GRIDIRON GUESSES Oct. 10, 2025: Coeur d'Alene dealing with injuries as league play begins

Area high school football teams are heading into the most important part of their seasons. 

And Coeur d’Alene’s depth will be tested in the coming weeks. 

Senior Caden Symons, Coeur d’Alene’s starting quarterback since early in his sophomore season, is out for the season after suffering a broken collarbone in the Vikings’ 26-7 loss at Camas (Wash.) last week. 

Symons has verbally committed to play basketball at NCAA Division I Evansville next season. 

Earlier, Coeur d’Alene lost senior running back Christian Young for the season to a torn ACL in practice the week of the first game. 

“Heartbreaking to lose two seniors for their senior seasons,” Coeur d’Alene coach Shawn Amos said. “Both have been very valuable members of our program.” 

Also, standout junior linebacker Ben Murray suffered a severely sprained ankle against Camas, and is likely out for the rest of the regular season. Amos said should the Vikings qualify for the state playoffs, Murray should be cleared to play by then. 

Junior Tannar Stern has played some quarterback for the Vikings this season (sometimes with Symons split out as a wide receiver). Stern has also played running back, as well as linebacker on defense. 

6A Inland Empire League play begins tonight, with Coeur d’Alene (3-3) traveling to Lake City (1-5) for a 7 p.m. kickoff. 

Coeur d’Alene has beaten Lake City 11 straight times, and has won 17 of the last 18 in the city rivalry of schools separated by 2 miles. 

Last year, Coeur d’Alene won 17-7 at home. 

After averaging just under 10 points in its first four games, Lake City has scored 76 points in its last two games. 

Post Falls (3-3) plays host to Moses Lake tonight, then is home vs. Coeur d’Alene next Friday. Post Falls travels to Lake City for the league finale Oct. 23. 

In the 5A IEL, Lakeland (7-0) is idle this week, then travels to Sandpoint next Friday in a key league showdown. The Bulldogs (6-1) open league play tonight at Lewiston (2-4). 

In the Central Idaho League, St. Maries (3-3, 1-0 CIL) plays host to Grangeville (3-4, 1-1). 

Also tonight, Coeur du Christ, a second-year program in Coeur d’Alene, plays Deary at Timberlake High in Spirit Lake. The game was originally scheduled for Coeur d’Alene High’s Viking Field. Coeur du Christ normally plays its home games at the Marimn Health Coeur Center in Worley. 

As for the picks, though we differered on a couple of games, Mark Nelke, Jason Elliott and Josh McDonald all went 4-3 last week. 

Overall, Mark is 37-14, Josh 35-16, Jason 32-19.

FRIDAY’S GAMES 

Coeur d’Alene (3-3) at Lake City (1-5), 7 p.m.

NELKE: Despite Coeur d’Alene’s dominance of late, two of the last three meetings between the city rivals have been rock fights, and this is shaping up to be another one. 

Coeur d’Alene, 29-12 

ELLIOTT: Lake City's defense can keep this one close. But Coeur d'Alene, whoever is taking the snaps, is still pretty good.

Coeur d'Alene, 30-20

MCDONALD: Rivalries are important and usually bring out the best in opponents, but this one might be a little uncomfortable to watch.  

Coeur d'Alene, 42-14

Moses Lake (5-0) at Post Falls (3-3), 7 p.m.

NELKE: The Post Falls football program, which has made news off the field of late, made some news on the field last week with an impressive win on the road vs. Battle Ground (Wash.). But Moses Lake is averaging almost 56 points a game. 

Moses Lake, 34-28 

ELLIOTT:  Post Falls might have figured out some things last week in Battle Ground. Moses Lake might be too much of a challenge.

Moses Lake, 35-20

MCDONALD: The Mavs have a scary good offense that averages over 50 points per game. I don’t think the Trojans can keep up.  

Moses Lake, 35-21

Grangeville (3-4, 1-1 Central Idaho League) at St. Maries (3-3, 1-0), 7 p.m.

NELKE: At the beginning of the season, few likely pegged this game as having an impact on the Central Idaho League race. But if St. Maries, which already owns a CIL win over Kellogg, can beat the perennial league power Bulldogs, that could make the Lumberjacks’ game at Priest River next week REAL interesting. 

St. Maries, 28-26 

ELLIOTT:  Could be the best game of the night ... 

Grangeville, 30-28

MCDONALD: The Lumberjacks certainly have the size and skill to knock off the Bulldogs, but Grangeville has had moments where they looked good.  

Grangeville, 28-24

Anaconda (Mont.) (4-2) at Kellogg (2-3), 6 p.m.

NELKE: If the Wildcats’ studs are healthy ... 

Kellogg, 34-28 

ELLIOTT: Anaconda, 34-24

MCDONALD: The Wildcats aren’t winning many games on the defensive side of the ball ... Fortunately, Porter Lewis and Draedan Taylor are going to be back in the lineup which pushes several players back into their natural spots.  

Kellogg, 42-35

Genesee/Colton (Wash.) (5-0) vs. Lakeside (0-6) at Marimn Health Coeur Center, Worley, 7 p.m.

NELKE: The Idaho/Washington co-op handed Wallace its first loss last week. 

Genesee/Colton, 36-18 

ELLIOTT: A tough season gets a little tougher for the Knights.

Genesee/Colton, 44-20

MCDONALD:  The Knights have three games left to get a win ... But they won’t be doing it this week.  

Genesee/Colton, 60-7

Wallace (5-1) at Clark Fork (1-3), 7 p.m.

NELKE: The Wampus Cats could be smelling an upset on their home field in the North Star League opener for both schools. 

Wallace, 48-24 

ELLIOTT: Still fuming from last week's loss at Sather Field in Silverton, the Miners get a road win.

Wallace, 48-20

MCDONALD: This is a get-back-on-track game for the Miners after taking their first L last week. 

Wallace, 65-20

Deary (3-3) vs. Coeur du Christ (4-1) at Van Tuinstra Memorial Field, Spirit Lake, 7 p.m.

NELKE: Hopefully, there’s games in Coeur d’Alene in Coeur du Christ’s future. 

Deary, 42-36 

ELLIOTT: Big one for the Saints tonight.

Coeur du Christ, 44-40

MCDONALD: The Saints have quietly put together a solid season. Coming off their bye, they’ll add another win as they head toward the most important game of the year.  

Coeur du Christ, 54-35