GRIDIRON GUESSES Nov. 17, 2023: For Coeur d’Alene, all those roads eventually led to Pocatello

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

When the Coeur d’Alene High football team embarked on a 330-mile round trip to Missoula to open the season vs. Rigby, it was with Saturday in mind.

Ditto the 630-mile round trip to Bothell, Wash., to play Woodinville.

And the 780-mile round trip to Vancouver, Wash., to play Camas.

So, coming off a 740-mile round trip to play at Eagle in the state semifinals, turning around the following week and gearing for a 1,050-mile round trip to play Highland in the state 5A championship game at Holt Arena in Pocatello isn’t as daunting a task for the Vikings as you might expect.

“It is part of our process, part of our plan,” said Shawn Amos, in his 27th season as Coeur d’Alene football coach. “We realize that to get to a state title game, you’re going to have to get on the road and travel, and be able to adapt to that, and get the most out of that. We do schedule that way for that reason, as well as finding state-level competition. So it’s a double win for us. Our kids are not fazed by getting on a bus and playing a game. They’ve done it through their careers. That’s just what we do.

“And they know it’s part of the pride of Coeur d’Alene football — we’re not afraid to get on a bus and go play people.”

Since the state playoffs began in 1979, Highland has captured 11 state championships, Coeur d’Alene five.

Coeur d’Alene (9-2) last won a state title in 2013, the last of four straight trips to the title game, and its third victory during that run.

The Vikings last played in a state title game in 2019, losing that memorable 57-56 double-overtime game to Rigby at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow. Coeur d’Alene also played in the 2017 title game at Holt Arena, losing to Highland.

Coeur d’Alene is in the state title game for the seventh time in 14 seasons. And for Amos and the other coaches that have been there that long, it’s their eighth title game.

Highland (10-1) last won a state title game in 2017, and last played in a state title game in 2021, losing to Rigby in an all-eastern Idaho final.

Rigby, the new kids on the block in football in statewide, has played in the last three state title games.

Sorrell said the emergence of Rigby has made us elevate our game even more. We’re one of the smaller 5As, something Coeur d’Alene knows about as well. Now Rigby’s one of the biggest 5As, they have a huge amount of kids rolling in.

“You have to develop depth to get through some injuries,” Sorrell added. “You have to get out and recruit different kids in your school to come out and play for you so you have that depth.

That’s one thing we’re starting to develop — depth from top to bottom.”

Among the other benefits to long bus rides is team building.

“When you’re on buses, and in hotels, kids are forced to hang out with each other, and get to know each other on a different level,” Amos said. “So I think that’s all an advantage, as far as building our program. You get to know somebody, seven hours on a bus.”

The players watch film of opponents during the week, but the long bus rides give them even more time to watch film.

Viking coaches put together “travel packs,” with game film and cut-ups. Thanks to HUDL and other software, film, and the technology that goes with it, is more accessible. The team brings along some iPads, and players can either watch film and cutups on the iPads or on their phones.

“These kids are getting better and better at watching film, and are able to see tendencies,” Amos said. “That’s the advantage of seven hours, eight hours on a bus — you have nothing else to do, so you might as well watch some football film.”

Speaking of film …

Nick Sorrell is his second year as Highland head coach, and his 19th year overall coaching at Highland. He succeeded longtime Rams coach Gino Mariani as head coach.

So he’s watched plenty of film on Coeur d’Alene — especially its defense, which has pitched two shutouts and held five teams to 10 points or less.

“Their defense, they’re great,” Sorrell said of the Vikings. “They fly around, the Robertson kid (Shea) is a dude at middle linebacker. They make you gain every single inch; they make you work for it.

“Offensively, you have a younger quarterback (sophomore Caden Symons) who can sling it. I think he throws the football really well. With their RPO game, and their screen game, it makes it difficult to defend, because you have to essentially defend sideline to sideline, and also down the field. It puts a lot of strain on teams.”

Sorrel said he likes how his defense can adjust to different offenses. Last week, the Rams went up against a single-wing team in Meridian, and avenged its only loss of the season. And they go up against a spread offense in practice.

“I tell people it’s going to be a low-scoring game,” Sorrel said of Saturday’s game. “And field position is going to be huge.”

Senior Drew Hymas has passed for 1,146 yards and 16 touchdowns, with four interceptions for Highland. He’s also rushed for four touchdown. Jackson Riddle, who has been offered by Navy, has rushed for 1,301 yards and 12 TDs. Riddle is also the leading receiver with 31 receptions, seven for touchdowns. Outside linebacker Colton George recently received an offer from Idaho State.

“They’re really big up front on offense, their quarterback is an athlete that can run,” Amos said of Highland. “They don’t do a lot of crazy stuff on defense, but they’re very good at what they do.”

“Who is going to control that line of scrimmage?” Sorrel said. “Our run game has taken us to where we are now. Whoever controls that is going to be a huge indicator to who comes out on top.”

Being the traveling team, the one traveling the farthest, Coeur d’Alene coaches asked for a Saturday game, in part for an extra day to recover after winning at Eagle 7-6 last Friday. Also, with two title games on the docket for Saturday, the Vikings requested the first game, because it’s “less chaotic,” Amos said. Playing the first game, you know when the game is going to start, and prepare accordingly. The second game starts a certain amount of time after the first game ends — though you never know exactly when that will be, and your warmup time could also be cut short.

The Vikings missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2008. But Amos said the coaches are confident in the process — if the kids are willing to buy in, and the athletes are there, Coeur d’Alene has a chance.

“To be playing in a state title game is pretty special,” Amos said. “We’ve been fortunate, we’ve been doing this long enough that we don’t take this for granted. It’s something that you appreciate. It’s a rarity; it’s hard to get to a state title game.

“Eagle, that was a huge effort by our kids, but the ultimate prize is still out there,” he added. “Highland’s 10-1, and we’re playing at Highland. They’re the real deal, too.”

As for the picks, Jason Elliott, Mark Nelke and Josh McDonald all went 1-0 — picking Coeur d’Alene to defeat Eagle.

For the season, Jason is 59-22, Mark 58-28, Josh 55-26.

SATURDAY’S GAME

Coeur d’Alene (9-2) vs. Highland (10-1), noon PST at Holt Arena, Pocatello

NELKE: The numbers suggest Highland would win this one — the Rams are playing at “home,” and Coeur d’Alene has lost in its last three state title games at Holt (in 2004, ’12 and ’17). However, the Vikings have developed an offense to complement its amazing defense, and being strong on both sides of the ball should be enough to eke out a victory.

Coeur d’Alene, 20-14

ELLIOTT: Walking out of Washington-Grizzly Stadium after seeing Coeur d'Alene knock off Rigby, you could sense something special could happen this fall. If that Viking team shows up at Holt Arena on Saturday, the boys in blue get a title. Then again, it's been an emotional year for Highland as well.

Highland, 14-12

McDONALD: Don't get it twisted, the Vikings are walking into hostile territory down in Pocatello. This is a classic good news, bad news situation for Cd’A fans. We'll start with the bad news — the Rams are 3-0 inside Holt Arena this season. The good news, however, is that the Viks have been pretty good on the road this year. This won't be the defensive grind that we saw a week ago — but if that level of defensive intensity shows up, Coeur d'Alene should be bringing home the big blue trophy. 

Coeur d’Alene, 24-21