Lapwai High School Girls Basketball Team Caps Dominant Season with Idaho 2A State Championship
LAPWAI, Idaho — The Lapwai High School Wildcats girls varsity basketball team claimed the Idaho 2A State Championship earlier this year, capping a dominant postseason run that saw the squad reel off 15 consecutive victories heading into and through the state tournament. The Wildcats, representing the small community of Lapwai in Nez Perce County, defeated Prairie High School in the championship game by a final score of 40-29 on February 21, 2026.
A Dominant Run Through the State Tournament
The Lapwai Wildcats entered the 2A Girls Basketball State Championships on a historic winning streak and never looked back. In the tournament’s opening round on February 19, the Wildcats dismantled Victory Charter High School by a lopsided score of 88-16, signaling that Lapwai had come to Boise with championship intentions.
The Wildcats returned to the court on February 20, facing Oakley High School in the semifinal round. Despite a stiffer test, Lapwai prevailed 58-51, advancing to the title game and extending what had grown into one of the state’s most impressive winning streaks of the 2025-26 season.
In the championship game on February 21 against Prairie High School — a program the Wildcats had also defeated during the regular season — Lapwai secured the title with a 40-29 victory. The win brought the team’s consecutive victory streak to 15, a remarkable achievement for a small-school program in rural north-central Idaho.
Individual Honors and Community Pride
Player recognition followed the championship performance. Madden Bisbee was named Lapwai’s player of the game following the championship round, earning the honor on multiple occasions during the postseason run. Skylin Picard was also recognized as a player of the game during the same period, underscoring the team’s depth and collective contribution to the title run.
MaxPreps, the national high school sports tracking platform, documented the Wildcats’ victories throughout the season, including a notable February 17 district semifinal matchup against Troy — a game that drew a 135-photo gallery from photographer Clayton Bunt, reflecting strong community interest in the team’s postseason push.
The Wildcats had already strung together 12 consecutive victories entering mid-February, with that number climbing steadily through district play. By the time the state tournament concluded, the team had extended the streak to 15, earning them recognition in MaxPreps national roundups covering the longest winning streaks in girls basketball across the country coming out of the 2025-26 season.
Lapwai’s championship was also included in a national survey of 2025-26 state champions across every classification in every state, published in March 2026 by MaxPreps — placing the Wildcats alongside programs from across the country that claimed titles in their respective divisions.
For the community of Lapwai, home to members of the Nez Perce Tribe and a tight-knit student body, a state championship in any sport carries significant community weight. Small-school athletic programs in Idaho’s 2A classification often serve as anchors of local pride, drawing together families, school staff, and community members in shared celebration.
The Wildcats’ title adds to a tradition of competitive athletics in Lapwai and reflects the dedication of student athletes, coaches, and supporters who committed to the program through the 2025-26 winter season.
What Comes Next
With the 2025-26 season officially concluded, attention will turn to the returning roster and whether Lapwai can build on this championship foundation heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Key contributors such as Madden Bisbee and Skylin Picard, depending on their class standing, could factor into next year’s lineup. The Lewiston area and surrounding Nez Perce County communities will be watching to see whether the Wildcats can sustain the momentum built during one of the program’s most successful seasons on record.