MARK NELKE
Mark Nelke covers high school and North Idaho College sports, University of Idaho football and other local/regional sports as a writer, photographer, paginator and editor at the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has been at The Press since 1998 and sports editor since 2002. Before that, Mark was the one-man sports staff for 16 years at the Bonner County Daily Bee in Sandpoint. Earlier, he was sports editor for student newspapers at Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University. Mark enjoys the NCAA men's basketball tournament and wiener dogs — and not necessarily in that order.
Recent Stories
Lake City 'starting over,' Lakeland looks for commitment to 'D'
Lake City is trying to focus on what it has, not what it doesn't have, as the Timberwolves prepare to open their girls basketball season tonight at home vs. Lakeland at 6 p.m.
A romp in the rain
Vikings handle elements, advance to state title game
Vikings, Capital in role reversal
In their march to the state championship last year, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings needed a blocked punt with less than three minutes left to set up the go-ahead touchdown in a victory over previously undefeated Capital of Boise in the state 5A semifinals.
Girls basketball tips off in North Idaho
Thanks to a football game, girls basketball season in North Idaho starts one day earlier this year.
The sweet taste of victory
Winning makes everything better.
98-yard drive sparks Viks
Cd’A subdues Mountain View, on to semis
Vandal defense has shined of late
Idaho's defense "is making some great strides" of late, Vandals coach Robb Akey says.
Vikings' foe 'opened eyes'
Lake City, Lakeland also begin playoffs tonight; Timberlake, Kootenai get started Saturday
After hopping a plane to Boise last Friday and having a choice of high school football games to scout, Coeur d'Alene High football coaches rolled the dice and opted to watch Mountain View play at Eagle.
'The streak's alive, baby'
Lake City makes most of second chance, beats Post Falls, Lewiston to advance to state playoffs
Vandals' QB decision still up in the air
Idaho's starting quarterback for this Saturday's game at San Jose State will be ... determined later in the week.
Vandals also focus on Moniz
Idaho football coach Robb Akey said he planned to spend most of this week keeping his team focused on the task ahead in the next five games, rather than the Vandals' 1-6 start.
Lakeside looking for first state win
After never having gone to state prior to 2008, Lakeside is back in the state 1A Division I volleyball tournament for the third time in four seasons.
Feasting on miscues
Viks force 5 turnovers, clinch state playoff berth
COEUR d’ALENE — Sixty-two points in a game?
Ex-Trojan star Hill sinks three 3s before home folks
COEUR d'ALENE - Seven minutes into the University of Idaho's men's basketball scrimmage at North Idaho College, Connor Hill curled off a screen, caught a pass and buried a 3-pointer from the left wing.
Vandals look ahead after 1-6 start
Akey: Idaho needs better offensive production
Idaho's punt return team has scored more touchdowns (three) than the offense (two) has in the Vandals' last three games.
Yasen, Owen honored today
They'll join three others in Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame
Corissa Yasen passed away 10 years ago at age 27, and Donna Messenger thinks it's important to remind people of the tremendous athlete she was at Coeur d'Alene High - and beyond.
Punch, counterpunch
Trojans strike first, but Vikings score TDs on eight straight possessions to pull away
Trojans, Vikings collide tonight
Asked what most concerned him about the Coeur d'Alene High football team, Post Falls coach Jeff Hinz said he couldn't really narrow it down to one thing.
After 1-6 start, Vandals look for answers during bye week
Robb Akey likes the bye week because it gives his players a few extra days of rest.
Vandals need win for some momentum
Having lost their last four games, the Idaho Vandals (1-5, 0-2 Western Athletic Conference) are hungry for a win as they prepare for tonight's game vs. New Mexico State at Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, N.M.
Black and blue beating
Duran fuels quick start by top-ranked Vikings
Vikings finally get started in league
The high-flying Coeur d'Alene Vikings are ranked No. 1 in 5A in the state, but are not atop their own 5A Inland Empire League.
Vandals try to get offense back
Offense hasn't usually been a problem with the Idaho Vandals football team in recent years.
'A lot of excitement'
T-Wolves build big lead, hang on for key 5A IEL victory
COEUR d'ALENE - What was shaping up as an easy Lake City victory on homecoming turned out to be a thriller - though the result remained the same.
La. Tech's Patton has Idaho's attention
Louisiana Tech wide receiver Quinton Patton leads the Western Athletic Conference in receptions per game (7.4, which ranks him 18th in the NCAA) and receiving yards per game (120.2, 9th in the NCAA), and has caught five touchdown passes.
Another league test for Lake City
Lake City has not missed the state footbal playoffs since 1996 - the third season of the Timberwolves' program.
Colbert commits to Montana State
Post Falls hoops star to join former Trojan teammate in Bozeman
Marcus Colbert spent last weekend in Bozeman, Mont., and a few days later, decided he wanted to spend the next four years there.
Vandals not fazed after narrow loss
Deciding to go for two points and the win is a great call - when it works.
Almost too humble
Multiple school record-holder Chalich guides Vikings in defense of state title
Standing in line at a local supermarket late last fall, Chad Chalich and his mom, Connie, listened to the guys talking in line in front of them.
Vandals look to turn things around at Virginia
Through four games, the Idaho Vandals are still sorting out issues with their pass defense - be it better coverage, or a stronger pass rush.
Post Falls gets chance to 'prove it'
In the game of H.O.R.S.E., it is referred to as having to "prove it" - backing up the game-winning shot by making the same shot again.
Vandals in a rush to help pass defense
The casual observer notes the long passes being completed, the receivers running free through the secondary, and the gaudy passing numbers given up by the Idaho defense.
Trojans sparkle
Haskew fuels explosive victory by Post Falls in ‘Battle of the Prairie’
POST FALLS - They shot off fireworks before and after Post Falls' homecoming football game with Lakeland on Friday night at Trojans Stadium.
Trojans, Hawks set for Prairie battle
No. 1 Coeur d'Alene visits Sandpoint
It's a lighter-than-normal slate in high school football this week, with three of the eight local teams having byes.
Cd'A, Lake City face Calif. teams
Idaho Football Classic set for Saturday at Kibbie Dome
Coeur d'Alene High has a couple of players who could be playing college football next fall in quarterback Chad Chalich and wide receiver/defensive end Deon Watson.
Curtis leads Lake City past Vikings
Former Coeur d'Alene player helps Timberwolves win in first match vs. ex-teammates
COEUR d'ALENE - Lake City High junior Kylie Curtis admitted being a little nervous in her first match against her former teammates Thursday night.
Games figure to heat up
Normally, the only weather issues local high school football teams have to deal with is the occasional rainstorm during a game or, later in the year, snow and/or cold.
Akey lays it on the line
Idaho's offensive line allowed four quarterback sacks, and the Vandals were only able to rush for 52 yards on 21 carries in last Thursday's season-opening 32-15 loss to Bowling Green at the Kibbie Dome.
Post Falls picks off Lake City
Trojans beat Timberwolves for first time since 2004
COEUR d'ALENE - Johnny Haskew missed the third quarter and part of the fourth because his legs were cramping up.
Bowled over
Vandals struggle on both sides of ball in season-opening defeat
MOSCOW - Tracy Carter sat on the 25-yard line by himself for a moment late in the first half, after the Idaho sophomore got rocked once again while returning a kickoff.
Lake City sophomore nose guard stands out
Sophomore Gavan Rosteck made an immediate impact in his first varsity game last Friday for Lake City in its 46-21 victory over Lakeland in the season opener for both teams.
Vandals kick off season tonight
It was late December of 2009 when Idaho pulled off a daring two-point conversion in the waning seconds to beat Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise.
Vandals eager to get started
The Idaho Vandals won six football games last year which, a few years ago, would have been looked at as a successful season.
T-Wolves shine
Traverse, defense, special teams come up big for Lake City
COEUR d'ALENE - Last year, when the starting quarterback went down with an injury, Bobby Traverse got some on-the-job training in a relief role in the final four games of the year for Lake City.
Prep football kicks off tonight
In their first game as the reigning state 5A football champions, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings open the season tonight with their longest road trip of the season.
Game returns to scene of Region win
Area standouts take the court June 1 at Lake City
COEUR d'ALENE - Two years ago, the Region team broke through and defeated the Metro squad for the first time in the history of the Jack Blair Memorial Girls All-Star Basketball Classic.
Reaching for perfection
State prep softball tournaments
The Lake City Timberwolves aren't the first team out of Coeur d'Alene to head into the state 5A fastpitch tournament with an undefeated record.
Super soccer weekend
151 teams bring thousands to North Idaho
COEUR d'ALENE - When Barb Patton got involved in the Bill Eisenwinter Hot Shot Tournament some 10 years ago, the tournament attracted 87 teams.
Timberwolves enjoy clinching state berth
Stangel fans 18, blanks Vikings for fifth straight time
COEUR d'ALENE - After the final out was recorded and the championship trophy for the 5A Region 1 softball tournament was awarded, the Lake City Timberwolves lingered on the field, hugging and posing for photos, as you might expect.
Lake City blanks Coeur d'Alene again
Vkings have chances to score, but T-Wolves make the plays, pitches
COEUR d'ALENE - There just isn't a lot of chances to score against the Lake City High softball team this year, especially when sophomore Casey Stangel is on the mound.