A 'rivalry' unlike any other

The teams went through the traditional handshake line at midfield at the end of a hard-fought state 5A semifinal football game between Coeur d’Alene and Highland of Pocatello on Friday night at Viking Field.

Then the Vikings and Rams lined up on their respective 40-yard lines, and Highland disappointedly accepted its third-place trophy, after Coeur d’Alene held on for a 21-17 victory.

Normally, after that, players and coaches go their own ways.

But not Coeur d’Alene and Highland.

Players from each team continued to seek each other out, for a hug and a few words.

Even coaches sought out players for the other team ... same thing.

“If we play Coeur d’Alene in the semis or finals every year, I wouldn’t be upset,” Highland coach Gino Mariani said. “It’s a healthy rivalry, it’s a great rivalry; very respectful.”

COEUR d’ALENE AND Highland met for the 10th time in the last eight seasons on Friday night.

After the Vikings’ thrilling win in the semis, each team has now won five games during that span.

In the latest edition, Highland had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, but a fourth-down pass from the Cd’A 4-yard line fell incomplete in the end zone.

A completion wouldn’t necessarily have won the game for the Rams. Coeur d’Alene would have had 3 1/2 minutes to answer — and the Vikings usually need far less time than that to score. But it would have made for an interesting final few minutes.

As it turned out, the Vikings got the one first down they needed to run out the clock, and are off to the state title game for the sixth time in the last 10 seasons.

LONG BEFORE either Mariani or Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos were at their respective schools, Coeur d’Alene and Highland also met in the 1987 state A-1 title game, the Rams winning 27-24 at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

Earlier than that, Coeur d’Alene beat Highland in the playoffs in 1982, ’83 and ’86. In ’82, the Vikings went on to win their first state title.

Since the Idaho High School Activities Association began sanctioning state football playoffs in 1979, Highland has won 11 state titles, most in the large-school division. Coeur d’Alene is second with five; Centennial is third with four, and Pocatello and Meridian each have three state titles.

Amos has won three state titles since taking over as Coeur d’Alene coach in 1997; Mariani has won three since getting the Highland job in 2001. They’ve squared off four times in the playoffs — twice in the state title game — with Coeur d’Alene winning three. Cd’A beat Highland in the 2013 title game at the Kibbie Dome, and the Rams beat the Vikings for the 2017 crown at Holt Arena in Pocatello.

“We love playing Highland; they’re such a great program,” Amos said. “Honestly, when we started here, we wanted to become like Highland; it’s fun to match up with those guys.”

“It’s a great compliment,” Mariani said when told what Amos said. “We have a ton of respect for Coeur d’Alene.”

Two years ago, Amos and Mariani agreed to try to play each other in the regular season every year if possible, despite the distance. Highland traveled to Coeur d’Alene in 2018, and the Vikings played at Highland earlier this season.

If they can work it out, schedule wise, they hope to keep playing each other in the regular season in upcoming years.

Which would just be a good thing for all of us.

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.