Tri-County Team Opens Season with a String of Wins

The Tri-County Northstars 17U/AA team inaugurated their 2026 campaign with a 4-1 record in the opening week of their season, which concluded on May 24 with the championship game of the Lums Memorial Day Tournament at Thorco Field in Coeur d'Alene. Tri-County scored two runs each in the second and third innings, and withstood a Lewis-Clark Bucs rally for a 5-3 victory. Payton Talmich had three hits while Justin Sturm and Paxon Tobeck added a pair each. Tobeck led the squad driving in two runs as Tri-County avenged their loss to Lewis-Clark in their Saturday, May 23, tournament opener. Simon Wood and Hunter Robb each had two hits and Nathan Lee drove in two in the first matchup with the Bucs. The Northstars ship was righted quickly in their second game on Saturday against Gonzaga Prep. A six-run first inning established the tone early in their 23-4 five-inning victory. Cayden Knudsvig swung the hottest stick with three hits and three runs driven in. Nikoli Hunsaker also drove in three with a home run. Talmich drove in two runs and scored a team leading four times. Wood scored twice with four runs driven in. Robb had two hits with two runs scored. Cody Wilson and Lee scored two runs each with Lee driving in a pair as well. Carson Byrd had two hits and two driven in. Their berth in the title tilt was clinched by an 8-3 win over the host team, the Coeur d'Alene Lumbermen. The score was knotted at five each before the Northstars plated five runs. Knudsvig had two hits with three runs driven in. Wood drove in two with two hits. Robb and Sturm had two hits each with Sturm driving in two runs. Their Spokane American Legion season opened on May 20 at Gonzaga Prep. After taking command early with a 10-1 lead, the Northstars held on to win 10-6. Issac Wadleigh and Hunsaker each scored two runs and Knudsvig drove in two. The Northstars open their 2026 home sched- ule against the Cheney Summerhawks Friday, May 29, at 5:30 p.m. at Dave Franklin Field at Deer Park High School.