THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: With work will come the results

No coach wants to admit when it might be a long season.

Everyone is optimistic about things once the season starts.

Then again, if it goes really bad, some coaches don’t get the opportunity to fix things moving forward.

In this day and age of the transfer portal, if some athletes do well enough, most don’t stick around long enough to see the final vision anyway.

WHILE THE start of the season hasn’t quite gone the way that North Idaho College women’s basketball coach Nathan Covill intended, the Cardinals haven’t quit.

Having one player opt to transfer two weeks before school started in August, then having two more leave the program after the start of the season has created opportunities for some other players that might not have had much playing time.

Guards Ripeka Edwards and Molly Axell were reserves last season at NIC, which advanced to the Region 18 Tournament semifinals. Edwards has started all 10 games for the Cardinals (4-6) this season. Summer Faleafa, a sophomore forward from Auckland, New Zealand, has drawn some Division I interest.

“Molly had two really good games and played well against Williston (State),” Covill said. “If she can knock down some open shots, she is capable of shooting the ball well. She can really help us a lot.”

NIC resumes the season at the Chapman Automotive Winter Classic in Yuma, Ariz., facing Dawson Community College of Glendive, Mont., on Tuesday, Casper (Wyo.) College on Wednesday and Northwest College of Powell, Wyo., on Thursday.

The Cardinals lost 82-55 to Northwest in their second game of the season in Twin Falls.

“We’re going to have to make sure we’ve learned some things,” Covill said. “We’re looking forward to getting on the road and getting better over those four days.”

Casper is ranked 21st in the latest NJCAA poll, released on Monday.

IT IS still early, but at least locally, there’s a lot to be encouraged about when it comes to prep wrestling at the 6A level around here.

Post Falls looked impressive in a runner-up finish in the Sidney Eagle Duals on Dec. 5, then equally as strong the following day when the Trojans won the individual tournament for the third straight time last weekend. All that with only one wrestler, senior Damion Hamilton, winning an individual title.

Coeur d’Alene, likewise, went 4-0 at the Van Tuinstra Duals at Timberlake High last Saturday, then beat 5A Lakeland and 3A Kellogg in a pair of duals on Wednesday at Lakeland High.

Keep in mind, both Lakeland and Kellogg could challenge for trophies at state when that time comes in March at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa.

Meanwhile, Lake City continues fighting.

Something that in coach Corey Owen’s 18th season in charge of the program, got a bit of a boost with the addition of some former state champions — Caden Hess (106 pounds, won in 2019), Rusty Dan (195, won in 2017) and Matthew Whitcomb (182, won in 2021) — joining the coaching staff this winter.

“To have those guys on staff, it’s pretty cool,” Owen said. “Matt has been a great workout partner with James Vincent (215) and really has him wrestling well right now. Those guys have a lot of wrestling knowledge, and it really makes me proud that they want to come back and help lead the next group of kids.”

One thing's for certain, it’s going to take some work to get these teams where the coaches want them to be.

As it seems now, the athletes could be on the right path now.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 1206 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on ‘X’, formerly Twitter @JECdAPress.