THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Saturday, August 23, 2014

In talking with a few of the area prep football coaches - as well as an athletic director or two - you can't help but get a little excited when it comes to being back under the lights on Friday nights.

Big games in bigger stadiums.

Just makes you anxious to see what this year will bring.

IF NOTHING else, some of those games between the 5A Inland Empire League and those teams in the Greater Spokane League will be fun to watch.

For years, or at least the last few that I can remember, fans have had to wonder just how some of those Coeur d'Alene teams that won back-to-back state championships might have played against the likes of Ferris, Gonzaga Prep and Central Valley.

This year, we won't even need to wait, as the Vikings host Central Valley on Sept. 5, then face Ferris at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane on Sept. 12.

Lake City gets Lewis and Clark in its home opener on Sept. 5, then hosts Shadle Park and Boise State commit Brett Rypien on Sept. 19 in a game that shouldn't be missed.

Post Falls will host University on Sept. 12 in a game that Trojan coach Jeff Hinz called said was a no-brainer with the schools so close to each other.

FOR HINZ, getting back to coaching is welcomed.

Hinz was diagnosed with non-smoker adenocarcinoma, or lung cancer. The tumor had started in his lung, traveled to his hip bone, and settled in his leg.

"I never wanted to take a year off, or get cancer in the first place," Hinz said. "In the late winter, early spring, I wanted to give it a shot to continue coaching."

Officials in the Post Falls School District agreed.

"What they're saying is that as long as I'm reacting well to my treatments, they support me 100 percent," Hinz said. "And that's the direction we went. Coaching football takes a lot of time. If I'm not able to coach and do it to the best of my ability, then I'll rethink things."

His leg hasn't completely healed, and walking with a cane, he said he's not sure if he'll be on the sideline when the Trojans kick off the season next Friday at Sandpoint. If not, he'll coach from the press box.

"I haven't decided yet," Hinz said. "Some of the biggest support I've received is from the past, present and future Trojan family. From that, I've gotten enough motivation to kick this cancer in the butt. It's pretty humbling all the support I've been given in the community. It's everyone, from Post Falls to Coeur d'Alene that have helped."

Coeur d'Alene coach Shawn Amos, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma last October after discovering a lump over his left collarbone, said he's feeling great and ready to take on the season.

"I'm done with treatment," Amos said. "I got a clean scan and as far as I'm concerned, it's last year's news and we're moving on."

Ready or not, it's that time again.

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. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.