THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT, November 9, 2013

Motivation can come from different places.

Trying to prove that a 29-point showing in 2012, for its first state championship since 2004, wasn't a fluke.

Or from a longtime team supporter, who is fighting a battle bigger than anyone can ever imagine.

CLINT STORY, the father of Coeur d'Alene High juniors Krista and Kara Story, was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer earlier this year.

It didn't stop him from going to the 5A Region 1 meet in Moscow two weeks ago, or the state meet last Saturday, when the Vikings repeated as state champions at Freeman Park in Idaho Falls.

"It was definitely nice to see him at regionals," junior Kara Story said. "It was good to see that he got to come and watch. It just gives you that much more energy to keep going. At state, he was sitting in his wheelchair cheering us on and his voice was really the only one I could hear."

Krista Story finished fifth at state, her sister Kara sixth.

"It was definitely harder to focus with everything going on with my dad," Kara said. "It's hard to deal with things like that, but you've got to focus and put that energy and feeling toward your running. I felt that I had a couple of off races because of it."

Clint, 46, has been given six months to live.

AT NO point during the season did Kara think of leaving the program.

"I think because my dad enjoys to see me run and that's an experience we share together, that he'd want me to do it," Kara said. "So I just did it, even when I didn't feel like it."

Due to the 476 miles of travel one-way between Coeur d'Alene and Idaho Falls, Krista Story wasn't sure her father was going to make it to state.

see ELLIOTT, B4

"It was really special," Krista said. "Honestly, I didn't think he'd make it to state because it was such a long drive. It was really nice having him there. He's been a huge inspiration to us and the entire team. You can't put it into words. We (on the team) are all best friends and really close, so I know that I'm not going through this myself, but we're going through it together."

"It was awesome," senior Jaycee Rade said. "We didn't know he was going down, but it was really cool to see him down there."

Before races throughout the season, the team often gathered to pray - even dedicating races to Clint.

"We just had to be perfect that day," senior Noelle Ball said. "And it really helped us remain focused each race."

LAST YEAR, after winning the state 5A title, the girls team went on to win at the Nike Northwest Regionals at Eagle Island State Park, something they'll try to repeat next weekend in Eagle.

But Coeur d'Alene will have to do it without No. 1 runner Emily Callahan, a sophomore who finished third at state with four torn muscles in her left leg.

"It really sucks that I can't compete, because we have a really good chance at winning," Callahan said. "I just won't be ready in time."

Callahan finished third at state, despite the injury.

"I wanted to try and win the state race, but I didn't," Callahan said.

"Hopefully we'll have a chance," Ball said. "It's going to be tough without Emily, but we're all training really hard and ready for the meet."

Junior Kayla Zurosky will replace Callahan next weekend at Eagle.

For freshman Caitlin Conway, who finished eighth at state last weekend, she's no stranger to big races.

"I've competed at Junior Olympics the last six years, so I'm used to bigger races," Conway said. "It was a tough year, because you've got to live up to the pressure and prove you belong with those girls on varsity. I think it's been a lot of fun to be on the varsity team this year."

"I just really love the course," Kara Story said. "I've ran it four times now, so I know the course really well. Knowing what kind of a meet it is and where you can go from it, you get so much energy from that as well."

AFTER LOSING one senior, Punky Duran, to graduation in 2012, this year's team will lose Rade and Ball.

Ball was 52nd and Rade 57th at state.

Coeur d'Alene was nearly celebrating a three-peat. In 2011, the Vikings just missed out on a state title to Boise by four points.

"I think we can keep improving from here and go back and win another state championship next year," junior Josie Brown said. "I think we just need to do what we've been doing and keep believing in each other."

Brown was 47th at state.

"We're still going to have a good team next year," Kara Story said. "We always find a way to come back and be the great team we are."

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 at JEPressSports.