THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Big time tourneys, not this year

Sure, it’s nice to get up and get away once in a while.

But those business trips and vacations have been put on hold in 2020 during the current coronavirus pandemic.

A little over nine months later, the pandemic has likely taken another showcase event from squads at Post Falls High.

BOTH BASKETBALL teams from Post Falls were scheduled to compete at the annual Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas later this winter, but those dates have been put on hold.

In case you forgot, Post Falls finished runner-up to Borah of Boise in the state 5A boys tournament last March. The Trojan girls went 1-2 at state, falling to Boise in the consolation championship game.

The tournament, scheduled for Dec. 18-22 at Bishop Gorman High, will either be postponed or canceled as Nevada schools won’t start practices until Jan. 1, 2021. The first games can’t start before Jan. 15 according to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association. Nevada is also playing its fall sports with an abbreviated spring schedule.

“If they do it, it’s going to be pushed back,” Post Falls athletic director Craig Christensen said. “Once we get into January, it’s hard for us to get away as we’re right in our league schedule in January. If they do play the tournament, it’s going to be impossible for us to go.”

When Post Falls competed in the Classic in December 2017, the Trojan boys went 2-2 and the girls went 3-1 and went on to win the 2018 state title.

Something else to keep in mind is big-time wrestling tournaments such as the Tri-State Invitational — still scheduled for Dec. 18-20 at North Idaho College — and the Rollie Lane Invitational in Nampa (Jan. 8-9) at the Ford Idaho Center, could also be scaled down, should those events happen.

WHILE THE showcase tournaments are gone, those basketball teams at Post Falls are still going to see a tournament atmosphere when and if that time comes.

The girls are scheduled to compete in the TimberLion Tournament Dec. 28-30 in Boise, while the boys take part in a tournament at Middleton High on Dec. 10-12.

Or at least are scheduled to right now.

Keep in mind, the biggest thing is that the games are going on for the kids in the state of Idaho right now.

As of Wednesday, fans and athletes have followed protocols to keep the games going.

“We’ve been really pleased so far with our kids,” Lakeland athletic director Mike Divilbiss said. “Just having any opportunities for them to have a chance to play again has been good. It’s just great for everyone to be competing again.”

And maybe it was the way the spring season abruptly ended in March, but you can already tell that those coaches and players are doing all they can to keep things on the right path.

Hopefully we can stick to that, instead of another "road closed" sign along the way.

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.