If you liked Cd'A-Highland rivalry before ...
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 7 years, 2 months AGO
For a few seasons a few years ago, Coeur d’Alene vs. Highland was a fixture on the high school football schedule each fall.
From 2012-15, the teams met each season in a home-and-home.
In ’12 and ’13 they met twice.
In 2012, Coeur d’Alene won 45-38 at Holt Arena in Pocatello, in the state 5A semifinals, then had to return to Holt the following week for the state title game, where the Vikings fell to Madison of Rexburg.
In 2013, they squared off in the state championship game, won by Coeur d’Alene 31-28 at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.
The 2015 matchup was last time they met — until Friday, when the Vikings and Rams collide at Holt Arena to decide the 2017 state champion.
I remember being a little disappointed when the teams decided to discontinue the series after the 2015 game (it seems like it was longer ago than that), but you can understand why — it’s a long drive for whichever team travels that year, and it has allowed both schools to find other top teams to play.
Coeur d’Alene was able to play Folsom, one of the top teams in California, in 2016 and this year. And Highland was able to schedule schools from the Boise area — a closer trip.
Still, those Coeur d’Alene-Highland games were some of the best played in Idaho during that span.
And the good news is, that rivalry is coming back next year — the teams have agreed to another home-and-home series, with Coeur d’Alene playing at Highland next fall, and Highland traveling to Cd’A in 2019.
“We do consider Highland one of our most respected rivals,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “Years ago Highland was the program we wanted to emulate — being a consistent winner who does it the right way. We are very excited to be starting another home-and-home series with them next season.”
A look back at some of those Coeur d’Alene-Highland matchups:
2012
Highland 45, Coeur d’Alene 26: The Vikings, coming off back-to-back state titles, had their 24-game win streak snapped the previous week by Max Browne and Skyline of Sammamish, Wash., which won 70-21 at the Kibbie Dome.
The next week, quarterback Neil Jewell threw for 225 yards and ran for 93 for Highland, which jumped out to a 35-6 halftime lead at Coeur d’Alene.
Coeur d’Alene dropped to 3-2, but went on a six-game winning streak, capped by ...
Coeur d’Alene 45, Highland 28: The Vikings trailed 17-10 at the half in a state 5A semifinal at Holt Arena and were down 24-10 before rallying in the final two quarters to advance to the title game vs. Madison, and a return trip to Holt Arena.
Gunnar Amos, a junior, ran for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth. Jewell threw for 422 yards and four touchdowns.
2013
Highland 24, Coeur d’Alene 21: The teams met in Week 4 at Holt Arena, with Thad Hansen of Highland fighting his way into the end zone from 2 yards out in the waning moments for the go-ahead score. Gunnar Amos passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings, who led 21-3 late in the first half.
Coeur d’Alene came out of the game with a 1-3 record after finishing a three-game gauntlet where the Vikings lost 44-43 to Bothell at Husky Stadium, then fell 38-23 at home to Skyline of Sammamish.
The Vikings would not lose again.
Coeur d’Alene 31, Highland 28: In the state title game at the Kibbie Dome, backup quarterback Austin Lee scrambled 15 yards for the go-ahead score with 47 seconds left as the Vikings overcame a season full of adversity. Lee, a sophomore, was playing in place of Gunner Amos, who suffered a broken ankle in a quarterfinal victory over Timberline. And Viking coach Shawn Amos had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma a month earlier.
2014
Highland 13, Coeur d’Alene 10: In Week 5, the Rams took the lead on a touchdown pass from Dakota Tillotson to Kamron Farnsworth with 1:19 left, then Highland stopped Coeur d’Alene receiver Colby Daniels 1 foot short of the goal line in the final seconds in a game where defenses prevailed. Both teams ended up making the playoffs — of course. Coeur d’Alene lost at Rocky Mountain in the quarterfinals. Highland whipped Mountain View 56-21 for the state title.
2015
Coeur d’Alene 27, Highland 3: In the fifth game of the season, at Holt Arena, the Vikings dominated the Rams in a rare one-sided matchup between the two teams. Coeur d’Alene held Highland to minus-25 yards rushing. Lee, now a senior, threw a touchdown pass for the Vikings, and a sophomore named Colson Yankoff ran for a pair of scores.
In the playoffs, Coeur d’Alene was upset at home by Madison in the quarterfinals. Highland lost to eventual state champion Rocky Mountain in the semifinals.
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.