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
Mitchell, Kaufman, Jurgens, Cheevers honored on state volleyball all-tourney teams
Lake City sophomores Klaire Mitchell (setter) and Ashley Kaufman (outside hitter) were named to the state 5A volleyball all-tournament team.
PREP FOOTBALL: Road-trippin' with playoffs in mind
Coeur d’Alene travels to Eagle tonight in state 5A quarterfinals
One reason the Coeur d’Alene High football team took a bus all the way to northern California for its season opener vs. Folsom was, in their quest to play tough games prior to league play, sometimes the Vikings have to travel great distances.
VANDAL NOTES: After a bye, Idaho resumes pursuit of bowl
Paul Petrino spent last Saturday like most dads who are also sports fans.
STATE 5A FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: Vikings rout Borah
But Cd’A coach says there’s plenty of room for improvement
COEUR d’ALENE — They have such a high standard, and such talent, that the Coeur d’Alene Vikings can pile up 54 points and 527 yards in a state playoff game — and still leave their coach yearning for more.
PREP FOOTBALL: Coeur d'Alene opens playoffs tonight at home
After this month’s record rainfall, a tarp was used to cover the football field at Coeur d’Alene High this week.
Trojans' Kempton commits to Gonzaga
Melody Kempton went on a Catholic church retreat last weekend and her future in college became clear.
'We're hurtin' a little bit'
Young Coeur d’Alene squad falls to Boise in state 5A title game
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Vandals' belief to be tested in Boone
Appalachian State handled the Idaho Vandals 47-20 last year in Moscow.
PREP FOOTBALL: Viks, and Trojans ... and Kuna?
• Friday’s Games
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Vandals soaking up bowl talk
It’s been seven seasons since the Idaho Vandals have played in a bowl game, and six seasons since the Vandals have seriously threatened to play in one.
STATE 5A BOYS SOCCER TOURNAMENT: Viking rain Dance
Freshman scores twice as Coeur d’Alene advances to 5A semifinals
POST FALLS — On a rainy, dark Thursday morning, the Coeur d’Alene High boys soccer team showed it is much more than a one-man band.
5A REGION 1 VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Lake City serves notice
Young T-Wolf squad on to state after sweeping Lewiston
Another chance to inch closer to a bowl
The Idaho Vandals are halfway there and, no, they’re not living on a prayer.
Lewiston stuffs Post Falls
Bengals control Trojan ground game in 45-13 victory
PREP FOOTBALL: Post Falls in position for upset
n Friday’s Games
VANDAL NOTES: Making the most of an opportunity
Heading into last Saturday’s game, senior Jordan Frysinger had made a minimal splash for the Idaho Vandals football team.
Lake City sweeps to 5A IEL volleyball title
Timberwolves feast on Coeur d’Alene errors
Vandals look to build momentum
With Sun Belt games today at Louisiana-Monroe (1-3, 0-1 Sun Belt) and next Saturday at home vs. New Mexico State (2-3, 1-1), it’s a chance for the Idaho Vandals (2-3, 0-1) to generate a little momentum heading into the Oct. 22 trip to Boone, N.C., to face Appalachian State (3-2, 1-0).
Lewiston's late score edges Cd'A
Vikings’ 10-point lead slips away in final minutes of wild loss
LEWISTON — In a wild game with as many momentum swings as turnovers and cloud bursts, Lewiston provided the final bit of wildness.
PREP FOOTBALL: Cd'A visit creates 'buzz' in Lewiston
Tonight’s Games
Tough Sun Belt opener for Idaho
The Idaho Vandals open up Sun Belt Conference play today against a Troy Trojans squad that was tied with Clemson midway through the second quarter, and ended up losing just 30-24 to a team that lost to Alabama in last year’s national title game.
PREP FOOTBALL: Vaughan runs it, kicks it for Post Falls
POST FALLS — Normally a perimeter-running team, the Post Falls Trojans pulled an inside job on the Wenatchee Panthers on Friday night.
PREP FOOTBALL: It's the week before ...
Today’s Games
VANDAL NOTES: Back to that winning attitude
Saturday, Troy at Idaho, 2 p.m., ESPN3, 92.5 FM
VANDAL NOTES: Back to the bowl-eligible business
Back-to-back thrashings at the hands of Power 5 schools Washington and Washington State in the past two weeks hasn’t altered the objective of the Idaho Vandals football team.
PREP FOOTBALL: Vikings seek test in Camas
Tonight’s Games
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Vandals looking for positives
Idaho went into its last two games, at Washington and Washington State, as obvious and huge underdogs.
A 'wonderful' debut
Lakeland blanks Rogers in Hawks’ first game at Albi
SPOKANE — It really was a big deal for the Lakeland Hawks to be playing their first football game at venerable Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane, which opened 66 years to the day on Thursday.
Cougs, Vandals and all that talk
The last time Idaho and Washington State played in football was in 2013, with the Cougars winning 42-0 in Pullman.
Lakeland gets taste of Albi
Today’s Game
Lake City keeps winning on the road
T-Wolves top Cd’A in five
Eight turnovers spell 'L' for Lake City
T-Wolves blanked 43-0 at CV
SPOKANE VALLEY — Unable to run the ball, the Lake City Timberwolves tried their luck through the air Friday night.
VANDAL NOTES: All about that hang time
Idaho junior Austin Rehkow is one of the top punters in the nation — and is not too shabby as a placekicker as well.
Vikings set for third game in three states
Today’s Game
Plenty of options
Vikings use running game, defense to rout Bears in home opener
COEUR d’ALENE — If one part of the Coeur d’Alene High football team’s attack isn’t clicking, no worries.
Post Falls looks to build on solid start
Tonight’s Games
Vandals find a way
Defense, running game sparks Idaho in opener, spoils Choate’s debut at Montana State
MOSCOW — When wins have been hard to come by for a program, you take the W’s when you can and worry about style points later.
'Confident' Vandals open tonight
Choate, with St. Maries, Post Falls ties, makes debut as college head coach
Paul Petrino and Jeff Choate have never met.
Fumbled debut
Early turnovers doom Lake City in loss to Madison in Erickson’s first game as coach
COEUR d’ALENE — The start looked promising — until the ball ended up on the ground.
PREP FOOTBALL: Cd'A hits road for tough opener
Prep football season kicks off tonight
Originally, the Coeur d’Alene Vikings planned to fly to California on Saturday, the morning of their season opener at powerful Folsom (Calif.) High.
Showcase focuses on celebs
No pros this year, but still plenty of excitement leading into annual cancer awareness fundraiser
COEUR d’ALENE — The wacky PGA Tour schedule this year means no pros are part of the event, but organizers are thrilled with the celebrity-filled field they’ve assembled for the third annual Showcase.
Lake City soph Kolden commits to WSU
Kodie Kolden found the situation he liked, so figured why wait?
Timberlake's Hanna named Coeur d'Alene boys basketball coach
Tony Hanna, who in 2013 coached 3A Timberlake High to its first (and only) state tournament appearance in boys basketball, has been named head basketball coach at Coeur d’Alene High.
Ex-Coeur d'Alene High star Leggat named Lake City volleyball coach
The former Jenna Griffitts shined in volleyball, basketball for Vikings
Jenna Leggat is looking forward to giving back to the community that was so good to her growing up.
Coaching comings, goings among area prep programs
Willow Hanna, who guided the Post Falls High volleyball team to state four times in her nine seasons as coach, including a runner-up finish at the 2011 state 5A tournament, has resigned.
Top throwers return to Rathdrum
Best U.S. pros, high schoolers in hammer, shot, discus expected to compete Saturday
JACK BLAIR MEMORIAL AAU ALL-STAR CLASSIC: Region girls closing the gap
North Idaho boasts seven players for annual high school girls hoops showcase
North Idaho boasts seven players for annual high school girls hoops showcase
STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENTS: New coach, but same faces for T-Wolves
Paul Manzardo watched last year’s state 5A baseball tournament from the stands, as his oldest son, Kyle, was a freshman on last year’s Lake City High squad.
5A REGION 1 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: T-Wolves 10-run way to state
Lake City downs Post Falls, wins first regional title since 2007
COEUR d’ALENE — One moment, the Lake City Timberwolves were trying to figure out how to get a hit off Post Falls pitching.
NFL DRAFT: DAY 3 James agrees to free-agent deal with Packers
Ex-Coeur d’Alene High, Carroll lineman heads to Green Bay for rookie/free agent camp next weekend
COEUR d’ALENE — Josh James had nearly a dozen NFL teams interested in bringing him in as an undrafted free agent following the NFL Draft, which concluded Saturday.