THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: ‘Team above yourself’ — Beset with injuries, Coeur d’Alene High shows off its depth on the football field (and other places)

Heading into the season, Coeur d’Alene High senior Priest Palmgren knew he was going to be one of a few running backs in the rotation for the Vikings. 

But then senior Christian Young, the returnee with the most experience, suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice the week of the season opener, at defending state 6A champion Rigby. 

“I figured it out that when we were down in Rigby, and coach (Shawn) Amos walked up to me and said, ‘You’re starting this week,’” Palmgren recalled. “It kinda hit me; I didn’t know what to do. We were playing the defending state champions. It was a nerve-wracking game, but it felt amazing.” 

Rigby went on to win going away, 38-7, but the tone was set — next man up. Figure it out. 

“After you play the defending state champs it just kinda hits you, like, well, there’s nothing that’s going to stop us from here,” Palmgren said. 

LITTLE HAS stopped Coeur d’Alene (7-3) this season, despite the injuries. 

In addition to Young, the Vikings lost senior quarterback Caden Symons, the starter since early in his sophomore season, to a broken collarbone in the loss at Camas. 

Coeur d’Alene lost top receiver Gibson Comstock, a junior, to a knee injury in the win at Lake City.  

There have been others, including junior linebacker Ben Murray, who was playing with a broken hand, then missed three games with an ankle injury, but is now back. 

But the end result has been the same — Coeur d’Alene is back in the state semifinals, and plays Timberline (9-1) of Boise on Friday at 6 p.m. PST at Dona Larsen Park in Boise. 

“I told the kids (last) Tuesday, because you just never know, how much we’ve loved coaching this group of kids,” Amos said. “They really bought in to what we preach as far as team above yourself ... and we’re into the semifinals.”

ONE THING Coeur d’Alene has developed in its decade and a half as one of the top football teams in Idaho is depth, particularly in its skill positions.  

(Coeur d’Alene also has depth in chain-gang workers. Coeur d’Alene also has depth in PA announcers. But maybe that’s for another column ... ) 

On the football field, stars graduate, and the younger kids come in and carry on. 

Coeur d’Alene had two of the best quarterbacks in the state in Symons, who has committed to play basketball at Evansville, and junior Tannar Stern. 

The Vikings found a way to get them both on the field. Without Young, Stern played some running back. And Symons played a bit at receiver. 

With Stern now taking all the snaps at quarterback (as well as playing linebacker/edge rusher), Palmgren and senior Ty Paulin have capably handled the running back duties. And Stern still does some quarterback runs. 

Stern has run for 557 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and five touchdowns, Paulin for 459 yards (7.2 yards per carry) and five TDs, Palmgren for 429 (9.5 per carry) and four scores. 

“This team is something special, I will say,” said Palmgren, an outside linebacker on defense. “Everyone steps up to their roles. "Sitting behind dudes that are better than you kinda teaches you something,” he added. “It forces you to work harder, want it more, and I feel like I wanted it more.” 

“Just the team dynamic this year is just incredible,” said senior Daniel Shoup, who starts at safety and shares tight end duties with Ian Dahlin. “So even though there’s people getting injured, the next people stepped up were still part of the team, and still just ready to play for everyone.” 

IN THE season opener, junior Maddox Lindquist was in the starting lineup at receiver. He later missed games due to injury and then a concussion. But last week, he had three interceptions, including a pick-6 in a 42-14 blowout of Madison of Rexburg in the quarterfinals. 

“Since summer workouts, we’ve just been like a family; it’s been pretty awesome,” Lindquist said. “I think everyone on this team is very capable, and hopefully we can bring home a championship.” 

Shoup points to the offseason workouts — before school, after school and in the summer — that shape the team. 

"If you’re in the weightroom slacking off, somebody’s going to chew you out for it,” he said. 

The result — 16 playoff appearances in the last 17 seasons. 

“I think the high expectations help,” Shoup said. “There’s a standard, and our coaches push us to reach that standard and when we don’t, it’s a letdown. Living up to that standard, it’s a big role, but it’s nice.” 

All the talented quarterbacks and running backs and receivers are nice, but as Amos likes to point out, it’s the guys in the trenches that are a big reason for the Vikings’ success. 

“It always comes from up front; our offensive and defensive line really set the tone,” Amos said. “If they do that, we have enough athletes that we have a chance.  

“We don’t have one guy, two guys that you can zero in on. We have a large group of guys that can make plays.” 

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 1205, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports. 

    MARK NELKE/Press Coeur d'Alene High senior Ty Paulin (22).
  

    MARK NELKE/Press Coeur d'Alene High senior Priest Palmgren (31).