The Front Row with MARK NELKE May 24, 2012

Coeur d’Alene High is going through with its threat to appeal the final results of the state 5A boys golf tournament last Tuesday in Idaho Falls.

Viking coach Bryan Duncan was steamed when an Eagle player who was originally disqualified for using a range finder was later allowed to go back out and finish his round. Without his score, the Vikings would have won the state title by one stroke.

Going by USGA rules, the player was disqualified. But tournament officials later discovered that under Idaho High School Activities Association rules, the infraction merited a two-stroke penalty.

So the Eagle player, even with the two-stroke penalty, went back out and finished his round. He shot 72, good enough to bump Eagle’s High score of 81 and give the Mustangs an eight-shot victory over Coeur d’Alene.

Duncan said the Eagle player, after he was DQ’d, was allowed to walk the course and watch his teammates play — no big deal at the time. But when he was allowed to go back out on the course later and finish his round, Duncan said that was against the rules as well, as other players aren’t allowed to walk the course before they play it.

Coeur d’Alene High athletic director Todd Gilkey said the appeal would be heard at the IHSAA board meeting in June.

Who knows how the board will rule on this one — they could say sorry, Coeur d’Alene, the IHSAA rule supersedes the USGA rule. They could say, right or wrong, you can’t undo a DQ, so Vikings, you did win. Or they could say sorry, we messed up, Eagle and Coeur d’Alene will be crowned co-champions.

What most likely will happen is the IHSAA will change its rule concerning range finders to match the USGA rule.

• Gunnar Amos has yet to run a play as the starting quarterback at Coeur d’Alene High.

But Amos, who will be a junior this fall, has already received a scholarship offer from Idaho State University in Pocatello.

So has two of his Viking teammates, both linemen — Jeremiah Hazard, who will be a senior this fall, and Matt James, who will be a junior.

The Vikings sent film of the three players down to ISU, said Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos, Gunnar’s dad, and the Bengals were apparently duly impressed.

• In his 19 seasons as Coeur d’Alene High softball coach, Larry Bieber said he’s never coached more than one set of sisters.

This year, he coached three — senior Kyeli Parker and sophomore Sydni Parker, senior Chelsey Rasmussen and freshman Kylie Rasmussen, and sophomore twins Brooke and Kayla Albertson.

Kayla came up from the junior varsity for regionals and state. She pitched and played shortstop on the JV. Brooke was a mainstay in right field.

A couple of times, because the regular second baseman was injured, the Vikings had Parkers on the left side of the infield (Sydni at short, Kyeli at third) and Rasmussens on the right side (Chelsey at first, Kylie at second)

Other than the twins trying to mess with Bieber by standing in the opposite batting box during practice, he said the three sets of sisters have been a joy to coach.

“They’re all really good kids,” Bieber said.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.