The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Jan. 2, 2013
The holidays used to be a time where high school teams could take a short break just before getting back for the final stretch of their season.
Judging by the results of last weekend's holiday tournaments in Coeur d'Alene, rest might have been overrated.
THREE TEAMS from the area - Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene and Lake City - opted to trade three days off for quality games in an effort to prepare themselves for the grind of the 5A Inland Empire League schedule coming up in the next two weeks.
All three finished 2-1 in their respective tournaments, but learning how to win in close games - is something that will go a long way toward how their season finishes.
Post Falls hadn't lost a game in their four previous trips to the Coeur d'Alene Inn-vitational and beat Anacortes on Thursday before losing to eventual champion Glacier Peak in a semifinal on Friday.
The Trojans bounced back on Saturday, grinding out a win against Stanwood - who lost an emotional game to Coeur d'Alene in the other semifinal.
Post Falls will get another test later this week with a trip to Inglemoor High of Kenmore, Wash., and Bothell - who have players gathering some Division I interest.
Coeur d'Alene returned two players from its roster last year and only one senior, but the Vikings found themselves in the championship game of the Cd'A Inn-vitational, thanks to some late game heroics on Friday night.
On Saturday, they ran into a team that didn't turn the ball over much, hit shots and did what they had to do to win.
It's something this group will do eventually, whether it is in the next five weeks or sometime after that.
LAKE CITY opted to host a tournament this year and brought in some of the best competition they could find among Auburn, Puyallup and Garfield High of Seattle - which is currently ranked third in the Washington 4A prep polls.
Lake City beat Auburn and Wilson before losing to Garfield in a game that was 37-35 Garfield after three quarters.
Lakeland, which will be competing for one state tournament berth in the 4A IEL, lost 47-44 on Thursday before winning its final two games of the tournament against Auburn and South Kitsap.
Last winter, when the Cd’A Inn-vitational hosted both boys and girls tournaments — both the Post Falls (boys) and Coeur d’Alene (girls) — found themselves playing deep into the state tournament.
It is tough to predict what will come of this year’s finish, but both the Trojans played for a state title and the Vikings nearly did as well, losing on a 3-pointer late in their semifinal at state.
Success in their holiday tournaments might not guarantee a state championship later in February.
But it’s a pretty good start.
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 jelliott@cdapress.com.