Mark Nelke.
October 3, 2021
Stories this photo appears in:
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: In the heat of the action … for three straight days
We’re in the midst of what they call “The 100 deadliest days.” The phrase refers to the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when the number of fatal crashes involving teen drivers goes up dramatically.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Baseball grips us, even more so this week
The (younger) Boys of Summer will be in Hayden this weekend.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Colvin, Waddington, Bowie, DeGraw announce their college choices
Long gone, it appears, are the days when only friends and family were the ones to immediately hear about a commitment — the rest of us would find out much later.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: NIC’s latest move triggers lots of questions
Wednesday’s news release announcing NIC’s move noted that NIC and the NWAC had agreed to a “mutually beneficial transition” of NIC out of the NWAC and back into the NJCAA. Hmmm …
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Keeping one eye, at least, on Blazers, Zags in Thursday’s NBA draft
Jokic, of course, just led Denver to its first NBA title, and is becoming one of the faces of the league. And now there are some who think his success in the league could raise the NBA draft hopes of a certain Zag big man — though their games are hardly similar.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Coaching comings and goings among local high schools
“He’s been one of the longer-tenured coaches at Lakeland,” Lakeland athletic director Matt Neff said of Jason Bradbury, who resigned after 20 seasons as the Hawks' baseball coach. “He’s invested so much into the facilities there; he’s brought that field up to a pretty high standard. Just a great career; just a great baseball tradition that he had established there. It’s not too often anymore that you see those 20-year coaches, because to be a varsity coach anymore, the time commitment … it’s not the same as it used to be. “He’s got a career to be proud of, a tenure to be proud of. Anytime you have someone that commits 20 years toward a program like that, that’s to be commended, because it’s such a commitment, especially at the 4A/5A level around here.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: When our favorite teams get taken away from us
WHO KNOWS how we pick our favorite teams, when we don’t have a team in our own backyard?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The wind, the reign and other things made for another entertaining high school sports year
The football standout who won state titles in two “other” sports in addition to helping his football team win its first outright league title in 27 seasons — that’s a heckuva school year in sports.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: What's in a state? What about state baseball in the North?
If seating isn’t an issue in Sandpoint, or Coeur d’Alene … Bring it on!
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Great golf, and a local shining with Zags
“I'm still processing this,” Kellogg coach Simon Miller said. “It is rare for the weather to cooperate ... and I'm still replaying the last four holes in my mind. Stephen and Seth were definitely in the zone. They were matching one another shot for shot, and in the end, Stephen just drilled a difficult downhill putt for eagle on the 18th, and Seth drained his for birdie. Incredible performances on the biggest stage of the season thus far. Good stuff.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: 'OK guys, you have to win by x-amount'
Needing to win by four runs, that put Coeur d’Alene in the position, in the bottom of the seventh, of having to tie the game, then win on a walk-off grand slam — either in the seventh or in extras, as long as the Vikings won by four. How would you choreograph that?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: What's in a name — or names — for Spokane's new stadium
Elvis Presley performed at Albi. So did Billy Graham. Washington State used to play some of its home football games there. Some NFL preseason games, including a Seahawks tilt, were played there in the 1970s. In 1988, the Monsters of Rock, which included Metallica, the Scorpions and Van Halen, played at Albi.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: New classification numbers could change the IEL a bit
Sometimes, the numbers don’t lie. But sometimes, the human element is a good thing.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: State boys tourneys, chalk, and what's next
The third option is … what?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Nothing stays the same, even in college hoops
I missed Johnny Juzang this season. No, nothing like that.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Another summit for Buchanan to reach on Saturday
“This is going to be a cool opportunity to play, just representing my country, USA across your chest,” said Buchanan, who went on to lead Lake City to an undefeated season, the Timberwolves’ first state title in program history, and was named Idaho Gatorade boys basketball player of the year.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Before he became a Zags’ star, Anton Watson shined in another sport
“I really think, and it’s too late now, but I really think, if he would have stayed with baseball, he would have been drafted,” said Paul Manzardo, who coached Anton Watson on Little League all-star teams.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Hopefully, Vandals' new culture is a winning one
Alex Pribble said all the right things on Monday in Moscow, at a news conference to introduce him as Idaho’s 31st head basketball coach.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Manzardo's impressive spring, and other stuff
Kyle Manzardo, the former Lake City High and Washington State baseball star, was reassigned to the Tampa Bay Rays’ minor-league camp last Saturday. But not before the lefty hitting first baseman made an impression with the big club during spring training.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Parades, and other thoughts of hoops
One win down, five more to go for that elusive parade.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: When locals are on the roster, it's even easier to root local
Gonzaga’s a little different animal, because it’s almost against the law not to root for the lovables — men or women — no matter who’s on the roster.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: A long day at the gym ends with a smile
9:32 Even Jim Winger smiled.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: We’ve got questions — answers to come this week
It’s OK for us to look ahead.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: In seeding state tourneys, MaxPreps still seems better than the old way
The Idaho High School Activities Association is scheduled to discuss at its April board of control meeting whether to continue using MaxPreps to seed state tourneys next year and beyond, or try something else. It will be interesting to see kind of feedback the IHSAA gets.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Milestones, and a promising career cut short
AT THE time, in that state championship game, it seemed like an innocent-looking foul committed against Caden McLean. But it was far from that.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Seeds, perhaps pooling berths, and maybe an upset coming in girls regionals
“People are probably looking at us like those 17 games (won) weren’t as tough as they thought,” said first-year Post Falls coach Brian Hall, whose Trojans started 17-0. “But maybe we can surprise some people.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Questions, and more questions (and some answers)
As a followup question, can you imagine what a Lake City-Lapwai boys basketball game would look like?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Lake City adds a game, and keeps it in the family
More newsworthy, it will be the matchup of the cousins — senior Blake Buchanan of Lake City against senior Tyler Renner and junior Wyatt Holmes of St. Maries. Wyatt’s brother Landon, a sophomore, is on the Lumberjacks junior varsity.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: ‘The Catch’ was just a ‘nice catch,’ depending on who you root for
The 49ers and Cowboys — or Cowboys and 49ers — have had some pretty storied playoff matchups over the years. But until last season, when S.F. won in a wild-card matchup at Dallas, they hadn’t met in the postseason since 1995. Today, they meet in the playoffs for the first time in Santa Clara, with the winner advancing to the NFC Championship.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Now that our hearing has mostly returned …
“To me, it’s really no different,” second-year Coeur d’Alene boys coach Jon Adams said of the Fish game. “Once the game starts, and all the pageantry goes away, we’re just playing basketball. Other than the students standing right next to me, and the pom-poms in my face once in a while, it’s just basketball … but what a cool experience, this is truly a spectacle of an event. I’ve coached a long time and never been in something like this. It’s really cool to see all the school spirit and everybody come out.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Keeping up with a soggy Saturday, here and afar
Still, the Geno Smith Revival Tour will likely continue into next season, and Genius Coach Pete Carroll proved once again why he was right in fending off all those overtures to join the AARP.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Friday’s Lake City-Cd’A games are more than just Fish-y
“Coeur d’Alene’s had a great start; we’ve watched them closely, they’re playing well,” Lake City boys basketball coach Jim Winger said. “They’re shooting the ball extremely well. We’ve got our work cut out for us. It’s going to be a great matchup.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Holidays with the tube, and the Zags
AS LONG as you look at bowl games as programming — an alternative to, say, reruns of “Barney Miller” — they’re not bad television.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: With holiday hoops feasts over, it's back to the grind
Not only would the competition have been good for Lake City, but Oregon can be a suitable getaway from North Idaho this time of year, depending on the weather there.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: When in doubt, get 'em a beef stick!
Many football coaches say the politically correct thing when they say they say they want to recruit local players, because it heightens local interest in the program. Even better if those local players are key contributors to a program which is coming off just its third winning season this century, and its first FCS playoff appearance since 1995.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The benefits of playing tough teams
If you’re looking ahead — past the snow, and the cold — the first scheduled meeting between Coeur d’Alene and Lake City is Friday, Jan. 13, in the Fight for the Fish spirit game at Coeur d’Alene High.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Zags were tested; now, local prep teams will be
Undefeated … and mostly untested. Presumably, that will change this week.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Big win for Lake City, but bigger prize awaits in March
“It means a lot, just knowing where we’re at in the state, and knowing how good we really are,” said Lake City senior guard Kolton Mitchell, who scored a school-record 39 points. “But at the end of the day, we’ve got to get back to work on Monday, and keep grinding. We’re probably going to see them in March, and I know they’re going to be a different team then, and we will too.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Showcases, shot clocks and stuff
“I was excited that the first shot clock game in North Idaho was in our gym,” McLean said. “We try to do what’s best for kids, and this is best for kids.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The more bowls the better — however they are filled
I realize most bowl tie-ins are somewhat regional, for ease of travel for the fans. But what if a Pac-12 team could be sent somewhere else for a change?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: A flurry of activity on the courts and mats awaits — we hope
AND, MOST importantly, will it stop snowing long enough ...
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Voices from the past, locals in the future
Every now and then growing up, usually when the game was on TV, I would watch and keep stats.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Some reasons to give thanks …
Enjoy this group, one last time. Unless, of course, you’re trying to beat them.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: This, and that … and who?
Nick Faldo? That’s who College GameDay brought in as their “local” guest picker Saturday in Bozeman?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The tragedy in Moscow, and its impact on athletes
The Vandals are playing for a possible postseason berth this Saturday at Idaho State, but his thoughts — as well as the thoughts of many in his program — were with four University of Idaho students who were killed in an off-campus home in Moscow on Sunday morning.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Vandals, Bulldogs and ‘old’ ‘Dogs, etc.
Random thoughts while we watch to see if the Idaho Vandals will play their way into the FCS playoffs for the first time since 1995, when their first-year head coach, Jason Eck, was just beginning his college playing days as an offensive lineman at Wisconsin …
THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Starting to look like the good ol' days at the Dome
“I think coach Eck came in, brought some guys in that weren’t on the club last year,” Best said. “Nucleus is the same, the freshman quarterback (Gevani McCoy) is playing out of his mind. He can beat you with his arm and his feet.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Up to Vandal men to keep the momentum rolling
The Idaho women’s basketball team is set up to succeed again this winter. That leaves it up to the Vandal men to continue the momentum from the fall.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: At-large berths, and streaks
The question — should you schedule easier 5A-type schools in nonleague, to give you a better chance at an at-large berth, if it comes down to that?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Bad weather for state not restricted to North Idaho
Yes, at the state 4A boys and girls soccer tournament on Friday at The Fields, the teams played in the rain. But it was windy and/or rainy at tourney sites in Twin Falls and eastern Idaho this past weekend as well, for the state soccer tournaments held there. Even the Boise area was expected to get rain on Saturday.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Not your typical year in Idaho high school football
Post Falls, the team that lost to Lakeland, which lost big to Sandpoint, which lost to Coeur d’Alene, is poised to win its first outright league title since 1995.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Vandals’ next foe: ‘Have Team, Will Travel’
“At the end of it, everybody had fun,” Barnum said during the summer, at the Big Sky Football Kickoff in Spokane. “It brought attention not just to our team, but our university. The president came to the game. Everything I needed to have happen, happened. We won… so yes, everything worked out.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Friesz and Amos — former college teammates, both Vikings ... but not coaching colleagues
“I thought I might wear him down,” Amos said with a laugh. “You have an asset like that, a Coeur d’Alene Viking, I played with him at Idaho — I watched him play; I was on the sidelines, mostly, but … he was always a good presence, and I thought his personality would fit well with our staff, and what we were trying to do.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Up to Idaho to make Griz game must-see again
When you’ve been a mostly losing program for more than two decades, you celebrate any optimism you can find.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Tracking three games at once, and other stuff
You know those readerboards that are more and more prevalent on freeways and highways, providing useful information to motorists?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Talkin' QBs, Choate and Boise State
Until last year, the Seahawks had an impressive run of playoff appearances (9 in 11 years), but the bottom line was, they hadn’t made it to even an NFC title game since the 2014 season.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Getting the max out of volleyball tournaments
For the second year, as in most sports, volleyball is using MaxPreps rankings to seed its state tournaments.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: 40 for 40, North Idaho sports style
The stories never get old.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Pay attention to Lakeland in football, too
When Sandpoint and Lakeland collide later this season, Oct. 7 in Rathdrum, it will likely be for the league title, and a better seed in the 16-team state 4A playoffs.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The bar is different for these four area college football teams
And who knows, Eastern’s game at Idaho on Nov. 5 could be for a spot in the FCS playoffs — for either team.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Making a name for themselves, here and on the LPGA Tour
OF THE 132 who played in last year’s event, 63 players are back in this year’s field, including 30 of the 66 who made the 36-hole cut.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: A rebuilding job at ISU — have we heard this before?
“I think the fans of Idaho State, I compare them to a kicked dog — the dog still wants to love you, but after being kicked so many times, it’s apprehensive to come back.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: A hot — but fun — week at the ol’ ballgames
Weird thing about college wood-bat league games — walking among the umpires and the players on the way out of the ballpark after the game. Hard to imagine that happening at a major league game.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Notes on locals with Sky ties, present and past
“Doing outstanding, and I think eventually, he’s going to be one of the best players in the league,” said Jay Hill, in his ninth season as Weber State head coach, of former Coeur d'Alene Viking Cameren Cope, a projected defensive end who disrupted many opposing passing attacks during his days as a Viking.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Legion ball seems kinda foreign anymore
There was once as many as seven teams in the class "AA" North Idaho League. Now there are two.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: So much for the good ol’ days of the Pac-8, WAC and others
How does all this shuffling affect local/regional schools like Washington State and Boise State? Stay tuned.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Talkin' baseball, golf and Blake
With that type of pitching depth, it’s no coincidence the Lums have won three of the four tournaments they've played in — and reached the semifinals in the one they didn’t win.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Exposure, wins just part of a great experience in the desert for Lake City boys
“It was definitely a ton of exposure … like nothing I’ve ever seen,” said Winger, a high school boys basketball coach for 25 years. “And then to play well, and win our division, win the championship by 26, we really got a lot of attention. That’s what’s been really great about it.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Tweaking state basketball tourneys an intriguing idea
The fact that the board was split on the idea, and discussion was lengthy, bodes well for an idea like this getting approved in the future.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Shot clock coming, along with questions
WHAT TOOK so long for Idaho to OK a shot clock? Well, for one thing, it’s Idaho. Change happens slowly. But at least it has happened in recent years, examples being the aforementioned three-man officiating crews at state, and this year, using MaxPreps rankings to seed state tournaments.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Thanks, Ed, for perhaps saving college basketball
IT WAS easier to follow your favorite college team back then. When a star player came in, you knew you could enjoy him at your favorite school for four years — or at least three, if he wanted to leave early. The current one-and-done craze has made that a lot harder to do.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: A cold spring, capped by a cool feat
Could have been worse. The camera can adapt to the cold. It objects to the rain.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Uneventful weather for state softball for a change; and Jake’s back
The weather problems that often plague state softball tournaments when they come to North Idaho largely did not surface this past weekend. At least in Kootenai County.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Playing through it all at state
A local high school softball coach recently said one of her players was so tough, she would take one off the teeth if it were necessary for her team to win a game.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Weather, umps, bus drivers and stalling
“If you don’t like the weather now, wait 15 minutes.” Or drive 15 miles. Or change the channel, hoping for a better forecast there.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Two days that seemed like a week
State tournaments, as we’ve learned in recent years, have little to no margin for error if it rains.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Quirky IEL math still usually adds up
Once again, the seven-team Inland Empire League tried to do the right thing for the good of the league, and made the baseball and softball games count toward seeding for the regional tournament — even the ones between the four 5A teams and the three 4A teams.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Despite push from media, officials still a rare species
Three weeks later, the situation is somewhat encouraging, but still dire.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Crowded at the top in wide-open 5A softball race
“Honestly, we’re doing the exact same thing we did last year — we developed a program, we’re using it, we knew they were progressing last year, we did well at the end, we knew we were going to be young, so we’re just continuing that to see if it works, and it’s working well, and we’re just going to keep going,” fourth-year Coeur d’Alene coach Bobbi Darretta said.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Shot clock good ... and the earth is round, too!
SOME HAVE felt that the IHSAA is a cave-dwelling family of sorts. “Earth is flat. Go too far … fall off edge.” But in reality, if a group comes up with an idea for change, the IHSAA will listen.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Now spring sports get their turn with MaxPreps
The fall and winter sports made it through the new seeding process for state tournaments without too much controversy. Now it’s baseball and softball’s turn.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Before we spring forward, some final winter sports thoughts
The marshmallows finally made it to state this year.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: State boys basketball didn’t unfold quite to seed
Like the girls’ tourney, the boys’ tourney seemed to avoid the top two teams in the state against each other in the first round, which was one of the goals of using seeding.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Zags, Cougs, toughness, and other things
And honestly, a feisty game against a regional rival might be more beneficial for the Zags in the long run than one of their “scrimmages” they schedule in November and December.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Rigby part of another challenging Cd'A football schedule
“(Rigby) Coach (Armando) Gonzales and I keep in touch,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “So we thought it would be a great experience to get our programs together and play in Griz Stadium.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: NCAA thoughts, and more Mel talk
It was another crazy day watching the NCAAs — men and women.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Portland got lucky, and not just because of the Zags
None of those sites can top the teams sent to Portland, where the Oregon Coast is just an hour away.
THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Trade of TGRW should have come with a laugh track
Pete, you just traded your son.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Lumberjacks learn lessons on court, life lessons off it
"The first couple of times you come down here you don’t realize what a business trip it is," St. Maries boys basketball coach Bryan Chase said of the state tournament. "People think sometimes it’s a vacation. But we watch film until midnight every night, and we’re up at 6 (a.m.) making a game plan as a coaching staff. The kids take it pretty seriously too."
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Pickett reflects on his heart scare, and a long-ago game at Lake City
“I’m blessed. I’m very, very blessed,” Pickett told The Press. “I went from a guy that, a couple of months ago, was just going to get a routine checkup to, ‘Hey, maybe we have a problem’ to, ‘My gosh, I’m going to have to have open heart surgery.’ I’m so thankful I was able to go see Dr. Lombardi at the University of Washington and get that stent put in.”
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: 'Hey, haven't we seen you somewhere before?'
In the small world department … Obviously Lake City has never faced Owyhee, a first-year school in Meridian before. But the Timberwolves did play against star Owyhee guard Jack Payne last year at state.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: A better format, with possible room for discussion
At least at this point, the new way of seeding state tournaments appears to be an improvement over the old way.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Everything else is expanding — what about state tournaments?
With deserving high school teams getting bumped off in regionals in recent years and thus not qualifying for state, the cries have gone out on the internet to find ways to make sure those teams get to play at state.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Taking care of the ball — no matter what shape it is
For several years, the 5A, 4A and 3A state-qualifying tournaments were all held at Lakeland High, all on a single day, with the finals in each on side-by-side-by-side mats. A fan could come to Lakeland and watch all three tournaments.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Streaks, streaks and more streaks
Looking back at some remarkable streaks by local prep teams.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The highs and lows of fandom, near and far
Zags fans have it made these days. During this two-month stretch, the question isn't "Will they win?" but "How much will they win by?" A 16-point win apparently constitutes a nail-biter.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Lake City, Cd'A brought the spirit even without the Fish
So it was a lot like a Fish game — just without the Fish.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Ed Cheff, as remembered by his former players
The boxing smokers. The literal chopping of wood. The tough love. The life lessons learned.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Big games will once again lack Fish-y aspect
After a year's absence, students from both schools were especially itching to make some noise again. But unfortunately COVID-19 had other ideas, so the Fight for the Fish spirit event scheduled for Friday at Coeur d'Alene High was canceled for a second straight year.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Charles 'Bud' Ford also remembered for his whistle, generosity to CHS
"He wasn’t ready to retire," Roger Stewart recalled of Charles "Bud" Ford as a football official. "He loved officiating, did not want to give it up, and even when got to an age where he really wasn’t mobile enough to do it, he still wanted to be out there in heart and spirit."
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: So many good teams, but only so many berths
It might be too late for the Inland Empire League to petition the state to have the eight-team fields for the state boys and girls basketball tournaments chosen by a selection committee.
THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Local ties, cool stories and decisions
With the Cougs so depleted at quarterback by the end of the season, how cool would it have been to see Chris Irvin, a walk-on from Lake City High, take a few snaps in El Paso?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Lake City boys looking to make the most of every game
"They’re fired up — sometimes too much — in the locker room, and coming out to play," Lake City boys basketball coach Jim Winger said. "They’ve even said it; they’ve got 21 of these (games), and they want to take advantage of every one of them."
THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Last-minute gift ideas for local sports teams
Watching the Zags have their way -- so far -- with a barely ranked, shorthanded and shooting-challenged Texas Tech team ... And thinking about a few last-minute Christmas gifts for the local sporting community.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Hot starts, and where they lead
Coeur d'Alene is 7-0, Lake City 10-0, Post Falls 6-1 — and the Trojans were unbeaten until losing to Mead in their last outing. So what does this all mean?
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Tough year for coaches, as well as some teams
Now the question is, which will come first — the announcement of the new football coach at Idaho, or the first day of the early signing period, which is Wednesday.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Emerging from the fog of the MaxPreps rankings
"I think it's better than the alternative," St. Maries boys basketball coach Bryan Chase said of the MaxPreps rankings.
THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Seahawks, 49ers not suitable for prime time this time
It shouldn't matter if Adrian Peterson or DeeJay Dallas or Claude Dallas or E.J. the D.J., or even Edgerrin James or Franco Harris, is running the ball for the Seahawks.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: LaFountaine, Twoteeth back coaching, for the right reasons
Both thought their coaching days were behind them. But administrators, in one case, and players in the other, thought enough of them to talk them back into coaching.
THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Talkin' turkey, turnovers ... and tag?
Since folks around here eat up anything Zags, perhaps our Lovable Local Heroes could keep us entertained with the occasional game of tag over the next few months on a course set up at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: MaxPreps vs. the old way — how it played out in the fall
In some high school fall sports in Idaho, the top seed often won the state title. But in other sports ...
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Comparing Coeur d'Alene's playoff run to the other state powers
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.
THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Bulldogs re-creating the resurgence, all those years later
More than two decades later, Sandpoint is blessed to have two of its favorite sons back in town, trying to lead the Bulldogs to their first state football title since then — Ryan Knowles in his fourth year as head coach, Jeremy Thielbahr in his third season as offensive coordinator.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Hartz's triumphant return, with a little help from his friends
"Timberlake turned out to be one of the best runs of my career," said Eagle football coach John Hartz, who was boys basketball coach at Timberlake for three seasons in the early 2000s. "I just loved it. I lived at Twin Lakes Village, played golf a ton, coached basketball and a little football, and met some great people."
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Ah, we miss the good ’ol days of exhibition games
Until this year, Gonzaga had not played an exhibition game since 2018, and had only played seven total since that two-fer in 2005.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Leftover bumps, sets, spikes from state volleyball
"My team needed me to hit this year," Lake City senior volleyball standout Hanah Stoddard said. "It was good. Obviously it’s tough to give up something that you’re working toward for college, but I was just doing whatever my team needed me to do."
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Math, vs. deciding it on the field: A debate
Rich Anderson coached high school football in Kansas for 45 years. He has had a place on Lake Coeur d'Alene for 57 years, and has been retired here for the past 11 years.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: State volleyball in North lacking many teams from North
The only thing that's missing this year is ... a whole bunch of teams from the North.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Moment of truth for the new way of seeding state tourneys
According to MaxPreps' explanation of its computer rankings: "Generally, the more a team wins, the higher the ranking. However, the system takes into account quality wins (against other highly ranked opponents) and strength of schedule. "For example, a team's ranking is hurt more by losing to a team that is ranked below them than a team ranked ahead."
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Whatever you call it, Idaho vs. EWU means something
"At the end of the day, it's a game that means a little bit more," EWU coach Aaron Best said. "But it's not a rivalry."
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Carr on Russell, coaching and relationships
"It (being an analyst) is very complex," said Curt Carr, high school football coach of Eric Russell, now a special teams analyst at Texas A&M. "It doesn’t get the notoriety, but head coaches know it’s a big deal."
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Wildness in baseball, and college football as well
Here's example NO. 1,234,567 of why comparative scores don't always mean something.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The small schools get their league back — in football, anyway
Last fall, the Knights qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 19 seasons — and their reward was a 78-6 loss at eventual state 1A Division I champion Oakley. "Yeah, we made it to state, but we were completely demoralized," Lakeside athletic director Jerel Hight told the IHSAA board.
THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Questions surround Seahawks, 49ers ... and Mariners
Maybe the bigger question is, will any Seattle fans be watching the Seahawks at 1 p.m. today?