THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Making up for lost time on the softball field

Part of it could have been because the mild winter meant most teams got out onto their fields earlier in the spring, instead of being cooped up in a gym.

But most of it was due to the disappointment of missing nearly all of the spring sports season in 2020.

Whatever the case, there's a different vibe about high school softball programs in the area this spring sports season.

"The kids are real excited; we were just really anxious to get on the dirt," Lakeland coach Colleen Bevacqua said. "They were certainly champing at the bit. They were real disappointed about not being able to play last year. They felt like they got robbed last season."

And Lakeland wasn't even going to be senior-laden last spring.

But even one or two missing out was enough.

"I still am sick to death for my seniors — a whole year lost," Bevacqua said.

UP IN Timberlake, "Our girls are really excited to be back out," Tigers coach Casi Lupinacci said. "You lose a season, and for some of these kids, softball is their season. There's a different feel to it."

Even the early season practices had a different feel.

"Normally those first two weeks of practice in a gym, it's like a crawl," Lupinacci said. "This year, it went by fast."

Lake City coach Jesse Lenz noted there was "not a huge difference" in the preseason vibe compared to last year, "but the girls are definitely excited to see the sun," he said. "It's more of an excitement difference."

Even though Washington schools are playing belated, truncated seasons this year due to COVID-19, Lake City was able to pick up a doubleheader at Moses Lake on April 21.

Moses Lake played at Lake City in 2019 and the Chiefs' coach enjoyed it, Lenz said.

"They can't travel to us, but we can travel to them," he said.

AT COEUR d'Alene, Vikings coach Bobbi Darretta was looking to build on a (tie for) third-place finish in 2019, with most of that squad back in 2020.

"Last year we were a powerhouse," she said. "Our pitching was young, but I knew we were going to score a lot of runs. Last year was a hard year to walk away from."

Down in St. Maries, the Lumberjacks are usually practicing in a gym for the first few weeks of softball seasons, waiting for the remnants of winter to go away.

"We're blessed that we're out playing, but more blessed that we've been outside for two weeks," St. Maries coach Todd Bitterman said.

For his seniors, "They missed a year, so it's really important to get this one in, because they missed one season of softball."

Then there's Post Falls, which had no seniors on its team last year.

"If there's a blessing in disguise, we didn't have any seniors that (missed out)," Post Falls coach Holly Gleaves said. "I saw they were a little rusty at times (early this season).

"We're all a little rusty," Gleaves said, including coaches.

And missing last season, and the fact this season could end any time due to COVID (maybe not so much now, but it was certainly a concern earlier in the school year, particularly during the fall sports season), might mean players won't take the game for granted.

"You never know when it could be your last game," Gleaves said.

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.