came in in shape. They want to compete, they want to win. They got a taste of that and they want to keep it going."

Big Man doesn't want last season's record to fool anybody. He feels the close losses Lapwai suffered in 2014 could turn into wins this season thanks to the Wildcats' experienced roster.

"We were right there in games, we could have walked away with wins," Big Man said. "It was OK, we were there competing I'm very proud of the guys of what they accomplished last year, watching them grow up."

Tommy Miles-Williams, a menacing defensive end whom Big Man plans to involve more offensively by lining him up at tight end and fullback, leads the returning talent. Other key returners include Imani Mitchell, slotted at wide receiver, and Savion Henry, featured at linebacker and running back.

As far as Big Man is concerned, the talent and athleticism from the hardwood ought to transition fine to grass - especially considering the crop of multi-sport athletic specimens returning from last season's squad.

"These kids are athletes at Lapwai, they like to play sports," Big Man said. "They come out and they play, and they go off to the next sport. They're good athletes, they come to play."

Bringing it all together, Courage Lone Bear returns for his second season at quarterback for the Wildcats.

"He can read a defense very well," Big Man said. "If he has to throw a ball soft, he can do it. If he needs to throw a ball 50 yards down the field right into Imani's hands, he can do it."