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
Opportunistic T-Wolves
Lake City takes advantage of Post Falls miscues
COEUR d'ALENE - How's this for efficiency?
Idaho foe has winning pedigree
Georgia Southern was a force in the old NCAA Division I-AA, winning six national titles from 1985-2000.
League matchups front and center
Today's Games
Trying to prevent those slow starts
The close calls at the end are signs of encouragement for the Idaho football team, signs that a breakthrough is near.
Louie-McGee, Lake City speed past Sandpoint
Timberwolf senior scores four touchdowns
COEUR d'ALENE - Jerry Louie-McGee got mad. Then he got even.
Home games a'plenty to choose from
Tonight's games
So far, not so good at the Dome under Petrino
Being a dominant team at home, and making the Kibbie Dome a tough place for visitors to come in and win, were among the goals Paul Petrino mentioned when he took over as Idaho football coach in late 2012.
Game of inches
Vikings stopped just short of goal line in wild finish, Rams escape with victory in state title game rematch
By MARK NELKE
Vandals look for breakthrough win
The Idaho Vandals aren't into moral victories, but since they don't have any real victories yet this season to hang their hat on, they'll settle for the encouragement of a couple of near-misses.
State title game rematch tonight
Coeur d'Alene plays host to Highland
Prep football
Ex-QB McCain catching on with Vandals
Josh McCain was on Idaho football coach Paul Petrino's radar two years ago, when Petrino was offensive coordinator at Arkansas, and Kris Cinkovich, who is currently Idaho's assistant head coach, was assistant head coach and coaching receivers at Arkansas.
Proving themselves
Lake City's Newby runs for 287; Shadle's Rypien throws for 487 as teams combine for 1,248 yards
COEUR d'ALENE - The pregame talk was about the visiting team with the big-name quarterback.
T-Wolves brace for air attack of Rypien, Shadle
Tonight's Games
Missed tackles, assignments doom Vandals
The first question asked of Idaho football coach Paul Petrino at his weekly news conference with area media wondered what the Vandals were working on in practice this week.
Lake City dashes past CV
Newby, Louie-McGee combine for 7 TDs
Vandals seek victory strike
Lightning will not strike a third time this season for the Idaho Vandals today.
Lake City dashes past Central Valley
Newby, Louie-McGee combine for 7 TDs
Vikings in the spotlight at Albi
Prep football
Three decades later, another Linehan flinging it for Idaho
He heard from his dad before the game - and after the game.
Vandals went with hot hand at QB
When Idaho football coach Paul Petrino said last week both of his quarterbacks would play in Saturday's Sun Belt Conference opener at Louisiana-Monroe, he also included the caveat that those plans could change if one of them has the hot hand during the game.
Vandals open Sun Belt vs. 'different' Monroe
During fall camp, when the Idaho Vandals were working to make themselves better, and gear up for their opener at Florida, they still devoted some time to their Week 2 opponent - and Sun Belt Conference opener today, Louisiana-Monroe.
Vikings catch on
Coeur d’Alene learns from first-game miscues, pummels Bears
It's time for IEL vs. GSL
For the first time since 2009, Inland Empire League football teams get to square off against their counterparts from the Greater Spokane League.
Vandals try again; Linehan gets starting QB nod
One of football's longtime axioms says that a team makes its greatest improvement between its first game of the season and its second - because it has something to build on and learn from.
Busy slate on opening weekend
Prep football
Both QBs to play at 'The Swamp'
Starter to be named later in week
Chad Chalich and Matt Linehan both know they're going to play Saturday, when Idaho begins Year 2 of the Paul Petrino coaching era, taking on Florida at 88,548-seat Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, more commonly known as 'The Swamp.'
Vandals start fall practice tonight
Who's the starting quarterback at Idaho?
'Put your arm around him'
Longtime offensive line coach Hanifan weighs in on all things NFL during recent visit to Coeur d'Alene
Jim Hanifan can tell some stories.
Trojan softball coach Foster resigns
Longtime youth coach Stranger named to replace him; Post Falls boys soccer coach Lawson takes leave of absence
Two Post Falls High coaches who have led their programs to state championships in recent years will not return next year.
The NEW Prairie Falls
Billy Bomar, the energetic new majority owner, looks to put Post Falls course back on the golfing map
Billy Bomar relaxed on a folding chair in the shade of a covered patio at Prairie Falls Golf Club in Post Falls on a recent sun-splashed afternoon.
5 Cd'A starters on Region team
21st annual all-star girls basketball game scheduled for June 3 at University High
The Region team will have a decided Coeur d'Alene High - and ex-Viking - flavor for the 21st annual Jack Blair Memorial High School All-Star Girls Basketball Classic.
State high school baseball preview: Is it Vikings' time?
Coeur d'Alene has had several near-misses in recent years; Lakeland, Timberlake, St. Maries also state bound
Under the format for Idaho's state baseball tournaments, there's little margin for error.
Vikings roll on to state again
Green, Nault lead Coeur d'Alene to fourth straight regional title
Getting there from here
Lake City High softball star Vanessa Shippy, an Oklahoma State signee, is proof that, with hard work, an athlete from anywhere can go anywhere
He may have been serious at the time, or he may have just been testing a potential recruit.
Good as gold
Vandal No. 1s look strong in spring finale
MOSCOW - As expected, the No. 1 offense and No. 1 defense were decidedly better than their No. 2 counterparts in Friday's Silver and Gold Game, the finale for Idaho's spring football practice, won by the Gold, or Black, team (No. 1 offense and defense) 61-7.
STATE 5A BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Lake City fights for third-place trophy
Pratt leads way as Timberwolves pound Rocky Mountain
NAMPA - Senior point guard Justin Pratt dribbled out the final minute Saturday afternoon, enjoying every second of it, taking time to hug teammate and fellow senior Jacob Dahl as the final seconds ticked off.
STATE 3A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Kellogg falls short of trophy win
Late turnovers help Filer escape with narrow victory
The iron unkind to end Trojan run
Post Falls comes up short in loser-out contest
NAMPA - The Post Falls Trojans got the potential game-tying shot they wanted, from the guy they wanted.
State 5A boys basketball tournament: Gritty, but not quite enough
Lake City battles back, falls short in semifinals
NAMPA - The Lake City Timberwolves did just about everything they could in an attempt to pull off a stunner of top-ranked Capital of Boise in the semifinals of the state 5A boys basketball tournament Friday night.
In the zone now
Lake City wins on 'Survival Day' to advance to 5A semifinal tonight
NAMPA - Lake City plays man-to-man defense an estimated 80 percent of the time.
A Rocky start to tourney for Trojans
Post Falls to play loser-out game today at 2 p.m.
NAMPA - As one 3-point shot after another rimmed out, as one drive to the basket after another resulted in nothing, as one perimeter shot after another by Rocky Mountain swished through the net, the Post Falls Trojans came to the realization that this wasn't going to be their night.
STATE BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS: 'Something to prove'
After going two and out last year, Lake City and Post Falls shoot for better showings this week
Whether it is redemption, the realization that this is their last shot - or neither of the above - the Lake City Timberwolves are looking to do better than their two-and-out showing at last year's state 5A boys basketball tournament.
5A REGION 1 BOYS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Third-quarter burst propels Lake City past Coeur d'Alene to state
COEUR d’ALENE — The last seven minutes of the game may have seemed like seven hours, but in the end, the Lake City Timberwolves were finally able to exhale.
PREP 3A BOYS: Tigers get long-range win
Timberlake, Kellogg vie for title on Wednesday
PREP 4A BOYS: Hawks bury Bulldogs in district opener
Lakeland will face top-seed Moscow for title Wednesday
3A DISTRICT 1 GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Shooting woes throw wrench into Timberlake plan
Priest River rallies past Tigers in fourth quarter
COEUR d'ALENE - The Timberlake Tigers did about everything they wanted to to win Wednesday night's 3A District 1 girls basketball championship game, except for one thing:
4A REGION 1 GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Lakeland's dream run ends
Sandpoint topples Hawks
COEUR d'ALENE - The Lakeland Hawks hoped they had another night of magic in them.
Happy to be Hawks
Lakeland advances, will face Sandpoint on Wednesday for regional title
PREP GIRLS TOURNAMENTS: Tigers ride hot streak past Kellogg
* 3A DISTRICT 1 TOURNAMENT
Vandals go heavy on JC recruits
Second-year Idaho football coach Paul Petrino on Wednesday announced the signing of 17 players - including nine junior college transfers - to national letters of intent.