The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT October 23, 2010

If I've learned one thing in the past two weeks, it's that the ball can take a funny bounce when you least expect it.

Whether it resulted in a few upsets in regional tournaments, or watching some highlights late on FSN, you just never know what to expect once players hit the field of play.

IT WAS a funny bounce that helped get the Lake City Timberwolves to a state 5A boys soccer tournament on the field at Post Falls a couple weeks ago.

As a shot bounced off the top of the crossbar, it rolled out to Daniel Osborne-Moss, who knocked his shot past Post Falls goalkeeper Monty Boyd to end a scoreless match.

Had that shot sailed over the net, who knows who'd be down south right now playing for a trophy at the state tournament.

Those same bounces also helped the Lake City girls climb from fourth place two weeks before the end of the regular season to a regional championship last Saturday in Lewiston.

In a sport where if the ball bounces, you're done, the North Idaho Cardinal volleyball team hasn't let too many hit the floor of Rolly Williams Court and is leading the Scenic West Athletic Conference by three games, with three left to play.

With a win today against Eastern Utah, the crowd on the Coeur d'Alene campus will have a few more chances to cheer as the Cardinals will have earned the right to host the Region 18 tournament during the first weekend in November.

Some of those area football teams are also hoping they can get a few bounces as the final week of the regular season approaches for most on Friday, while for others, they're focusing on basketball season.

THOSE STRANGE bounces didn't cross my mind until watching a show on Fox Sports Northwest when some irony hit me.

While showing some pregame warmups from throughout the season, Seahawks defensive tackle Colin Cole was featured running some pass-catching drills before the game.

Funny thing was, each time he’d caught a pass during those drills, Seattle had lost. When Cole had missed the pass, the Seahawks have won.

As a Seahawks fan — Mr. Cole, keep up the drops.

Linemen aren’t supposed to be able to catch the ball, and if they attempt to run with the ball, they usually end up on SportsCenter for all the wrong reasons.

BUT THE biggest bounce of all could come within the next month.

One year ago, Guy Marc-Michel was in the midst of trying to lead the North Idaho College men’s basketball team to a Scenic West Athletic Conference title. After signing with the University of Indiana during the spring, he’ll likely be called upon to start for the Hoosiers according to some reports.

From playing in Coeur d’Alene to possibly starting in the Big Ten Conference — it’s kind of funny how the ball bounces sometimes.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com