The play(in)'s the thing this week
No, these technically aren't playoff games yet, though the losers are done for the season.
Yes, the winners advance to the state playoffs.
Yes, it is a bit confusing.
To explain:
State play-in games in 5A Inland Empire League football are tonight, with No. 1 seed Coeur d'Alene (6-2, 3-0 5A IEL) hosting No. 4 Lewiston (3-4, 0-3), and No. 2 Lake City (4-3-1, 2-1) is home against No. 3 Post Falls (2-6, 1-2).
The winning team with the highest seed will host a first-round playoff game next week, and the other winning team will travel to the Boise area for its first playoff game.
If there is an upset - say, No. 4 Lewiston beats No. 1 Coeur d'Alene -the winner of the Post Falls-Lake City game would become the top seed to the playoffs, and host a first-round game. Lewiston would travel for its first playoff game.
This is the first year of this format. So why are they doing this, anyway?
“It’s not ideal, but it’s what we have to do to get games,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “Everybody’s in the same boat, so it doesn’t matter. None of the coaches really like it, it’s just what it is.”
Lake City coach Van Troxel agreed.
“No matter what, we all knew at the end of the season we were going to play somebody we’ve already played,” he said. “Because none of us had games, that’s the way it had to be, so that we could all fill our schedules. We didn’t have a choice in the way this all wound up, it just came down to everybody was short of games, so we created a way to make sure we had another close game.”
Two weeks ago, Coeur d’Alene trailed Lewiston 16-13 in the fourth quarter at Bengal Field in Lewiston before scoring two touchdowns to pull out a 26-16 win.
“As long as we don’t turn the ball over five times in the first half, I’ll be glad,” Amos said, referring to the first game. “I think all the teams are pretty close. I think the games have shown it.”
Lewiston’s three league losses have been by a combined 19 points.
“We’re going to have to change some things defensively from the last time or they’re going to beat us again,” Lewiston coach Shawn Nillsson said. “We need to be able to finish drives and play better.”
Lake City beat Post Falls 45-24 at home five weeks ago. Lake City has made it to the state playoffs 15 straight seasons.
“The road to the playoffs goes through Lake City with their consecutive playoff streak,” Post Falls coach Jeff Hinz said. “They are a very good football team with lots of speed. We have to slow them down and be disciplined on our assignments. We have to take care of the football after having three turnovers against them earlier this season.”
Sandpoint (1-7, 0-1 4A IEL) at Lakeland (5-3, 0-1): Most years, this game would decide the league’s lone representative to the state playoffs. But this year, Moscow has already wrapped up its first playoff berth since 1997 — when it was still in the 3A Intermountain League — by beating Sandpoint and Lakeland to win the league.
Timberlake (4-4) vs. Parma (2-6): Parma was second in a Kansas tiebreaker with Homedale and Payette to earn District 3’s No. 4 seed to the state 3A play-in game at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. Payette (4-4) won the tiebreaker for the No. 3 seed, and will play Priest River (5-3) at 7:30 at the Kibbie Dome in the final game of Saturday’s tripleheader.
A victory would put Timberlake in the state playoffs for the 10th straight year, all under coach Roy Albertson. Priest River is the No. 2 seed from the IML. Kellogg (1-7), the No. 3 seed, plays top-ranked Fruitland (8-0) on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Kibbie Dome.
St. Maries (4-4) at New Plymouth (6-2): The Lumberjacks’ four wins this year are the most since 1999, when St. Maries went 5-4 under Bob Bucsko. The Lumberjacks have had four head coaches since then. A win would put St. Maries in the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
Kootenai (5-3, 3-0 1A Division II North Star League) at Clark Fork (5-3, 2-1): Kootenai can wrap up a playoff berth with a win; a Clark Fork win would force a tiebreaker between the two teams for a playoff berth. Kootenai beat Clark Fork 52-6 at home on Sept. 14.
Lakeside (0-7) at Wallace (6-2): Wallace can clinch a spot in the 1A Division I playoffs with a win over the Knights. A Lakeside win would force a tiebreaker between the two teams. Wallace won 44-14 at Lakeside in the first meeting Sept. 7.
5A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L T
Coeur d’Alene 3 0 6 2 0
Lake City 2 1 4 3 1
Post Falls 1 2 2 6 0
Lewiston 0 3 3 4 0
Friday’s Games
Lewiston at Coeur d’Alene
Post Falls at Lake City
4A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Moscow 2 0 3 5
Lakeland 0 1 5 3
Sandpoint 0 1 1 7
Friday’s Games
Sandpoint at Lakeland
Moscow is idle
INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Timberlake 3 0 4 4
Priest River 2 1 5 3
Kellogg 1 2 1 7
Bonners Ferry 0 3 0 8
Saturday’s Games
At Kibbie Dome, Moscow
Timberlake vs. 3D
Priest River vs. 3C
Kellogg vs. Fruitland
Bonners Ferry’s season over
CENTRAL IDAHO LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Grangeville 2 0 6 1
St. Maries 1 1 4 4
Orofino 0 2 3 4
Friday’s Game
Nampa Christian at Grangeville
Saturday’s Game
St. Maries at New Plymouth
1A DIVISION I
NORTH STAR LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Wallace 1 0 6 2
Lakeside 0 1 0 7
1A DIVISION II
NORTH STAR LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Kootenai 3 0 5 3
Clark Fork 2 1 5 3
Mullan 0 4 2 6
Friday’s Games
Kootenai at Clark Fork
Lakeside at Wallace
Mullan’s season over
Tonight's Games
All at 7 p.m.
Lewiston at Coeur d'Alene
Post Falls at Lake City
Sandpoint at Lakeland
Kootenai at Clark Fork
Lakeside at Wallace
Saturday's Games
St. Maries at New Plymouth, noon
Parma vs. Timberlake at Kibbie Dome, Moscow, 2 p.m.