THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Parking spaces, backup QBs and other football stuff

Usually, it’s pretty easy to find a spot in the church parking lot across from Coeur d’Alene High on Viking football Friday nights. 

It’s a handy “overflow” lot for the one at the high school, which fills up FAST.

But last Friday, there were only a scant few spaces remaining in the furthermost reaches of the church parking lot with still some 10-15 minutes before kickoff at Viking Field. 

It was Coeur d’Alene’s homecoming game, and its foe was the city rival Lake City Timberwolves, coming into the game with the same record (4-2) as the Vikings. 

Inside, the stadium was packed on both sides — a rarity at any high school stadium around here anymore. 

I remember a few years ago — OK, maybe it was 20 years ago — when they brought in portable bleachers and put them in the end zones for a Lake City-Coeur d’Alene football game at Viking Field. 

Obviously, times have changed and there’s way more other things to do on a Friday night these days — including a high school football game at home from the comfort of your couch or recliner. 

So it was nice to see the stands packed again. 

Even if it meant a little longer walk from the parking lot to the stadium. 

COEUR d’ALENE IS blessed to have a backup quarterback in sophomore Tannar Stern (yes, Tannar with an “ar” at the end) that could probably start on most other teams in the area.  

At Coeur d’Alene, he backs up junior Caden Symons, who lately is attracting recruiting interest in football as well as basketball. 

Viking coach Shawn Amos said earlier in the season the plan was to play Stern at least one series in each game — in part because when Amos’ son, Gunnar, was a backup quarterback in college, he was rarely used, which Shawn didn’t think was quite right, since the backup is only one play away from being the starter.  

Last Friday night, Tannar Stern’s series came early in the fourth quarter, after Lake City had turned an interception into a scoring drive to cut Coeur d’Alene’s lead to 10-7. 

The Timberwolves had the momentum, and some folks were thinking upset. 

Why put the backup in then? 

“We have confidence in him, though,” Shawn Amos said. “We promised him he’s going to play a series, and we played him. We just know he’s going to get a series, so ... we trust him, and sometimes it works out, and ... we punted on other (drives), too. 

After a running play Stern, son of former Lake City quarterback Matt Stern, completed three straight passes and Coeur d’Alene drove into Lake City territory before a sack eventually led to a punt. 

Lake City threw an interception two plays later, and Symons went back in at quarterback, and led the Vikings on a drive deep into T-Wolf territory. 

But on fourth and 1 at the Lake City 11, Amos sent Stern back in, and he took a direct snap and powered five yards for a first down. 

On the next play, Anthony Thompson ran it in from six yards out for a touchdown and a 10-point lead. 

“We’re trying to develop him, and Caden knows that he’s the guy,” Amos said of Stern. 

THERE’S NO Moscow in the league this year (in football, anyway), but the 5A Inland Empire League still is intriguing due to the addition of Lewiston, which dropped down from 6A because of the new classification numbers. 

In recent years, the Lakeland-Sandpoint game has usually been for the league title and an automatic berth to the state playoffs, though the loser usually received an at-large berth as well. 

Lakeland plays its league opener Friday at home against Sandpoint, then travels to Lewiston next Friday. 

Lewiston won 37-27 at Sandpoint last week. The league champion automatically gets into the playoffs; the other two teams could be in the mix for one of eight at-large berths in the 16-team playoffs, based on MaxPreps rankings. 

In the most recent rankings, Lakeland is fourth in 5A, Lewiston fifth, Sandpoint 13th, so the Bulldogs could use some help getting in if they fall to the Hawks on Friday in Rathdrum. 

Of course, Moscow dropping down made the (4A) Intermountain League — where Timberlake and Bonners Ferry were it the past two years — a little more interesting. 

Only the IML champion is guaranteed a spot in the 12-team playoffs. The five league champions automatically get in; the rest of the field is determined by MaxPreps rankings. 

This week, Moscow is ranked ninth in MaxPreps, Timberlake 13th, Bonners Ferry 16th, meaning the Tigers and Badgers could need some help to get in if they don’t win the league. 

Moscow beat Bonners Ferry 28-14 last week, and can win the league title Friday when the Bears play at Timberlake. Timberlake travels to Bonners Ferry next Friday, so the Tigers could be league champs by winning out. 

Stay tuned. 

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 X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports.