THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT, December 11, 2013

'Tis the season for a ton of year-in-review stories.

It has been a good year on the local prep sports scene, whether it be in basketball, football, softball or whatever your sport may be.

There are at least three - and many more that have slipped my mind - that are head and shoulders above the ordinary league or nonleague game.

THE THIRD unfolded on a Saturday afternoon during the state 5A softball tournament. Before the Lake City Timberwolves capped an undefeated season, there was that semifinal game against the Coeur d'Alene Vikings at Ramsey Park.

Lake City led 4-0 after three innings, but Coeur d'Alene battled back to get within a 4-3 game in the seventh inning and just couldn't push that final run across.

Coeur d'Alene finished third after losing 4-2 to Eagle, which got beat 10-0 in six innings by the Timberwolves, who captured their second title in three years.

Another one to consider was the state 5A girls basketball championship game at the Idaho Center in Nampa between the Post Falls Trojans and Coeur d'Alene Vikings.

Of the players on the court that night, eight are either playing college basketball this season, or have committed to play at the next level next year.

On that particular night in Nampa, the lead changed eight times, including three times in the final seconds of regulation and eventually overtime of a Trojan 46-44 win.

Next Tuesday, when Coeur d'Alene and Lewiston face off for the first time this season, it's a good bet that it will be another one to add to the list.

TO ME, the top game of the year isn't even a question.

Whether it's because it is so fresh in my mind, or because of everything surrounding the game, it's hard to argue against the Coeur d'Alene-Highland state football title game.

At the start of the season, both teams appeared destined to meet for the 5A title, and they did.

Now add in an injury to Coeur d'Alene starting quarterback Gunnar Amos in the first round of the playoffs, and the illness of Vikings coach Shawn Amos, and settling for nothing less than a championship was understood.

Trailing in the game, sophomore quarterback Austin Lee scrambled 15 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 47 seconds remaining to give the Vikings a 31-28 lead.

A few defensive stops later, and a third title in four years came back to Coeur d'Alene in nothing short of a thriller at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

THERE ARE countless other moments from the past year that are deserving of recognition, but those listed above are just a sample.

Games like these make you count the days until getting to see it happen all over again.

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]. Follow him on Twitter @JEPressSports.