The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Aug. 6, 2011
No matter where you turn in sports, for those teams that come up short of their goal to become a champion, the statement is more worn out than my first Def Leppard cassette.
"Wait 'till next year."
If only it was that simple.
SOMEWHERE ALONG the way, whether it be a bad call by an official or an injury, chances are that the momentum of a good start hit a snag somewhere.
Two years ago, it was a snowstorm that derailed the Coeur d'Alene Vikings football team from a state 5A championship. Last fall, they didn't let anything stand in their way as they beat Centennial in the Kibbie Dome for their first title since 1985.
While they are still a few weeks away from the start of the Inland Empire League season, you've really got to wonder - just how much seeing a league foe twice will play a role in who advances past November.
Post Falls, Lake City and Lewiston will have that chance, while Cd'A will take on some of those familiar faces from last year's run (Rocky Mountain, Moses Lake, Skyline of Vancouver, Wash., for example.)
Another good measuring stick for Coeur d'Alene and Lake City will come in the form of games against schools from California being played at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow on Sept. 17.
NO MATTER what sport you play, most coaches want to reach their full potential by the end of the season.
Looking back at those original goals set by both the Coeur d'Alene Lumbermen and Prairie Cardinals when the season started, both did exactly what they wanted to do.
The goals may not have been the same, but both made it to the final weekend in July.
Both took different paths to Twin Falls on the field, with Coeur d'Alene winning the North Idaho League and going unbeaten and Prairie beating Lewis-Clark twice in the Area A (district) tournament at Trail, British Columbia.
It’s just a guess, but those memories of how the season ended down in Twin Falls at Skip Walker Field will go a long way.
Waiting until next year might not sit well with those involved.
Walk-off hits and one bad inning kept the two teams from North Idaho from advancing.
In the case of Coeur d’Alene, injuries to a couple key players messed with its rotation on the first day, and kept the Lums from bringing in their closer to seal a win against Twin Falls.
Prairie had what could have been a two-run single, had the ball not been ruled to have struck a runner in between second and third base.
BOTH SPORTS of baseball and football are similiar in that they are a game of inches.
A grounder just under your glove or a few inches short on 4th and goal could cost you a game.
With seasons for both Cd’A and Prairie coming down to a couple key plays, there’s a good chance that once the season begins again next May, those will be points of emphasis to build on.
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 email at [email protected].