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
VANDAL NOTES: Filling the pass-catching void
With arguably Idaho’s three top receivers out — including top receiver Dezmon Epps, who was suspended earlier in the week — it’s up to the remaining pass catchers to pick up the slack if the Vandals want to continue their winning ways.
PREP FOOTBALL: Playoffs for some, season finales for others
A look at this week’s area high school football games:
STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENTS: First serve comes early
Coeur d’Alene, Timberlake, St. Maries, Kootenai among 48 teams competing in six classifications
A look at the six state high school volleyball tournaments, scheduled to unfold today and Saturday in North Idaho gyms, with matches beginning at 8 a.m.:
STATE 5A VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT: Proof is in the results
Despite losing its top player to injury early in the season, Coeur d'Alene still has sights set on state volleyball title
Despite losing its top player to injury early in the season, Coeur d’Alene still has sights set on state volleyball title
Chance for Vandals to build momentum
It’s not like the Idaho Vandals (2-4, 1-2 Sun Belt) have any reason to look ahead, as their two football victories this season are the most since 2011.
Efficiently dominant
Coeur d’Alene blanks Lake City, wraps up top seed to state 5A playoffs
COEUR d’ALENE — The undermanned underdog fought hard throughout, but a few miscues kept the Lake City Timberwolves from making it a game.
VANDAL FOOTBALL: 1-4 teams with much to prove
Records can sometimes be deceiving.
3A DISTRICT 1 GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: Let them eat cake
Birthday girl Vanderhoof’s goal helps lift Timberlake past Cd’A Charter, on to state
POST FALLS — Her teammates on the Timberlake High girls soccer team sang “Happy Birthday” to Emily Vanderhoof after Thursday’s 3A District 1 girls soccer championship game at Post Falls High.
Area prep soccer teams ready to vie for state berths
The Front Row
Seems like we just started this high school sports season, and the postseason in boys and girls soccer is looming.
VANDAL NOTES: Petrino addresses anonymous email
The Idaho Vandals football team keeps making it into the news off the field as well.
PREP FOOTBALL: 'Twas the week before league play ...
PREP FOOTBALL: Lake City shows signs of growth
T-Wolves fall behind early before making a game of it in loss to Tumwater
COEUR d’ALENE — After three of their opponents’ drives Friday night, the Lake City Timberwolves trailed by 21 points and were staring at a long, long night.
VANDAL NOTES: The ties that bind the coaching fraternity
UI gears for Wofford's wishbone
It may not have been noticed much in spring ball and fall camp, but the Idaho Vandals spent some time practicing defending the wishbone offense.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Trojans handle Knights
Hillman, Haines, Bourgard come up big for Post Falls
SPOKANE VALLEY — Post Falls High had the inside slant on East Valley on Friday night.
PREP VOLLEYBALL: Lake City topples Vikings
COEUR d'ALENE - With a first-year coach and some newer players in key positions, the Lake City Timberwolves came up with a big 5A Inland Empire League volleyball victory Thursday night.
VANDAL NOTES: Petrino explains Epps discipline
Idaho star receiver/kick returner Dezmon Epps was suspended for the Vandals' second game of the season, at USC, rather than the season opener vs. Ohio, "because that was the game that hurt him the most," Idaho football coach Paul Petrino said earlier this week, in his weekly news conference with area media.
Lake City returns to Albi
The local high school football slate gets off to an early start, with Lake City (0-3) playing Shadle Park (1-1) tonight at 7:15 at Albi Stadium in Spokane.
Vikings handle Ferris
Lee, Pierce among standouts in shutout
COEUR d’ALENE — In the last couple of weeks, the Coeur d’Alene High football team has looked like, well, the Vikings of recent years.
Epps making (bad) news again
Dezmon Epps, Idaho's leading receiver in 2013 and after one game this season, was one of two Vandal players identified in a shoplifting incident last month at the VandalStore.
PREP FOOTBALL: Hopefully, a return to normalcy
Prep football
Bradley's time in the spotlight for Idaho
Idaho senior defensive end Quinton Bradley is good enough to play on Sundays, Vandal football coach Paul Petrino said earlier this week.
Trojans respond
After losing 26-point lead, Post Falls answers with TD to beat Skyview
POST FALLS — After racing out to a 26-0 halftime lead on a breezy night, the Post Falls Trojans may have thought the second half was going to be a, well, breeze.
'That's not good'
Vandals fall behind 21-0 before making it interesting late in season opener
MOSCOW - They talked about getting off to a fast start.
PREP FOOTBALL: Back outside, where the air is fine
Tonight's games
IDAHO FOOTBALL: Vandals seek quick start to game, season
With just one win to show for each of their last two seasons, and a smoldering of bad publicity off the field, the Idaho Vandals will look to take advantage of being in the spotlight tonight - as the only area college football team in action.
A hard way to get going
Rocky Mountain overuns young Lake City in opener
MOSCOW —Whether the game was played at Lake City, or the Kibbie Dome — or on Madden — the young Lake City Timberwolves couldn’t have asked for a much tougher opener on Friday.
Season begins today ... we hope
Four games moved to Kibbie Dome due to poor air quality, three others still slated for outdoors
The high school football season for local teams is scheduled to begin today ... or Saturday ... or, if air quality doesn't improve, maybe not until next week.
Petrino involved in confrontation with media
Idaho football coach Paul Petrino denied Thursday he had to be "physically restrained" from a reporter from the Moscow-Pullman Daily News during Wednesday's Vandal practice.
Gilkey: 'It felt like home again'
Former Coeur d’Alene High AD comes back to St. Maries in same role after eight years away
The drive to work was similar.
Timberlake hires pair of coaches
George to coach baseball, Reisenauer to coach softball
Timberlake High's two latest coaching hires know they have some pretty big shoes to fill.
Time for real time with family
Menti steps down as Timberlake softball coach after 16 seasons, nearly 300 victories
When Mike Menti experienced first hand that FaceTime was nice, but nowhere as good as being there, that’s when he knew it was time.
How WSU benefits from Pac-12 windfall
Washington State has obviously benefitted from the additional money brought in by the most recent TV deal negotiated by Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott.
Passing along what they know
North Idaho Xtreme coaching staff stocked with current and former college softball players
Vanessa Shippy’s first season of college softball started with an eye-opening trip to traditional NCAA power Arizona, and included a switch from getting on base as a leadoff hitter to trying to drive in runs from the No. 3 or 4 spot.
Ex-Baylor volleyball coach takes over at Lake City
COEUR d'ALENE - Bret Taylor did much for Lake City High volleyball in his six seasons as coach, so it figures that on his way out, he would do the Timberwolves one final favor.
Bayley advances to U.S. Open sectional
For a few moments, Derek Bayley thought his run of close calls at U.S. Open local qualifiers was going to continue.
PREP COACHING NOTES: Timberlake baseball coach Rider steps down
Citing a desire to spend more time with his wife and two sons, Bill Rider has resigned after nine seasons as head coach of the Timberlake High baseball team.
Attitude adjustment
Lake City back at state for first time since 2008
When Travis Georgius took over as Lake City baseball coach in 2013, the Timberwolves had had some success in the past - just not the recent past.
IN PERSON-SPORTS: Larry Bieber: Much more than a softball coach
To refer to Larry Bieber only as the longtime softball coach at Coeur d'Alene High would be grossly incomplete.
STATE 4A HIGH SCHOOL GOLF TOURNAMENTS:Roth, Lakeland boys fourth
Hawks' No. 1 player battles in final group; boys bring home first trophy in program history
Lakeland boys nab first-day lead
Hawks three strokes ahead of Twin Falls heading into final day; Lakeland’s Roth leads by one
POST FALLS — Home-course advantage, or just some real good golf?
Coeur d'Alene High teams punished for rules violations
Viking baseball team forfeits regional title game; boys golf team DQ'd from state
COEUR d'ALENE -- The Coeur d'Alene High baseball team had to forfeit Tuesday's 5A Region 1 championship game victory over Lewiston for using a pitcher in too many innings in consecutive days.
PREP BASEBALL: Vikings rally past Lake City
5A IEL SOFTBALL: Viks repeat as league champs
Coeur d'Alene coach Bieber a winner in final trip to rival Lake City
IDAHO SPRING GAME: All the right moves
Ex-Cd'A star Watson shines at tight end in Idaho spring game
MOSCOW - If Friday night's Silver and Gold game is any indication, junior Deon Watson's transition from wide receiver to tight end is going pretty well.
3 locals tabbed for all-star game
Game for top girls in area set for June 1 at University High
In part because only three North Idaho players were selected to the Region roster this year, the 22nd annual Jack Blair Memorial Girls All-Star Basketball Classic will return to the Washington side of the Washington/Idaho border for an unprecedented second straight year.
5A IEL SOFTBALL: Vikings have a blast
Howard’s homer sparks Coeur d’Alene to sweep of Lake City
COEUR d'ALENE - Tuesday's matchup between the co-leaders in 5A Inland Empire League softball was close - for a while.
IDAHO SPRING FOOTBALL: Vandals look to shore up defense
First of 15 spring practices are today
Every college football coach looks at spring practice pretty much the same way - 15 chances to get better.
STATE 2A BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: St. Maries rallies for third
STATE 4A BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Sudden end to successful year
Lakeland bows out in two in first trip since 2004 season
BOISE - Lakeland's best season in more than a decade came to a sudden end here Friday afternoon, amidst a hail of missed shots and other frustrations.