The veteran pulls even with the youngster
Going with the home team helped yours truly pull into a tie with Seahawk Jason after five weeks of these (somewhat) educated guesses.
Lakeland held off Kootenai, giving me a 4-1 record on picking high school games for the week. Jason, who picked Kootenai, went 3-2. We both picked Coeur d’Alene to beat Camas.
On the college picks, neither one of us thought Boise State would stink up the joint like it did last week vs. Virginia. Jason picked up a game when Idaho won in overtime at South Alabama, but I evened it up when Eastern Washington rallied past Montana.
We are both 33-14 heading into this week’s picks.
(Hmm ... Idaho and Boise State are both idle this week. Too bad they couldn’t get together and ... )
HIGH SCHOOL
All games Friday at 7 p.m.
Capital Christian (3-1) at Coeur d’Alene (3-2)
NELKE: Coeur d’Alene had the audacity to lose in the final seconds, on the road, to the top-ranked team in Washington, and dropped two spots in this week’s media poll. Capital Christian, from Sacramento, is coached by Casey Taylor, who coached Del Oro of Loomis, Calif., vs. Lake City in the 2008 Rocky Mountain Rumble in Pocatello. Lake City won that one, 34-33.
Coeur d’Alene, 34-33
ELLIOTT: Should be a good one to watch ....
Coeur d’Alene, 44-30
Lake City (1-3) at Sandpoint (1-4)
NELKE: Lake City found the winning formula last week — give the ball to Grant Clark. Then give it to him again. And again.
Lake City, 26-20
ELLIOTT: Lake City’s defense made some big stops when they needed it last week ...
Lake City, 24-20
Post Falls (5-0) at Wenatchee (1-3)
NELKE: The Trojans roll into the Apple Bowl and pick up another big win heading into league play starting next week.
Post Falls, 48-14
ELLIOTT: Sorry coach ...
Post Falls, 44-20
Timberlake (0-4) at Lakeland (1-4)
NELKE: Umm ...
Lakeland, 32-14
ELLIOTT: I’m going with the home team in this one, though you never know in a rivalry game.
Lakeland, 28-14
St. Maries (3-2) at Bonners Ferry (1-4)
NELKE: St. Maries could wrap the 3A Intermountain League title with its fourth win in as many tries against IML foes ... except the Lumberjacks are in the 2A Central Idaho League.
St. Maries, 26-20
ELLIOTT: St. Maries, by just a few ...
St. Maries, 24-22
Kootenai (2-1) at Clark Fork (1-3)
NELKE: After coming up short at Lakeside last week, the Warriors go on the road again and find a way to win a close one.
Kootenai, 28-22.
ELLIOTT: An old fashioned North Star League showdown ...
Kootenai, 36-30
Mullan (0-3) at Lakeside (2-2)
NELKE: Umm ...
Lakeside, 48-6
ELLIOTT: Another one ...
Lakeside, 48-14
COLLEGE
USC (4-0) at WSU (4-0)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
NELKE: In the past, this might be a game where the Cougs find a way to, well, you know, lose it.
Not this year. Not this time.
WSU, 38-35
ELLIOTT: Could it be another triple overtime thriller on the Palouse like the one against Boise State earlier in the year? Probably not.
USC, 34-28
Sacramento State (2-2) at Eastern Washington (2-2)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
NELKE: After a slow start, EWU is starting to find its groove. So is Sac State, which lost at Idaho in the opener.
EWU, 42-21
ELLIOTT: After picking against the Eagles last week, I won’t in this one.
EWU, 45-28