THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Lenz, T-Wolves kept it together through the years

For someone from the “other school in town,” Jesse Lenz thought he might be one of those coaches who stays in one place for years and years and years, racking up wins and, hopefully, titles.

It still might happen, but for now, it’s time to hit the pause button.

In June, Lenz quietly stepped down as softball coach at Lake City High, after an eight-year run that produced five trips to state and three trophies — and tons of life lessons taught and learned.

Lenz, 36, said he’s stepping away because of “family health issues that need my priority. And I didn’t feel I could give the 110% that needs to be given to Lake City softball and the girls deserve, at this time.

“It’s not easy to resign,” he added. “I loved it, I loved coaching. We won a lot of ball games. Being a part of something for 10 years, it takes a lot of energy and a lot of things … We’ve had some tough luck, but it was fun. Man, it was fun.”

UNDER LENZ, Lake City was 132-55, with three league titles, and a runner-up finish at state in 2017. In 2019, he took an undefeated team to state — but it rained.

More on the weather later.

He said he would never close the door on returning to coaching.

But for now …

“I want to thank the Lake City administration, (recently retired athletic director) Jim Winger and all the kids for the support that they gave a Coeur d’Alene (High) guy,” Lenz said. “Ten years ago I had no dreams of coaching at Lake City — I was a Viking. It’s funny, you get opportunities and you take them and you run with them.”

Teaching U.S. history and P.E. at Woodland Middle School, where he also coaches volleyball and boys basketball, Lenz already knew the kids who were soon to be Timberwolves.

He was an assistant for two seasons under Laura Tolzmann, the previous Lake City coach, and was part of a 28-0 state title team in 2013 — the T-Wolves’ third state title in school history, and the program’s most recent.

“It was an awesome, eye-opening experience, and I just can’t thank the players and coaches that have helped me along the way,” Lenz said of his time as Lake City coach. “The parents and the team moms, you can’t thank anyone enough for all their support and help.”

A 2004 Coeur d’Alene High grad, where he played football and baseball, Lenz has also been a football official since 2009 — starting with high school, then adding college games three years later. Those duties, as well as his coaching duties at Woodland, might have to take a backseat to health issues in his family.

“I’m just thankful for the opportunity, and definitely don’t want to close the door,” Lenz said. “I thought I might be the Larry Bieber there for a while, but things happen.”

Bieber, of course, coached Coeur d’Alene High’s softball team for 22 seasons, won five state titles and finished runner-up eight times.

NOW FOR the weather.

All spring sports, at one time or another, are affected by the rain.

But it seemed like, when it came to state softball, Lake City was ALWAYS affected.

In 2016, Lake City lost its opener in what was supposed to be a double-elimination state tournament. But due to rain, officials canceled the losers bracket and the T-Wolves did not have a chance to play their way back into the championship round.

In 2017, rain pushed the tourney back to a Sunday finish — but at least everyone finished. Lake City came in second to Eagle.

In 2018, rain delayed the tournament, but at least it finished, with Lake City coming up one win short of a trophy.

In 2019, rain plagued the tourney nearly from the start. Most of Friday’s play was wiped out, and even after bringing in a field burner to help get one field ready, Saturday’s play was shortened to five-inning games with no losers bracket.

Lake City suffered its first loss of the season in the semifinals, and wasn’t able to play its way back into the title round. The T-Wolves finished tied for third.

“I’ve never played a five-inning, shortened ballgame before,” Lenz said. “And lose in the semifinals, and lose in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run. On a 1-2 pitch! I still can’t live it down,” he said, managing a laugh.

Lenz said his team would have been in the state title hunt in 2020, but COVID-19 came along, and he said he was sad for his seniors who never got a proper finish to their high school careers.

“I don’t know what’s worse — getting on the bus and telling them they’ve canceled the losers bracket, or getting second,” Lenz said. “Or losing in the bottom of the fifth, a one-run ballgame, on a solo shot on a 1-2 pitch.”

HOW DID Lenz manage to keep a smile on his face through all that?

“Because it’s not about me,” he said. “I hurt for the kids. I don’t have a high school daughter playing softball, I had a sister who played growing up and it was awesome; we loved the sport. But I was there for the kids, and I felt for the kids on those losses … I think that brought me the most hurt. You control what you can control, but we couldn’t control all those things. Dang, did it hurt having to talk to those girls after they put their heart and soul into everything for you. It was about them; it’s not about me. And that’s what I’ve always wanted it to be — about them.”

After five straight 20-win seasons, followed by a post-COVID 17-7 campaign, Lake City went 5-21 this season with a really young team. It was the T-Wolves’ first losing season since the school opened in 1994.

“This year was pretty challenging,” Lenz said. “I had always been open to change, and that was one thing I always preached to the girls — change is OK. Let’s try it. And dang it, we had a lot of changes last year. I had to replace my whole coaching staff, and it was trying, but sometimes those small victories — when we would win and we would get those games — it was awesome, the feeling, the excitement.”

But, always looking at the positive, Lenz says the T-Wolves will learn from this past season, and be better for it.

“Lake City softball is going to be back,” he said. “They’re on the build. We’ve got a core coming that I’m excited to see, and I hope the next person (new coach Jordyn [McCracken] Hensley, a former Lake City pitcher) runs with it, and I think they will.

“They’re going to take some lumps, and that’s OK. You learn more from these losses than the wins, and we need to stay together. And that was our mission this year, to keep staying together. And keep fighting. We played Coeur d’Alene probably the best Coeur d’Alene got played in league. And that’s not a testament to me; it’s a testament to the girls. Just keep fighting; don’t quit. And I want that to be their biggest thing in life, too. Life’s hard, life sucks, but when you get dealt terrible, just keep fighting.

“That’s kind of been my mentality.”

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.