THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT Feb. 22, 2014

One will become a Warrior at Lewis-Clark State College starting next year.

The other will be the Miss North Idaho Fair and Rodeo at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds this summer in Coeur d'Alene.

But for Coeur d'Alene High senior Brittany Tackett and Timberlake senior Jessica Norlander, it's all business this weekend.

TACKETT, A three-year varsity player for the 5A Vikings, signed a letter of intent in November to play basketball at NAIA Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston next year.

"It's nice because I've got the comfort of knowing that I'm going somewhere," Tackett said. "But at the same time, I wish I would have waiting to see what else I would have gotten."

Tackett, a 5-foot-11 forward, had 20 points, nine rebounds and four steals in Coeur d'Alene's state 5A tournament opener on Thursday afternoon.

At L-C State, she'll be reunited with Caelyn Orlandi, who played four years at Coeur d'Alene and is currently a freshman on the Warriors squad.

"I'm really happy because I get to play with Goose (Orlandi) and Brooke (Litalien) from Post Falls," Tackett said. "So it's comforting knowing I've got somewhere to go next year for sure."

Tackett, who is also a state qualifier in the 400 meter dash, is also weighing options about walking on to the track team at L-C State.

"I've been thinking about it, but it's going to be hard with what I want to study," said Tackett, who plans to go into nursing. "I want to do it, but all the time I need to be doing lab classes, I'll be doing basketball, so it would be a little difficult."

She was also considering going to Washington State before focusing on basketball.

"The main thing that kept me with L-C State was Goose," Tackett said. "At first, I wanted to do track at Wazzu (Washington State) because that was my goal but I opened my doors to play basketball and then realized that the only way I was going to play sports in college was if I had the chance to play with Goose. The next thing I know, she's calling me and telling me her coach (Brian Orr) was looking at me and I toured the campus, thought it was nice and the team was so nice, so I signed. With Goose being there, it's definitely been a bonus."

Coeur d'Alene won its 10th straight game on Thursday, beating Hillcrest 57-48 in the state 5A tournament opener at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

"It's been a hard season, but it's been a lot of fun," Tackett said. "This group of girls, I feel like they're my sisters and it's going to be hard to leave. With Goose, she said that it's never going to be the same, and it's not going to be the same, but our bond is so close. The things we talk about are priceless. It's going to be hard, but the competition we've faced, especially playing against Lewiston, it's going to be hard to leave."

NORLANDER, A 6-foot post, has played on three of the last four teams from Timberlake to advance to state.

"It's been awesome," Norlander said. "I just love playing with this group and it's a good time. We're all really close and play hard for each other."

Norlander, like Tackett, wants to enter the medical field - but to help her four-legged friends. And with a lot for rodeos, the ride to become a queen started.

"I'm going to become a veterinarian and study pre-med," Norlander said. "I've just always loved rodeos and horses, and just felt like it would fun to get out there and get that experience."

"She just does whatever we ask of her," Timberlake coach Matt Miller said. "If it's get position inside, she does it. If it is get an outside board, she does it."

BOTH PLAYERS will have their teams playing for championships later today.

Win or lose, they both have bigger plans in mind.

Today, they'll help teammates.

Someday, they'll be helping the community they live in.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.