Snow is pretty, and it can be fun. But, boy, it can sure mess with your plans.
Many local sports teams found that out as last week’s winter weather event scrubbed two days of schools, and for some, up to four days of possible events off the schedule.
And while many area coaches were frustrated by three or four days of inactivity, there are no teams that anyone should feel worse for than the boys and girls basketball teams from Post Falls, Idaho.
The teams from Post Falls, located between Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, had a road trip planned for Southwest Washington/Northwest Oregon. The girls teams were scheduled to play Skyview on Thursday, Union on Friday and Camas on Saturday.
The boys team was scheduled to play Scappoose, Ore., on Thursday, Union on Friday and Battle Ground on Saturday.
The Post Falls boys teams were supposed to play Camas on Dec. 9 in the Tri-Cities. But the previous winter event kept the Papermakers from travelling through the Gorge to Richland, so that game was called off.
Post Falls then decided to extend its trip to Clark County by one day so the Trojans could play at Camas on Wednesday night.
So the Trojans made the long trip across Washington and were in Camas ready to play on Wednesday.
With approaching snow in the forecast, Wednesday’s game was moved from a 7 p.m. start to 5:30 p.m. But that proved not early enough to beat the weather when Camas schools announced around 3:30 p.m. it was canceling evening events because of the weather.
Then Thursday’s games were called off. And by Thursday night, when it was learned that Friday’s games were called off and Saturday’s games were in doubt, the folks from Post Falls said “that’s enough” and decided to head home Friday, when there was a break in the weather.
So in the end, that’s nearly 800 miles traveled by two teams for a grand total of zero games.
Meanwhile, back in Clark County, the aftermath of the snow that fell Wednesday night created some problems for local teams, too.
Columbia River boys basketball coach David Long was happy to be able to get into the gym for a practice on Friday afternoon.
“It was a bit of scramble,” Long said. “We found out late Friday morning that the district gave us clearance to practice Friday afternoon. But we had to be out of the gym by 6 p.m. So the girls team got a couple of hours, and we got a couple of hours.”
Both Columbia River teams were back in action for a hastily rescheduled doubleheader with Skyview on Saturday afternoon.
“It was nice to be playing basketball again,” Long said.
Evergreen Public Schools’ surprisingly early — perhaps premature — decision Friday afternoon to scrub all Saturday activities created another odd scenario.
The Heritage boys basketball team was scheduled to play at Hockinson on Saturday night. But the EPS decision wiped that game out. So the Hawks contacted La Center to see if the Wildcats would be willing make up a game that had been postponed earlier in the week. La Center was only too happy to get back on the court.
So instead of Heritage traveling six miles to Hockinson for game, La Center traveled 17 miles to Hockinson for a game.
Because of the weather.
Oh, and then the refs didn’t show up for the La Center-Hockinson game.
Eventually, the officials arrived and the game was played.
Best laid plans and all that.
“It’s been hard to get anything rolling gameplan-wise,” Hockinson boys coach Manny Melo said. “We are lacking consistency. Last week we had one practice in seven days. It’s been tough. We haven’t had two days of practice in a row.”
Heading into a new week, there are many teams trying fill holes in their schedules, which may not be easy.
We are now into a two-week winter break, when many teams have already scheduled trips of their own for holiday tournaments.
After the new year, teams jump into league play, so filling voids in the non-league schedule is not easy.
The good news going forward is there isn’t any frozen precipitation in the foreseeable forecast, so the games on the schedule should be played.
We hope.
Tim Martinez is the assistant sports editor/prep coordinator for The Columbian. He can be reached at 360-735-4538, tim.martinez@columbian.com. Follow his Twitter handle @360TMart.
