THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Nice wins, but need the fans back
Admittedly, this sports year has been a little weird.
We’ve known since March that things were going to be a little different, with the cancellation of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments, spring sports in the state of Idaho and the abbreviated Major League Baseball season, with no fans in the stands.
Watching online as Lakeland celebrated its first state volleyball championship in program history, that might have taken the cake.
AS THE spike in COVID-19 cases hit the state in the last two weeks, the Idaho High School Activities Association opted to limit fans at the state volleyball tournaments last weekend. Limits on fans were already in place beforehand, but as cases increased, schools were limited by tournament organizers to 25 fans each in some cases.
I get that in this pandemic, you kind of have to do what you need to do in order to play the tournament, but to limit it that low seems like a disservice to those kids that qualified.
Maybe even a little more to those parents that had to take time off work, get hotel rooms and make plans to attend the matches in person.
At least those qualifiers in cross country were told that the state meet wasn’t going to be held at Eagle Island State Park and instead moved to Pocatello for a two-day meet. In case you missed it, the big schools competed last Friday, with the smaller schools competing the following day.
Just a few weeks ago, once the snow cleared, the 3A state soccer tournaments resumed at The Fields in Post Falls. As it so happened, a semifinal match in both the boys and girls tournament had to be postponed, leaving both the winner and loser to play twice on Saturday.
It worked out well for Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy, with its girls team holding off Sugar-Salem 1-0 in double overtime for its fifth straight championship.
Meanwhile, the Charter boys, who lost to eventual champion Sun Valley Community School in the semifinals, had to bounce back to beat Gooding 2-0 in the third-place match.
Schools in the 5A tournament didn’t stick around long enough to play things out up north as those tournaments were postponed and moved to the southern part of the state.
It was unfortunate for the Lake City girls, who had their consolation championship match cancelled after losing their first-round match, then winning a loser-out match. As it so happened, that consolation championship match was to be played at Lake City High.
Win or lose, especially for the seniors — of both teams — it might have been nice if they could have had a final game. Even if the weather wasn’t that great.
But at least teams had the chance to play, something that most might not get anytime soon.
EVEN THE professional games have been a little odd to watch since things got going again in late July.
As the Mariners continued to struggle through the summer, sometimes seeing the different faces on the cardboard cutouts at T-Mobile Park might have been the most entertaining part of the game.
In fact, the Mariners just might have led the league in cutouts at the field, as it seemed the stands were filled up more than if the team had actually allowed fans.
Hopefully by the time baseball comes around next spring, fans will be allowed back into stadiums in some form.
Because watching those games in empty stadiums has led to a lot of empty feelings about wins and losses.
Something that you really shouldn't feel watching sports, no matter who is playing.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.