The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Sept. 21, 2011

Three of the four games in the inaugural Idaho Football Classic had everything you'd want in a showcase event.

And while the finale between the Coeur d'Alene Vikings and Whitney Wildcats of Rocklin, Calif., didn't quite live up to the thrillers that the others were - it probably shouldn't have.

WHITNEY CAME into the game with an unbeaten record, but play at what is classified as the 3A level in the state of Idaho.

Kind of a tough matchup to start with, but it also didn't help that the Wildcats were penalized 18 times in the game for over 150 yards, with seven of the calls being for late hits and other personal fouls.

This particular night, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings were rolling in the first half, scoring fast and furious on the way to a 45-6 halftime lead. They added a touchdown and field goal to win the nonleague game 55-6 to improve to 4-0 this season.

In the previous game, Lake City High took on Rio Linda of the Sacramento area, falling to the Knights 20-19.

The game had plenty of twists and turns, with the final one coming late in the fourth quarter on a fumble to set up Rio Linda's go-ahead score.

Lake City drove the field with under five minutes remaining, scoring on a dive play by Levi Hewitt to get within a point - but were stopped on a two-point conversion to finish with a loss.

Playing these games that early in the season can often be a good indication on where a particular team is at that point.

For Coeur d'Alene, which is facing three of its next four games at home and with the season finale at Lake City, the Vikings appear destined to make a deep run in the state playoffs.

Lake City meanwhile, will have a bye this week before starting its 5A Inland Empire League schedule at Post Falls on Sept. 30. Whoever wins that game will have an inside track on a spot in the playoffs, while the loser will have some tough work ahead.

WITH FOUR games on a Saturday afternoon, it is tough to commit an entire day to watching football.

For those fans that couldn’t make the trip — and judging by the empty seats there were quite a few — you missed out.

Despite the final game being a blowout, the other three games were exactly what the day was intended for — showing the high quality of football on the West Coast.

Having the games fewer than 100 miles from their schools made the trip easy for both Coeur d’Alene and Lake City boosters and fans, which outweighed those from the California area.

And had either Lewiston or Moscow been able to play, maybe both sides of the Dome could have had some fans and turned the setting into what the Rio Linda coach called a “bowl-like atmosphere” on Saturday night.

In three of the games, it appeared much like a bowl game.

The other — they just got bowled over.

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].