The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Nov. 10, 2012
A Kansas tiebreaker or a state semifinal football game played in good weather can be exciting enough.
Throw a couple of inches of snow on the ground, and it might be anyone's guess just might happen.
ON THE eve of their state 3A semifinal, the Timberlake High athletic department posted a photo of them plowing snow off the field.
They'll welcome the Fruitland Grizzlies today with a berth to the state championship game on the line. Two weeks ago, Fruitland whipped Kellogg 71-12 in the Kibbie Dome to advance to the playoffs.
With that kind of a score, you'd think the home team would be looking for those in the Spirit Lake area to truck in their excess snow and put it right on their field.
While today's game might be played with a lot of snow on the ground, it in no way compares to a 2003 Kansas tiebreaker at Teeters Field in Kellogg.
On that night - after a snowstorm blanketed the Silver Valley - the Mullan Tigers took on the Kootenai Warriors for a berth in the 1A playoffs.
After watching at least a foot of snow fall that day, I was skeptical that the game was even going to be played. On that particular night - while I was on vacation that week - watching a game in that much snow was a must, even if getting their was hazardous.
Anything can happen in that tiebreaker setting, but that night was a little different.
Running the ball in the conditions - likely every boy's dream - but eventually ended with the Tigers winning on a short run after a defensive stop.
That year, Mullan went on to finish third in the playoffs, beating Kendrick five days later and going on to host a playoff game at John Drager Field - with no snow on the ground then - and finished third after losing to Cascade, which ended up winning the championship that year.
A LITTLE more recently, the Coeur d’Alene Vikings took on the Eagle Mustangs in a 5A semifinal game at Viking Stadium in 2009.
That year, the Mustang quarterback was Taylor Kelly, who is now running the offense at Arizona State.
In that game, Eagle outgained the Vikings 261-28 in the first half, but led just 12-7 at halftime. Coeur d’Alene took the lead late in the game, but the deciding play was determined on an odd snap of the ball.
Eagle tailback Dillon Lukehart picked up a snap that rolled through Kelly’s legs and ran 46 yards to the Vikings 4-yard line and scored on the following play to take a 25-21 lead with 3:03 remaining.
Coeur d’Alene was unable to score and Eagle went on to win the title the following week in Boise.
The last two years, neither rain, snow nor sleet have kept Coeur d’Alene from a state championship — the Vikings winning in 2010 and 2011.
SO WHAT does that mean for today’s game in Spirit Lake?
Fruitland is a very fast football team with a quarterback that’s bound for Boise State to play linebacker.
But Timberlake’s defense and special teams came to play last week, edging Weiser 15-13 last Saturday in Spirit Lake.
The game, like any other, will come down to whatever team handles the elements the best, whatever they are.
Temperatures are predicted to be in the 30s and partly cloudy.
But 100 percent chance of being the most entertaining game of the weekend taking place in Kootenai County.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].