THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Comparing Coeur d'Alene's playoff run to the other state powers

I was thinking about this a couple of weeks ago, as I left Viking Stadium after a rare home playoff loss by the Coeur d'Alene High football team.

It's been eight seasons now since Coeur d'Alene won a state title in football.

That doesn't seem right, but it's true.

And it's also not the most accurate measurement of the program.

The more telling numbers ...

The Vikings have been in the playoffs for 13 straight seasons, or since 2009 ...

And, Coeur d'Alene has played in six state title games during that span, winning three.

As Shawn Amos, who has guided the Vikings to 17 playoff appearances in 25 seasons as head coach, likes to say, getting to the title game is the big accomplishment, because sometimes crazy things happen in that final game.

(See, Rigby 57, Coeur d'Alene 56, 2OT, in the 2019 championship game at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. And two years earlier, the high-powered, Colson Yankoff-led Viking offense was held to eight points by Highland and future NFL fourth-round draft pick Tommy Togiai).

ANYWAY, I wondered how Coeur d'Alene's playoff run since 2009 compared with the other heavies in 5A.

Eagle, Capital of Boise and Highland have all also made the playoffs every year since 2009. Rocky Mountain of Meridian has been in there 12 out of 13 times (missing only in 2011). Mountain View of Meridian has made 11 appearances, and is currently on a run of nine in a row.

(From the rest of the 5A Inland Empire League, Lake City has been in the playoffs six times since 2019, but just once since 2014. Post Falls has been in the playoffs five times, and had a streak of four straight snapped this year. Lewiston made it in this year for the fourth time, all in the last seven years).

Lake City had a string of 16 consecutive playoff appearances, from 1997-2012.

From 2009-present, Coeur d'Alene has three titles, three runner-up finishes and three times losing in the semifinals for a total of nine trophies in 13 trips.

Highland, the gold standard for big schools with 11 state titles since 1979, has two titles, two runner-up finishes and five semifinal appearances for nine trophies since 2009.

Highland is playing in Friday's state championship game vs. Rigby, which is in the title game for the third straight year, seeking its second title.

Capital has two runner-up finishes and three semifinal finishes for five trophies.

Eagle has one state title, one runner-up finish and one semifinal finish for three trophies.

Rocky Mountain has three state titles, and six finishes in the semis for nine trophies in 12 trips.

Mountain View has one state title, two runner-up finishes and three semifinal appearances — all since 2014 — for six trophies in 11 trips.

That's some pretty good company.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.