THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Thursday, October 22, 2015
Given what the Coeur d’Alene High football team has accomplished since 2009 — four trips to the state 5A championship game, and three state titles — it’s hard to imagine the Vikings flying under the radar anytime soon.
But their season-opening 22-0 loss to Skyline of Idaho Falls at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow — the first time Coeur d’Alene has been shut out since 2004 — may have shifted some of the spotlight away from the Vikings.
For a while, anyway.
Coeur d’Alene (7-1, 2-0 5A Inland Empire League) hasn’t lost since, opened some eyes back up with a dominating 27-3 victory over defending champion Highland of Pocatello at Holt Arena, and is currently on a seven-game winning streak heading into Friday’s regular-season finale at home vs. Post Falls (3-5, 0-2).
“We have made huge strides from the opener,” Coeur d’Alene High football coach Shawn Amos said last Friday, following a 34-0 victory at city rival Lake City. “When we played that opener, we had a lot of kids that were playing their first varsity football. ... Like Joey Naccarato and Brody Lundblad, great athletes, but the last game they played before that first game was freshman football. So it was an eye-opener for them.”
AFTER LOSING to Skyline, Coeur d’Alene rallied for a 37-30 victory at Central Valley, then beat Ferris (40-0), Moses Lake (17-14), Highland, Hermiston (43-10) and Lewiston (56-28) before downing Lake City last week. Last week’s win clinched the top seed from the North to the state playoffs. Coeur d’Alene will have a bye next week, then host a quarterfinal game, likely on Nov. 6.
“This year is a little bit different,” Amos said. “We don’t have any superstars; we’re playing a ton of kids, though; we’re playing about 40 kids a game. That takes a little time to gel.”
So does playing two quarterbacks. Senior Austin Lee, who replaced the injured Gunnar Amos late in the season and guided Coeur d’Alene to the state title as a sophomore in 2013, starts and usually plays the first and third quarters. Sophomore Colson Yankoff, who already has a scholarship offer from Texas Tech, usually plays the second and fourth quarters.
“It’s so nice,” Amos said. “Those two quarterbacks are such great kids, selfless players. We couldn’t do it unless they had the attitudes they have; the situation could get sketchy if you have the wrong kids.”
Of course, there’s somewhat of an explanation for the Vikings’ slow start to the season.
Coeur d’Alene had 10 players suspended for the opener (as well as a good chunk of the second game), including five who play regularly, but Amos said he’s not using that as an excuse.
“You hate to lose, but it was probably not a bad thing for us,” Amos said. “You grow up a little bit. They figured out that we can’t just show up and play. Since then, we haven’t played a perfect game — Highland was pretty close, but they’ve kept growing as a team.”
IN THE other 5A IEL game on Friday, Lake City (2-6, 1-1) plays host to Lewiston (7-1, 1-1), with the winner claiming the North’s No. 2 berth to the state playoffs and a home game in the first round the following weekend. Despite an injury-riddled season, the Timberwolves still have something big to play for on the final week of the regular season.
“That’s why football’s the greatest game there is,” Lake City coach Van Troxel said. “You can’t look backwards; you can only go forward. At this point, we’ve got to go forward.”
SAME WITH Lakeland.
The young Hawks, with no returning starters, are 0-8, 0-1 in the 4A IEL. Lakeland plays host to Moscow (1-7, 0-1) on Friday, with the winner joining Sandpoint in the state 4A playoffs.
In 3A, Timberlake (5-2, 2-0 Intermountain League) and Bonners Ferry (4-3, 2-0) have already secured state 3A playoff berths. They collide Friday in Bonners for the IML title, with the winner hosting a first-round state playoff game next week, and the loser hitting the road in the first round.
In the Central Idaho League, Grangeville (5-2, 2-0), St. Maries (6-1, 0-1) and Orofino (4-3, 0-1) will all advance to the state 2A playoffs next week. St. Maries travels to Orofino on Friday, with the winner hosting a first-round game, and the loser traveling. Grangeville is already assured of hosting a first-round game.
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.
5A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Coeur d’Alene 2 0 7 1
Lewiston 1 1 7 1
Lake City 1 1 2 6
Post Falls 0 2 3 5
Friday’s Games
Post Falls at Coeur d’Alene
Lewiston at Lake City
4A INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Sandpoint 2 0 5 3
Moscow 0 1 1 7
Lakeland 0 1 0 8
Friday’s Game
Moscow at Lakeland
Saturday’s Game
Sandpoint JV at Grangeville
INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Timberlake 2 0 5 2
Bonners Ferry 2 0 4 3
Priest River 0 2 1 6
Kellogg 0 2 0 7
Friday’s Games
Timberlake at Bonners Ferry
Priest River at Kellogg
CENTRAL IDAHO LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Grangeville 2 0 5 2
St. Maries 0 1 6 1
Orofino 0 1 4 3
Friday’s Game
St. Maries at Orofino
Saturday’s Game
Sandpoint JV at Grangeville
1A DIVISION I
Independent
W L
Wallace 5 1
1A DIVISION II
WHITE STAR LEAGUE
League Overall
W L W L
Deary 4 0 7 0
Kendrick 4 0 4 2
Timberline 3 1 5 1
Clark Fork 2 2 4 2
Lewis County 1 3 2 4
Lakeside 1 3 1 5
Kootenai 0 6 0 7
Friday’s Games
Lakeside at Deary
Timberline at Kendrick
Lewis County at Clark Fork
Kootenai is idle