The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Sept. 7, 2011

Sometimes a break along the way can be the difference in a season.

Anything from an injury to a moment bringing a team together as a group can go a long way in determining if your favorite team is a contender or just buying time between now and the start of winter sports.

WHEN THE Lakeland High boys soccer team prepared to play its third game in four days late last week, they were likely ready for a break.

First up was a match at Moscow High on Aug. 29, with the Bears sending the Hawks back to Rathdrum with a 2-1 loss. Two days later, the Hawks hit the road again, but this time it was for their shortest road trip of the season as they crossed the prairie to face Post Falls.

Lakeland played to a 2-2 tie against the Trojans before having to load the bus again the following morning to drive to Kalispell, Mont., to face Stillwater Christian in a nonleague match.

This time, the trip didn't start as well as coach Nick Haynes had expected.

By the time they had reached Bonners Ferry, they ran into more trouble than they'd expected.

"We got to Bonners Ferry and the bus had started leaking oil," Haynes said. "We had to trade buses with the Bonners Ferry district and drive all the way there."

Lakeland arrived an hour late, but won the nonleague match 2-1 to improve to 2-1-2 on the season.

On the bright side, Lakeland will save some money on travel in the coming weeks as only two of their remaining nine matches are away from Rathdrum.

MAYBE THERE is an advantage to playing more road games early in the season than at home.

Road trips are a good way to build a camaraderie of sorts and get a chance to see what you need to work on when it gets closer to regionals.

It could be a blessing as soccer teams in the area are tough. Not just the games, but the players have to be tough as sometimes conditions are less than ideal for a match.

Early in the season, temperatures reach the mid 90s for practices and matches.

When those games really count, the weather can be unpredictable at times.

Rain and snow could be a factor by the time the regional/district tournaments take place in the second week of October.

Just as easily, the weather could remain warm enough that the casual fans might not have to scramble to find a winter coat to attend a sporting event.

Then again, the season just started for some teams, and a lot of different things can happen between now and then.

WHEN IT comes to sports in North Idaho, there’s one thing that is true.

Anything can happen.

All you need to do is make sure you’re prepared when it does.

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