The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT May 1, 2010

No matter just what you think can happen, sometimes things just aren't in your control anymore.

This week was expected to solve postseason seeds for regional/district tournaments in baseball and softball, but much like the first week of April, the weather has again opted to spoil the party.

OUTSIDE OF Coeur d'Alene softball coach Larry Bieber's efforts to get Larry Schwenke Field ready for a nonleague softball game against Lakeland on Wednesday, a majority of the prep schedule has been rained out this week.

"I am growing tired of playing in a gym," Bieber said following Wednesday's game. "I went out at 10 a.m. and started working on the field. Come hell or high water - we were going to play."

Next week is the scheduled final week of the regular season for many of the local prep teams, but chances are if this weather continues, fans could see a mad dash to the finish line come May 11-15.

Not even area track teams have been able to escape the wrath of the rainout this season as rain canceled a track meet in Silverton, as well as baseball and softball games around the area.

It is likely that most of the events that have been postponed will not be made up before the end of the season, leaving most teams with a bye of sorts until the district tournament.

WHAT COULD be a blessing in disguise is that North Idaho's softball team got a chance to rest this weekend before traveling to Salt Lake City to face the No. 1 Bruins to close out the Scenic West Athletic Conference regular season next Friday and Saturday.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals will return to Coeur d'Alene for final exams, then travel right back down to Bruin Field for the Region 18 tournament May 13-15.

NIC is currently the No. 4 seed and would face No. 5 Snow College in the first round of the double-elimination tournament, with the winner getting a date with No. 1 Salt Lake in the next round. Southern Idaho would be the No. 2 seed, followed by Southern Nevada, which entered Friday five games ahead of NIC in the loss column for third place.

Colorado Northwestern or Western Nevada will be out of the tournament as they only take six teams from the seven-team league.

Fortunately, teams will wrap up the regular season next weekend, so there is plenty of time for teams to jump around.

WITH THE 5A, 4A and 3A state golf tournaments coming to the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls area in two weeks, along with the 3A softball tournament the following week at Ramsey Park, things will need to change in a hurry.

Area golf teams have excelled at times in the sloppy conditions, with a good amount of matches being played in rain, some snow and a ton of wind.

It could be an advantage of sorts for those local qualifiers, but since the weather will change at some point and the sun will come out again eventually.

Wishful thinking maybe.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached at 664-0239 or via e-mail at [email protected].