The Front Row with MARK NELKE May 27, 2010

It took one game down in Twin Falls for the Post Falls Trojans to believe they had a chance to win the first state championship in the program’s history.

“We watched all the girls pitching after the first game, we watched all the competition,” Post Falls senior pitcher Richelle Ashburn said. “Me and (second baseman) Bri (Joseph) looked at each other like, ‘We actually have a chance at winning this,’ and we were really confident. And then after the second day, after we won both games, we just knew that we were going to win.”

It was only the third time Post Falls had ever been to state since fastpitch started in 1995, and only the first time since moving up to 5A following the 2006 season. The Trojans went to state in 4A in 2004 and ’06. They lost in a state play-in game in 2007, their first year in 5A, and were 0-2 and 1-2 at regionals the past two years, battling against Coeur d’Alene (which had played in 10 of the last 12 state championship games), Lake City and Lewiston.

“It (winning a state title) is one of those things you hope for every year, but it’s not something you ever really expect to happen,” Post Falls coach Jack Foster said. “It’s just so tough just to get out of our region just to get (to state), with Lake City and Coeur d’Alene being so good all the time.”

Post Falls (18-9) won four games without a loss by a combined score of 35-5.

“It was definitely a team effort down here,” Foster said. “You always hope your team is going to peak at the right time, but you never know ... for us it did, right at the right time.”

After 10 straight losing seasons in fastpitch, things turned around in 2005. The Trojans went 15-12 — the first of what is now six straight winning seasons. Post Falls is 102-59 over the past six seasons.

“The last five or six years, our program’s been going in the right direction,” said Foster, in his 13th season as Trojans’ coach. “Once you start doing that, then it helps get the better kids coming out and playing. We’re getting more kids playing in the summertime; that really makes a difference. I think every kid we started this year played summer ball, and 6-7 years ago, I was lucky if I had maybe two that did.”

For most of the season, Post Falls won on Ashburn’s pitching and just enough defense and just enough runs. Prior to state, Post Falls averaged exactly 4 runs per game. At state, the Trojans averaged 8.8 runs per game.

“We definitely were focused,” Joseph said. “Once the tournament started we were all focused, and our bats really came alive. Richelle always helps us out pitching, but we had an offense to back her up.

“We’ve always had good teams, it’s just this year we actually pulled it through.”

Of course, now the bar has been raised with Post Falls softball. Ashburn and Joseph will move on to Seattle U and Bradley, respectively. But only one other starter will graduate, and five freshmen started down the stretch for the Trojans.

When they pick a favorite in 5A Inland Empire League softball next spring, it very well could be Post Falls which will have the bull’s eye on its back — for the first time.

“That’s all right,” Foster said with a laugh. “It’s worth it. It’s definitely worth it.”

Speaking of success stories at Post Falls High, remember Malcolm Colbert, the senior who helped the Trojans win their first state boys basketball championship since 1964 despite a dislocated kneecap in his right knee?

He recently committed to play at the University of Puget Sound, an NCAA Division III school in Tacoma. As a D-III school, UPS does not give athletic scholarships, but Trojan basketball coach Mike McLean said Colbert has received enough tuition grants and financial aid because of his athletic ability and his academic work in high school to cover most of his tuition.

Colbert had surgery just after the state tournament, and McLean said he will be back at 100 percent by next season at UPS.

“He played this past season on one leg, and was much more injured than we let anyone know,” McLean said. “His season and state tournament performance dealing with the knee injury will be legendary here at Post Falls High School.”

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via e-mail at mnelke@cdapress.com.