THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Wednesday, September 2, 2015

You've got to start somewhere when it comes to opening the season.

Whether at home, the road or a neural site, last weekend was exactly that, a start for area high school football teams.

MOST LIKELY the best thing to come out of the weekend has been the lifting of the smoky smell and fire danger in a lot of the area, giving schools the ability to get back out on their own fields to start practicing and playing the games.

Last week, three games scheduled for Kootenai County were moved south to the Kibbie Dome, with a St. Maries at Kellogg game scheduled for Kellogg also sent to Moscow.

Lewiston and Lakeland were able to get their game played in Rathdrum, where conditions were great by kickoff on Friday.

Lewiston beat Lakeland 49-7 at Corbit Field in Rathdrum.

"It's been tough getting ready for this game," Lakeland coach Tim Kiefer said. "Everything, our preparation for the game, pregame and all that, we're still learning. But when you add the distraction of not being able to practice (outside) because of the smoke, I think it made things more difficult. The kids bounced back and handled things well in the second half and didn't give up. They're just going to keep getting better and better."

They had to wait an extra day, but St. Maries - after a turnover on the opening kickoff - found itself running away with a 38-7 win against former Intermountain League foe Kellogg in the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

"Our defensive line played well and our linebackers did a good job of getting to the ball," St. Maries coach Craig Tefft said. "I'm just happy we came out of this game healthy. Whenever you can get a win and come out of the game healthy, it's a good thing."

The teams - who combined for more than 160 yards in penalties - will meet again on Sept. 18 in St. Maries.

IN WHAT was the best game - and final of seven moved to the Kibbie Dome - of the weekend, the Sandpoint Bulldogs edged the Post Falls Trojans in one of the best played high school football games I've seen in a while.

Early, it seemed as if the Bulldogs might be able to go to the ground and find a way to hold off the Trojans. Then, just as it seemed like the Trojans had things going the right direction, Sandpoint took advantage and changed the game on three plays.

That's right, three plays.

Deep pass for a touchdown.

Fumble recovery.

Another deep pass.

And it wound up being enough to hold off a late surge by Post Falls.

The culprit behind the big plays for Sandpoint, Wyatt McCormick-Cox, who was in on all three players, scoring two touchdowns and recovering the fumble to set up the final drive.

"He's a big-play guy," Sandpoint coach Satini Puailoa said. "He's a phenomenal athlete. We're not 100 percent where we want to be, and this was a tough opening game. Post Falls is a great team and played us tough. But it feels good to get this one."

There is still a long way to go, but at least early on, if those teams keep it up, there's a good chance they could be playing in Kibbie Dome again this year, with a lot more to play for.

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 jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.