THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE, Oct. 12, 2014

Three weeks from now, we'll find out if Lewiston High was able to pull off a three-peat at the state 5A volleyball tournament in Idaho Falls.

The Bengals still have a handful of key players from the squads that won the previous two state titles, including last year's state crown at Post Falls High.

But if there is a team that could challenge Lewiston at state, it could be another team from North Idaho - the Coeur d'Alene Vikings.

That is, if another area team - the Lake City Timberwolves - doesn't do it first.

Coeur d'Alene played Lewiston tough in a five-game loss earlier in the season in Lewiston - including a 15-13 loss in the fifth game.

Two weeks later, Coeur d'Alene returned the favor at home, rallying from two games down to win in five games, and handing Lewiston its first loss of the season.

"I think it proves to us that we can do it (beat Lewiston), and we can do well at state," Coeur d'Alene junior setter/outside hitter Megan Ramseyer said.

WITH NO seniors on their roster - the Vikings list six juniors, five sophomores and a freshman on their varsity - Coeur d'Alene (15-3, 5-1 5A Inland Empire League) is definitely a team of the future.

But the Vikings are starting to prove they're not a bad team of the present. Their only other losses this season has been to University High and Central Valley, both of Spokane Valley.

Meanwhile, Lewiston has seven seniors, five of which started in last week's loss at Coeur d'Alene, making it more of a challenge for the Vikings.

"I think that motivates us even more, to prove that we can do it," Ramseyer said. "Knowing they've won the last two state championships, it really motivates us."

VIKING COACH Dee Pottenger said her team grew up a little, as it were, with the victory over Lewiston.

"I just believe that their strength is their experience," Pottenger said of Lewiston. "They have some standout players, but their strength is their experience - they've been there, done that at the highest level. So, they know how to just play steady, and find a way to win. Whereas I feel like we're athletic, but young and inexperienced, with the exception of my juniors.

"So tonight," she said after the match last week, "I would like to think we gained even more experience from the feeling of finally coming out on top."

SO WE'LL see.

There's still the business of the 5A Region 1 tournament, which begins Saturday. The regional champ advances to state, and the runner-up can do the same by winning a play-in match against the fifth-place team from District 3 (Boise area).

Coeur d'Alene has already clinched the No. 1 seed to regionals, on the basis of a favorable point differential in its two matches with Lewiston (24-2). Coeur d'Alene will host No. 4 Post Falls, and Lewiston will welcome No. 3 seed Lake City in the first round.

The title match is Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the higher seed.

Lake City pushed Lewiston in a three-game loss Thursday in Lewiston, dropping the final two games 28-26 and 25-22, so this Saturday's rematch at Booth Hall is no gimmie. In any event, at least one really good team is not going to make it to state.

LEWISTON COACH Kelly Harwick said she wasn't "freaking out" over last week's loss to Coeur d'Alene, with good reason - the Bengals were dealing with illness and being shorthanded last week. Lewiston had been without setter Makayla Wilson, a Lewis-Clark State signee, since the second week of the season with a hip injury.

She returned this past week, and shared setting duties in Lewiston's five-game win over Lake City on senior night. Senior TaLaynia Hobart, Lewiston's other setter, didn't look too shabby vs. the Vikings, and Harwick said the biggest difference with not having Wilson is it leaves the Bengals with a shorter block.

After last week's match, Harwick was complimentary of Ramseyer and the Vikings.

"She's a good player, she does it all for them," Harwick said of Ramseyer. "They pass pretty well. Other than that, both teams are going to get kills, so it's just a matter of who ends up on top."

And for the results of that, check back in three weeks.

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.