THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE, Nov. 6, 2014

Lake City High has had such a sustained run of excellence in football for the past 18 years that it is almost bigger news when the Timberwolves actually miss the playoffs than when they get in.

So when Lake City failed to qualify for the playoffs last year for the first time since 1996 - despite a 6-3 record that would have good enough most years, and was part of the impetus between the push for the expanded playoffs this year - well, let's just say that didn't sit well in Timberwolf land.

"Last year when we didn't get in the playoffs, I felt like we were disrespected a little bit," Lake City senior quarterback Michael Goggin said. "We're trying to make this year a little better."

SO FAR, so good.

Lake City is 8-1 - its best record since finishing 8-3 in 2007 - and is the No. 1 seed from the North for the expanded 12-team state 5A playoffs. The Timberwolves had a first-round bye last weekend, and open Friday at home vs. Capital (8-2) of Boise in a quarterfinal game.

Starting in 1997 - the fourth football season since the school opened in 1994 - Lake City made 16 straight trips to the playoffs.

That streak came to an end last year, but it was more of a math thing - only one team from the North got in, and that was Coeur d'Alene, which went on to win the state title.

This year, three of the four 5A teams from the North made the expanded playoffs, and two of them (Lake City and Coeur d'Alene) are still playing.

Still ...

"To be that team to not go ... definitely not good," Goggin said.

LAKE CITY had gone a respectable 12-7-1 the past two seasons, so it's not exactly like this year was a resurrection.

There was optimism coming into the season, but there was still Coeur d'Alene, winners of three of the last four state titles, in the way.

"We came in with a little chip on our shoulder," senior fullback Connor Newby said.

Lake City was flying high after a 56-34 victory over Boise State commit Brett Rypien and Shadle Park that improved the Timberwolves to 4-0.

They were promptly brought back to earth the following week, losing 49-24 at Tumwater (Wash.).

"We wanted to be undefeated, but our main goal is still reachable," senior H-back Jerry Louie-McGee said. "We didn't come to play (against Tumwater)."

The T-Wolves have come to play since.

This year, Lake City broke through and beat Coeur d'Alene for the first time since 2009 - on Coeur d'Alene's home field, no less.

It was a much-needed win for a program which had ruled the city for years, only to see the school on the other side of the highway assume that role in recent years.

"It's something you work for in the weight room every day," Goggin said. "It's something you have in the back of your head - doing this to beat Coeur d'Alene. There's a reason they've won so many state titles; they have good players, and good coaches. I think our guys mainly focused on beating them. And when we finally did - no better feeling in the world."

Of course, winning a state title would be a pretty good feeling as well.

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@CdAPressSports.