QUICK TAKES: Storylines going into Boys SVT

Winter sports go into full effect this week, with the boys finally catching up to the girls on the hardwood and wrestling going into full swing.  

So far, the winter sports slate has offered very few surprises. Throughout the girls’ classifications, there are a handful of very good teams and then everyone else trying to catch up to them.  

This weekend’s Boys Silver Valley Tournament in Wallace could jumpstart the winter chaos. Along with the host Miners, teams from Kellogg, Timberlake and Genesee will compete for the early season trophy.  

The Wildcats will open the tournament up against the 2A Genesee Bulldogs, who won just a single game a season ago. The Wildcats were better, albeit not by a lot, finishing 7-14. The meeting does represent a rare, fresh matchup between North Idaho teams. According to Kellogg’s local sports historians, there has not been a game between the two schools in at least the past 50 years. 

On the other side of the bracket, the host Miners will play their third game of the week Friday, taking on the 4A Tigers. Wallace expects to be one of the better teams in the 2A classification this season, while Timberlake will be looking to bounce back from last year’s 6-16 record.  

Friday night’s games are going to tell a lot about the teams playing them, but the way the tournament was bracketed ensures that Saturday’s games already have quality storylines going into them no matter who is matched up.  

For instance, should Kellogg beat Genesee on Friday and Wallace beat Timberlake, the Silver Valley would see their favorite local rivalry renewed sooner than their regularly scheduled match-up in January. Kellogg has lost the SVT championship game in back-to-back years and would love to get back on top. Meanwhile, Wallace has one of those special rosters this season that feels like they can compete with anyone they step on the floor with. 

If the Championship game is between Kellogg and Timberlake, it will be almost two years (almost to the exact date) since their last meeting, which was won by Timberlake at Wallace High School in the same tournament.  

The Miners and Bulldogs met on the gridiron earlier in the year, with Wallace getting the win in a game that galvanized the team down the stretch. It would only make sense that Genesee would want to get them back.  

Should Timberlake and Genesee end up facing off, it would be the first meeting between the schools in boys basketball in Timberlake’s 26-year history.   

All four teams finished below .500 a season ago, and while winning the Silver Valley Tournament isn't even close to a league or district championship, it could go a long way toward a winning season when February rolls around.  

Kellogg and Genesee will tip off at 5:30 p.m. at Kirby Krulitz Court, followed immediately by Wallace and Timberlake.