The Front Row with MARK NELKE Jan. 13, 2011
I admit it - we're spoiled in North Idaho.
In 5A Inland Empire League girls basketball, you could safely say that three of the four teams could contend for the state title and the fourth could challenge for a trophy as well.
But only two of the teams will be allowed to go to state.
Which is why last Friday's Fight for the Fish game against the Coeur d'Alene Vikings was more than just the backdrop to a spirit competition between the city rivals for the Lake City Timberwolves.
"Like I told the girls (before the game), for you, this is fun," Lake City coach Royce Johnston said after the Vikings prevailed 48-44. "This is a big atmosphere, big game for our schools, but ultimately for us as coaches, this is a big league game."
A Lake City victory would have kept the Timberwolves within arm's length of league-leading Lewiston
As it is Lewiston (11-2, 3-0 5A IEL), with two wins already over Coeur d'Alene (11-4, 2-2), is in the driver's seat to host the opening night of the Region 1 tournament, and play at home throughout regionals. (After the opening-night doubleheader, the higher seed hosts all remaining games).
But Lake City (13-3, 2-1), which edged Post Falls (6-8, 0-4) 43-40 on Tuesday night, still has both league games left with Lewiston (Friday at home and Jan. 21 at Lewiston), still will have something to say about who is crowned league champion.
"Lake City's not going to go away," Coeur d'Alene coach Dale Poffenroth said. "There's too many senior kids, too many kids that have been around, too many kids that have been disappointed. They don't want to go away. They don't have to back down. They can beat Lewiston, and they can beat us. They're not going away, so it's going to be an interesting playoff."
Coeur d'Alene beat Lewiston in last year's state title game, but a loss last Friday to Lake City would have dropped the Vikings to 1-3 in league, with two league losses in four days.
"We could have been in a real hole," Poffenroth said after Friday's game. "If we lost this one, it's kind of a spiral, you lose one and you lose the next one and when do you get the ship turned around again? It was an important game for us.”
Coeur d’Alene plays host to Post Falls on Friday, then wraps up 5A IEL play at home vs. Lake City on Jan. 27. Post Falls has a home game with Lewiston on Jan. 20.
If Lewiston manages to hang onto the No. 1 seed, more than likely Coeur d’Alene would face Lake City in the first round of the Region 1 tournament Feb. 4 in Lewiston — and possibly again one week later for a berth to state.
Johnston said he and his players weren’t taking any moral victories from Friday’s near-miss. He said the Timberwolves are confident they can beat the Vikings — who beat Lake City last year for the region’s second berth to state, then one week later won the state title.
“The thing is, there’s going to come a point in the season where we’re going to have to beat ‘em,” Johnston said. “And if February, it’s going to be more important than it was tonight, actually.”
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.