THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Saturday, December 13, 2014
Big moments, there was plenty of those to go around on the prep level in 2014.
A miracle catch on the final play of a game to send one school into the state football playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Or another remarkable comeback to deny a school a spot in the state semifinals, there's been plenty of games and events that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
AS THE calendar prepares to turn in a few weeks from 2014 to 2015 and we prepare to look back on some of those top moments, it's a tough call on what can really be that No. 1 moment.
One was the football game between the Coeur d'Alene Vikings and Post Falls Trojans, which ended on a touchdown reception by Trojans tight end Kameron Welker catching a touchdown pass from Dalton Thompson, then the two-point conversion in similar fashion in the left corner of the end zone.
Both Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls advanced to the state playoffs, as did Lake City after beating Coeur d'Alene on the road to clinch the 5A Inland Empire League title.
Just a week after that memorable game in Post Falls, the Lakeland Hawks had a great first half in jumping out to a 28-0 lead, but the visiting Rigby Trojans had just a little better half in the second, rallying to beat the Hawks 29-28 in a rare afternoon game at Corbit Field.
Even now, just a month or so removed from those games, they still are some of the most amazing high school football games I've ever seen.
WHEN THE North Idaho College men's and women's soccer teams moved from the NJCAA to the Northwest Athletic Conference this fall, most might have expected them both to run right through the league and claim conference titles.
While the men advanced to the championship game and eventual runner-up finish, the women's team, while finishing with only two losses, found itself third in the East Division thanks to eight draws during the season.
Some teams had great runs to state championships, but when you think of the run that the Coeur d'Alene High girls cross country team has made in three-straight 5A championships, that's one thing.
Last weekend, they made a name for themselves throughout the rest of the nation, finishing 20th in the Nike Cross Nationals cross country race at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland.
"It's super exciting for them," Coeur d'Alene High cross country coach Cathy Compton said. "Anytime you can come to see the top teams in the nation, and come through, it's great. Competing at nationals, it can tear teams apart. To watch their focus and drive to get through it, it was amazing. The girls held it together and it was super exciting and bittersweet because this was the last time they'll compete in a race like this as a group."
And that's just a few of the countless moments that have made this year another great one.
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.