Good luck, Vikings!

There's a time for sibling rivalries to be put firmly on hold.

Tonight is one of those times.

Coeur d'Alene High School, the eldest and, lately, biggest kid in the region's high school family, plays unbeaten Highland of Pocatello at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. At stake is the Idaho 5A championship.

The Vikings have earned their stripes throughout the season. They started off with one of the toughest non-league schedules imaginable. They lost three of their first four games - including a 24-21 decision at Highland two months ago - for a disheartening start. But since then, Coeur d'Alene hasn't lost. In fact, nobody's even come close.

Adversity wasn't limited to the schedule, either. In October, Coach Shawn Amos was diagnosed with cancer, and not long after that his son, starting quarterback Gunnar Amos, broke his ankle in the playoff game against Timberline of Boise. But you can't keep a good team down, which is why all of North Idaho should be cheering for the blue and white tonight.

The Vikings have now made it to the state championship game four years in a row. If they manage a victory tonight, they will have captured three titles in that span. And they will have done so with significantly changed rosters, including three different field generals at quarterback.

We don't believe in destiny, but we do think playing such a rigorous schedule, overcoming personal adversity and sticking to what made this football program so good all add up to this latest and perhaps greatest championship game appearance.

Go, Viks! An entire region of friends and sometime foes is cheering for you.