THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE, Aug. 28, 2014

Amy Scheer's first season of varsity volleyball at St. Maries High was 1995 - the year the Lumberjacks finished second at state, after winning 10 straight state titles.

Her first match as a high school sophomore was at Sandpoint, a five-game thriller which saw the Bulldogs end St. Maries' winning streak of 145 straight matches.

We mention this not to open old wounds, but to recall a time when St. Maries and Sandpoint were two of the best teams in the state, regardless of classification.

Scheer - Amy Reid back then - was one of those get-every-ball-up back-row specialists St. Maries churned out during that run. She played for Mitch Santos, who coached the 'Jacks to 11 state titles before retiring after the 2000 season with 527 victories in 22 seasons.

"I learned so many lessons from those guys (Santos and longtime assistant Steve Konkright) that you don't even know you are learning when you're playing," Scheer said. "A lot of my philosophy is from him (Santos)."

"One big thing I implemented is responsibility," Scheer said. "It's up to you (players), you're going to take it as far as you want it."

Times have changed since she played at St. Maries - the Lumberjacks were in the state's second-largest classification back then. Now, they're in the fourth-largest, the third-smallest, if you will.

But the message is the same.

Sometimes Santos will come into the gym and speak to the team during practice. After he leaves, "I'll say 'Was there an echo?'" Scheer said, "because it was the same thing I have been saying."

AS YOU might expect, Lake City High football coach Van Troxel likes that the state 5A playoffs have been expanded this season, from eight teams to 12.

Last year, despite a 6-3 record, Lake City missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 1996, as the North received just one berth to the playoffs.

And there have been some years in the past decade where Post Falls was good enough to be a playoff team, but couldn't get past Coeur d'Alene and Lake City.

But thanks to a push from coaches in the North, the Idaho High School Activities Association voted after the season to expand the 5A and 4A playoffs for the next two seasons.

"(Post Falls) Coach (Jeff) Hinz and myself had a lot to do with making it happen," Troxel said. "Because one of the best teams in the state didn't get in the playoffs, and I didn't like it."

This year, the 5A Inland Empire League champion receives a bye, then plays host to a quarterfinal game. The second-place team will travel to the second-place team in one of the District 3 divisions. The third-place team from the North will be up for a wild-card playoff spot, its record against teams in a state's top classification compared to the fourth-place team from the East, and the two fourth-place division finishers in District 3.

"The way it's set up, three of the best teams in the state may be Coeur d'Alene, Lake City and Post Falls, and all three might be in the state playoffs, and that would have never happened (under the old format)."

This year being the first year of the new two-year classification cycle, there are now 12 teams in District 3 (Boise area), six in the East and four in the North.

The North gets an additional playoff berth in 4A as well. Usually, only the 4A IEL champion advances. This year, not only will the runner-up advance, but will host a game vs. the third-place team from District 5-6.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.