THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE, October 31, 2013
When the state high school volleyball tournaments return this weekend for their every-other-year appearance in North Idaho, expect the usual stellar play you might expect from an event at this level.
But just not much of it will come from local teams.
Only four teams from District 1 qualfied for the six state tournaments - Lake City (5A), Sandpoint (4A), Priest River (3A) and Wallace (1A Division I).
More teams from Bonner County (two) made it than from Kootenai County (one).
Defending 5A champion Lewiston took the other berth from District 1; district runner-up Kellogg lost in a state 3A play-in match; and Clark Fork, which won the 1A Division II District 1 tournament, lost in a state play-in match.
IN THE first 32 years of the state volleyball tournament, Lewiston had been to state just once, in 1985. But the Bengals have become regulars of late, and are here for the fifth time in the last six years. Last year's title was Lewiston's first state trophy in volleyball.
Idaho Falls, which beat Post Falls to win the 2011 title, is making its 15th straight trip to state. Post Falls had been to the last four state tourneys.
Rocky Mountain, the 2010 champion, has made it to state every year since the school opened in 2008. Eagle, which won four straight titles from 2006-09, didn't make it for the second straight year. Madison's runner-up trophy last year was the Bobcats' first state trophy since 1992, when they beat Sandpoint for the A-1 title.
Sandpoint is back at state this year, for the 35th time in the last 37 years. But the Bulldogs haven't contended for a title in a few years, failed to bring home a trophy the last three trips. They won their 14th state title in 2008, and were third the following year.
If they hope to contend this year, the Bulldogs will probably have to contend with a new 4A power, Skyview of Nampa, which handed Lewiston its only loss this year, along with Century of Pocatello and Bonneville of Idaho Falls, powers for years in eastern Idaho.
Century is the three-time defending champion, beating Skyview for the 2011 title and Bonneville last year. Skyview was third last year.
For most of the 1980s, Sandpoint and St. Maries dominated the state volleyball tournaments, Sandpoint marching through the A-1 bracket, St. Maries through the A-2.
But St. Maries, now a 2A school, didn't even make it to state, for the first time since 2003, and only the third time since 1979.
Priest River is coming off its best finish at state, a runner-up finish last year to Fruitland, and is at state for the eighth time in 11 years. But the District 1 champion Spartans will probably have to beat two other district champs on Friday just to make it to Saturday's semifinals.
* We knew Coeur d'Alene High's early season football schedule was tough. According to information forwarded by Viking defensive coordinator Jeff Vesser, this is how tough:
The three teams Coeur d'Alene lost to (Bothell, Wash.; Skyline of Sammamish, Wash.; and Highland of Pocatello) by a combined 18 points have a combined record of 22-2, with the only losses coming to Washington 3A power Bellevue, which is ranked 11th in the country by one source.
Skyline and Bothell play for their league title this week and both have already qualified for the playoffs.
Highland is 8-0 and has clinched the top seed from the East for the Idaho 5A playoffs. If Highland and Coeur d'Alene were to meet again, it would be in the state title game at the Kibbie Dome.
* Perhaps more important than any of that - Coeur d'Alene football coach Shawn Amos, diagnosed recently with a form of Hodgkin's lymphoma, had his first round of chemotherapy treatments Monday, and reports that he's "feeling pretty good."
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.