The Front Row with MARK NELKE Jan. 20, 2011

As the defending state 5A champion, and with some key players returning, the Post Falls High boys basketball team, as you might expect, was ranked No. 1 in this year's preseason poll by the state's media.

But what Trojans coach Mike McLean also saw this fall was a lot of new faces, and some returning players who needed to fill bigger roles.

"I don't think this team necessarily earned the No. 1 ranking coming in," McLean said. "I think a lot of people forget that we lost seven seniors. Off last year's team we lost the Player of the Year in 5A (Shawn Reid), we lost another starter (Malcolm Colbert) who was a four-year starter and another starter (Jeremy Cragin) who was a three-year starter."

Yes, but two key starters, senior guard Connor Hill and junior point guard Marcus Colbert, returned. Post Matt Lickfold, a key reserve last year, moved into the starting lineup; Damon Gonzales, a defensive sparkplug off the bench at guard, returned; and varsity newcomers Michael Hillman, Luke Thoreson and Seth Anderson have had key moments with the big club this year.

This year, Post Falls is 11-2 and tied for the top ranking in the state this week heading into tonight's 5A Inland Empire League clash at home vs. Lewiston. The Trojans won their first nine games before stumbling at Lewiston. Post Falls' other loss came last Saturday afternoon at Mt. Spokane - the day following an emotional win at Coeur d'Alene.

Post Falls was the pick of the other coaches to win the 5A IEL.

"This team is now earning the praise that we're getting," McLean said. "I think they've accepted the fact that early on, they got a lot of press because of what the guys did in the past. Now it's their turn to take ownership of this thing."

Colbert agrees.

"I think it (the No. 1 ranking) was given to us at the beginning of the year," he said. "But I think we've worked hard enough, and we're starting to deserve it now.

"We're growing as a team," he added. "We still have to work on some of our decision making, but we’re getting better every day in practice and every game.”

STILL, IT’S no gimmie the Trojans will be one of the two teams to represent North Idaho when the state 5A tournament begins in six weeks at the Idaho Center in Nampa.

At the midway point this year, Post Falls (11-2) and Lake City (11-3) are 2-1 in league, and Coeur d’Alene (10-5) and Lewiston (7-6) are 1-2.

“It’s going to be a dogfight down to the end,” said Coeur d’Alene coach Kent Leiss, whose Vikings won at Lewiston, and lost at Lake City. “If I had to give somebody a slight nod, I’d say Post Falls because Connor Hill and Marcus Colbert are such dang good offensive players. I think we’re right there ... we just have to figure out a way to get some more baskets, and we’re going to win some games.”

Lake City, which also owns a league win over Lewiston at home, beat Post Falls in last year’s Region 1 title game to advance to state for the first time in eight years. The Timberwolves went 0-2 at state.

“In this league, there’s never a night off,” Lake City coach Jim Winger said last week, after the Timberwolves lost 75-61 at Post Falls.

AFTER TONIGHT, Post Falls’ other league games are Feb. 1 at Lake City and Feb. 10 at home vs. Coeur d’Alene.

Coeur d’Alene plays host to Lake City on Jan. 27 and Lewiston on Feb. 3. Lake City visits Lewiston on Saturday.

The Region 1 tournament begins Feb. 18 at the site of the No. 1 seed.

With Lewiston’s title in 2009, the 5A IEL has won the last two state championships. McLean said it’s “unfortunate” only two teams will qualify for state from this league, as he said three and perhaps all four of the league’s teams could bring home a trophy (top-four finish) from state this year.

“Every team does kind of their own thing in this league, and each team’s very good at what they do, so it’s kind of a battle of wills, a battle of execution,” McLean said. “I think every team in this league has two or three pretty solid players, and I think what it’s going to come down are players 4-5-6-7-8. I think that’s who’s going to separate who’s going to win this league title and the (regional) tournament — not the stars.”

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.