The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Sept. 29, 2012

They haven't even been in school for a full month yet in some places, but you can tell that this year is going to be an interesting one in prep sports around the region.

From underdogs coming up to make things interesting to some of the favorites remaining right where they're supposed to be, the start hasn't been anything less than entertaining.

WHETHER IT was intentional or not, it was a little distracting watching some of the action during the first quarter of the Coeur d'Alene-Highland football game at Viking Stadium last week.

Coeur d'Alene High celebrated its homecoming last week vs. the Rams, who were ranked third in the state 5A media polls. While the Rams wound up winning 45-26, the offensive fireworks weren't the only thing visible that night.

As the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 100th birthday, the fireworks they were setting off almost looked like they were being shot off near the school. On the longest scoring play of the night - an 83-yard touchdown pass from Vikings quarterback Gunnar Amos to wide receiver Chase Blakley - you could see fireworks shooting off as Blakley was running to the endzone.

If only that was on purpose, right?

Because there's no way that could have been planned any better.

Longest scoring play of the night, and there are fireworks going off on the way to the endzone.

The only thing that could have made that moment any more perfect might have been if it was in the final seconds of a tie game.

IT HAS been four years since I covered the Mullan volleyball team on a regular basis, but you can't help getting a little excited when it comes to their program these days.

I've seen them advance to state a few times, take their lumps with low numbers and bounce back to one of the top teams in the North Star League this season. The Tigers enter their final week of league play with a one-game lead.

With the state separating the 1A classification into two separate divisions in 2008, should the Tigers win the league, the only thing that stands in their way from another berth is a win, at home against either Clark Fork or Kootenai.

THANKS TO a tie between the Lake City Timberwolves and Post Falls Trojans in a 5A Inland Empire League boys soccer match, the race for the league’s championship comes down to what was supposed to be the final day.

And it will as Coeur d’Alene can clinch the No. 1 seed to the Region 1 tournament next week with a win. A Lake City win, and that top spot belongs to Post Falls, with the Timberwolves still having to play again at Lewiston on Monday in a game that was canceled due to smoke in the area last Saturday.

You might not be able to script October — but area teams sure are giving us plenty to write about.

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].