The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Oct. 29, 2011
Although Halloween may be on Monday night, chances are that any sports fan walking into a gymnasium in the surrounding area to watch the final day of the state volleyball tournament will be treated to the best day of volleyball of the year.
Throw in the best tricks of high school football and it is shaping up to be a thrilling finish to the fall sports season.
COEUR d'ALENE, which won the 5A Inland Empire League championship, will host an opening-round game, and with a win there, could host again in the semifinals.
Whoever comes out of the league with second place will have to travel their way into the state title game, but like I've seen with high school football this season - anything is possible.
Lakeland High advanced to the 4A playoffs with a couple of strong wins over Moscow and Sandpoint, the school's main competition to advance to state.
By way of winning their league, the Hawks will get to host a playoff game against the runner-up from the 4A Southern Idaho Conference.
Timberlake and Kootenai will also draw home openers in the playoffs this season.
Playing in front of their hometown fans, who knows what could happen?
WHILE IT remains to be seen today, local volleyball teams could have had a leg up on their competition as state tournaments began on Friday.
Not that waking up earlier than 7 a.m. is a great idea for either team, but when it comes to playing a game that determines if you are still around for a title game, you better have your 'A' game from the opening whistle.
Fortunately for some teams from North Idaho, that happened on Friday.
St. Maries started fast, winning the first two games and although the Lumberjacks had to rally in the third game, found a way to get it done against Sugar-Salem.
A while later, Lake City beat Vallivue in five games to move onto the 5A semifinals in front of a pretty good sized cheering section at Coeur d’Alene High.
Post Falls beat Eagle in four games to advance to the semifinals against defending champion Rocky Mountain today at Coeur d’Alene High.
BY THE time next weekend hits, you could also have the Region 18 volleyball tournament at North Idaho College, followed by basketball and wrestling teams taking the floor in the coming weeks.
With a ton of stuff to go, fans in the area should be treated to a ton of different activities when it comes to sports.
The real trick will be trying to find time to take them all in.
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].