More than just a trophy at stake in rivalry game

The big picture would suggest that the Coeur d’Alene and Lake City boys and girls basketball teams are playing for nothing more than fun Friday in the annual Fight for the Fish spirit doubleheader.

The teams, after all, have played their two Inland Empire League games with Coeur d’Alene’s boys and girls winning both.

Sure, up for grabs is the hand-carved rainbow trout, the traveling trophy that goes to the school that is judged to have the best spirit.

But it’s a different day than when I went to school. Today, some educators want to award ribbons for participation and not crown winners, per se. But I’ll refrain from getting on my soap box any further regarding that topic.

Be honest. If you grew up with a brother or sister, no game – be it athletic or something as pedestrian as checkers – can be engaged by siblings for pure fun. There’s always a competitive element.

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I can’t play Uno with my kids without wanting to slap down every Draw Four card I can get my paws on. I suppose that qualifies me for a visit to a shrink.

Yes, there will be plenty of fun Friday when the teams meet at Lake City. Most of the students from both schools will need the weekend to rest their vocal cords after screaming and cheering themselves silly for some four hours. There will be dozens of adults from both sides of the city joining in the zany cheers and skits.

The Vikings boys and girls posted solid, if not impressive, victories in the league games. CdA’s boys won 56-52 last month and 61-55 last Friday. CdA’s girls posted a pair of wins by 12-point margins – 43-31 last month and 49-37 last week.

CdA’s boys and girls have hat tricks to shoot for. A sweep of the regular-season games would give the CdA teams a big mental edge with the possibility of one to as many as three games between the rivals during regionals.

While victories would do nothing for their league causes, the Timberwolves boys and girls could help themselves immensely between their ears with some much needed confidence.

For what it’s worth, I see LC’s boys giving second-year coach Kris Knowles his first win over his alma mater. Second-year CdA coach Kent Leiss, whose teams are 6-0 against the T-Wolves, knows this streak, like the one his team snapped against LC last year, will be broken at some point.

“We really haven’t talked about that (the streak),” Leiss said. “I know other people think about it. We just want to win one game in a row when we play Lake City. We just want to play hard because we know they’re going to play hard against us.”

Knowles said his team was disappointed after losing a second time this season to CdA, but is looking forward to the third matchup.

“Our kids are frustrated with it, our school is frustrated with it and I’m a little frustrated with it,” Knowles said of the drought. “That’s the game of basketball. We’ll get over this hump. There’s no doubt in my mind. Our kids are tough competitors.”

For what it’s worth, I see CdA’s girls pulling off the regular-season sweep. The Viks have more weapons, more speed and play better defense.

Don’t hold me to these predictions because if there’s one intangible in high school basketball games that transcends showdowns in other prep sports, it’s the emotion of rivalry.

Which reminds me: Not all four teams will have fun Friday.