The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Feb. 23, 2011

There is something to be said for finishing second.

It stinks.

But depending on where you were on Saturday at the Idaho Center in Nampa, it might not have been as bad as I believed.

AS THE Timberlake Tigers took the floor for the first time in a girls state championship game, it could have been the nerves that was affecting them in the early going.

Maybe, but not likely.

While the Tigers may have run past Fruitland and Snake River on the way to the championship game, it was a little different once they came across Sugar-Salem, winners of two of the last three 3A titles.

But to watch Timberlake take the court on Saturday afternoon, the Tigers didn't seem afraid. In fact, the only thing they had to adjust to was the setting of shooting within the big arena.

Timberlake had its chances, but wound up losing in overtime 48-44.

Not that bad, considering that Intermountain League MVP Cassie Thompson fouled out late in the game with 20 points. Another all-league player, Caitlyn Nichols, hit a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime.

The team never showed any emotion during the two wins, but in overtime, that's when it all came crashing down.

Timberlake loses only three players from this year's team, but will have a tough time replacing Thompson, the school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, who will move onto the University of Portland in the fall.

THE FINALE at the Idaho Center featured the Coeur d'Alene Vikings and Lewiston Bengals, both coming from the 5A Inland Empire League.

When they faced off for the first time in early December at Elmer Jordan Court, both coaches anticipated seeing each other a possible five times during the season.

Thanks to a couple of losses, neither had to square off outside of those 5A IEL games.

Coeur d'Alene had history on its side, with three straight 5A titles and five straight championship appearances coming into the game. Meanwhile, Lewiston had the Region 1 title and the memory of last year's loss to Coeur d'Alene to decide the 2010 tournament.

The Vikings also dealt with injuries to both sophomore Kendalyn Brainard and freshman Carli Williams, but had them both in the lineup, despite not being fully healthy.

Only a few players on the Coeur d'Alene roster had been a part of last year's team, while Lewiston also played with three new starters.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, they were unable to close out a fourth straight championship after a late shot came up short.

Coeur d'Alene, much like Timberlake, will only lose three players off its roster, while Lewiston loses four.

Just don't expect the mastermind behind the Coeur d'Alene run to go anywhere.

WHILE THE rumors of an impending retirement didn't follow Coeur d'Alene coach Dale Poffenroth around the Idaho Center, it didn't take long after the season to make his plans known.

"Our goal is to get back for the seventh straight title game," Poffenroth said following Saturday's title game. "We'll have to replace (Carli) Rosenthal. But if both Brainard and Williams are going to work that hard to get back to playing basketball, I think I'll stick around for a while. If it means that much to them, I'll keep doing it for a while."

After listening to his wife, Debbie, he may not have a choice.

"I'm not sure I'd want him around the house," she said.

Judging by the amount of happy faces after a loss, neither does anyone else.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached via telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or by e-mail at [email protected].