THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Home cooking could bode well for local soccer teams

Since the Idaho High School Activities Association took over sponsoring state high school boys and girls soccer tournaments, Boise-area teams have dominated the 5A tourneys.

Except the few times those tourneys have been held in North Idaho.

Boise-area teams have claimed 18 of the 20 5A boys titles. The lone exceptions were in 2012, when Post Falls won the state title on Coeur d'Alene High's field, and 2003, when Idaho Falls won.

And in ’12, Post Falls played its first two state tourney games on its home field.

In 2016, Coeur d'Alene's boys played for the state title on its home field, losing to Boise after winning its first two tourney games at Post Falls.

SAME WITH the 5A girls.

Boise-area teams have won 17 of 20 state titles since 2000.

The exceptions — Lake City, which won in 2012 and ’16, and Coeur d'Alene, which won in 2006.

Both of Lake City's state titles were won in North Idaho. In 2012, the Timberwolves won the title on Coeur d'Alene High's field, after winning its first two state tourney games on its home field.

Same thing in 2016.

When Coeur d'Alene won in 2006, it was at the Capital Soccer Complex in Boise.

This week, with the 5A boys tourney at Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls high schools, and the 5A girls at Lake City and Coeur d'Alene high schools, it's up to the Post Falls boys and the Lake City girls to keep that home cooking streak alive.

Hopefully for teams still alive and kicking by Saturday, that round thing they'll be kicking won't feel like kicking a boulder.

Today will be the "balmy" day of the tournament — a predicted high of 45 and a low of 26 in Coeur d'Alene.

On Friday, the projected high is 36, the low 23.

On Saturday, it's expected to be 30 and 13.

By then, masks will also serve as a warming device.

NOW TO that other sport they also call football.

Coeur d'Alene's 64-34 victory over Lake City last Friday wasn't the highest-scoring game in the history of the series.

But it was close.

The highest-scoring game took place in 2005, when Lake City won 59-41 at home. That's also the most points the Timberwolves have scored in a game against the Vikings.

Coeur d'Alene's highest-scoring game in the series came two years ago, when the Vikings won 69-14 at home.

Since Coeur d'Alene split and Lake City opened in fall 1994, the schools have played 38 times in football, and the series is now even, with each team winning 19 games. Coeur d'Alene has won 13 of the last 14.

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.