The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT May 8, 2013

You can't ask for a better way to end the high school sports season.

State tournaments in two of the final four sports in the area, I can't think of a better way to watch the season end.

WHEN THE season began in early August, there's not many who believed the state 5A girls soccer championship was going to come down to Post Falls and Lake City High.

Two weeks before the tournament, I'm not sure you could have convinced the Timberwolves they'd even get into the tournament, but a win in a play-in game and a couple wins in shootouts, and they're the last team standing.

The Post Falls boys claimed their first state title with a shutout victory over Boise. Since then, they've had eight players commit to playing in college.

Throw in a championship in girls cross country for the Coeur d'Alene Vikings and volleyball for Lewiston, and all three of the fall sports championships remained in the 5A Inland Empire League.

Teams in the winter kept things going with the Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene girls basketball teams advancing to the state championship game in February, with the Trojans winning in overtime.

The following week, the Post Falls wrestling team finished second to Centennial in Pocatello.

What happens next week as state tournaments in golf, track, tennis, baseball and softball play out is still up in the air.

IN THE case of golf and 5A, 4A and 2A softball, the local teams won't have to travel as far.

On Monday and Tuesday, state golf tournaments will be contested at Lewiston Country Club (5A), the University of Idaho Golf Course (4A), The Highlands Golf Course (3A) and Circling Raven Golf Course (2A).

In the case of the 5A and 3A schools, they played their regional/district qualifying tournament at those sites, so not being familiar with the course surroundings shouldn't factor during play.

Softball teams in the 5A tournament at Ramsey Park and 4A tournament at Post Falls High won’t have to travel either, with a few of the favorites to advance from regional tournaments just a short bus ride from their tournament site.

Fans following track and field and baseball will have to make the annual trip to the Boise area to watch those teams again starting next Friday.

But not having to travel doesn’t guarantee that any of these teams will actually win, because in a tournament setting, anything can happen.

Two years ago, after a first day of sunshine in Post Falls, the state 5A tournament was moved due to poor field condition to Lake City High — where the Timberwolves beat Timberline of Boise to claim a state championship.

That year, Lake City finished that season undefeated and entered regionals unbeaten once again.

If they can keep it that way, remains to be determined.

One thing is for certain, it has been a good year for area schools when it comes to bringing back trophies from state tournaments.

Might as well come out and see how it finishes if you can.

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].