COEUR D'ALENE — Boise left Lake City High School before Highland broke its postgame huddle.

The Rams remained on the field and struggled to keep their heads up, as their hands were busy wiping their tear-filled eyes. It was the final time Tisha Coverdell would address her team after a game this season, and it was not under the circumstances anyone hoped for. Highland lost two games in a row Friday at the 5A state tournament, ending its season on a sour note following a success-filled regular season.

Highland opened the day with a 2-1 first-round win against Kuna at Coeur d'Alene High School before falling 13-3 in five innings to Lake City on the same field. The Rams' 2017 campaign ended after a 3-1 loss to Boise in a loser-out game at Post Falls High School.

"I had really high expectations for this team," Coverdell said. "I truly believed they could win a state championship. It's disappointing because we didn't play our best when we needed to."

From the first batter of Highland's game against Lake City, Coverdell knew something was wrong.

The Timberwolves recorded the game's first two outs on two pitches before a weak groundout ended the inning. The same ominous feeling was found in the Rams' game against Boise, as Highland struck out 10 times. 

"It just felt like thing were not in sync," Highland's head coach said. "I could see from the start. I don't know if they were in their own heads or overthinking. You could tell in their demeanor. It wasn't the confidence I saw all season."

After lighting up scoreboards for 26 games, the Rams fizzled out in the state tournament.

Coming into Friday's game against Lake City, Highland was averaging 12.7 hits per game. In its mercy-rule loss to the Timberwolves, the Rams totaled three hits. Highland followed that up with three hits against Boise.

The Rams totaled at least six hits in every game this season except its two losses Friday.

"It was almost a lack of confidence, and I don't know where that came from," Coverdell said. "We won our first game. I got frustrated real quick cause I was like, 'Where is my team? Where did they go?'"

Along with silent bats, Kiara Grover's arm was not strong enough to carry the Rams. Lake City knocked the senior pitcher around, forcing Coverdell to remove Grover after she loaded the bases without recording an out in the bottom of the fifth inning.

One inning earlier, the Timberwolves' Jalysaa Benson broke the game open with a grand slam to put her team up 6-1. The Rams would not cut the deficit to fewer than four runs.

"That was a huge turning point," Coverdell said. "There was deflation there, and it was hard to get back." 

Grover was back in the circle against Boise and channeled her old ways, piling up 12 strikeouts. But mistakes doomed the Rams, as Boise scored two of its three runs on blunders by Highland's fielders.

"Nothing physical changed from yesterday to today," Coverdell said. "It's all the same, so for me, something wasn't there today."

Coming into the start of the state tournament, the Rams had lost twice in their previous 26 games. Highland (24-4) ended its season on a two-game losing streak after winning 21 games in a row heading into its matchup with Lake City. 

A bitter ending masked a season full of highs for the Rams. As the sun set Friday at Post Falls High on the Rams 2017 season, the team packed its bags and headed for the bus. The impending darkness matched the mood, but there was enough light left to see the accomplishments.

"It was a great season, a lot of successes," Coverdell said. "It was a lot of fun. We accomplished a lot, our record's great. We won a game in the state tournament."