Family Takes Home Two Championships In Heart-Stopping Finals

When the blood began pumping again following Saturday’s Spokane Valley Baseball championship drama, the Nichols family had plenty to celebrate.

In back-to-back heart stoppers, Tom Nichols-coached teams, Happy Hatter and Carsten’s Marine, won their respective Midget and Pony league titles by a run apiece.

“They were unbelievable games,” Nichols said, “probably the best I’ve been involved in.”

Happy Hatter, sponsored by Tom and Donna Nichols and a team Tom helps coach, beat Resort By The Tracks 3-2, making the most of three hits. Carsten’s, coached by Nichols, won 4-3 in 10 thrilling innings over West Valley.

Their sons played instrumental roles in both victories.

Jeremy Nichols combined with Kenny Florence to strike out 13 batters and also hit a single in the Midget final. Josh Nichols hit a runscoring double in the Pony game.

“Coaching two teams is tough,” said Nichols, who sweated through the back-to-back thrillers. “You don’t get much accomplished around the house. But it’s just one of those dreams come true.”

They brought a rousing end to a day-long triple-header played at WV that opened when Spokane Indians beat James Psomas DDS 7-1 for the Pee Wee title.

It was the second time in three years that a McDonald Elementary Pee Wee team coached by Dave Trimmer earned the crown.

Pony title viewers get money’s worth

If watching two previous championship games wasn’t enough, viewers got their money’s worth in the Valley Baseball season finale on West Valley’s varsity field.

Neither Carsten’s, which had lost twice to its foe in early season comebacks, nor previously unbeaten West Valley gave any quarter.

Cody Owens pitched the first seven innings and John Blakesley finished up scattering eight hits. Owens drove in a run and Blakesley was 3-for-4 at bat and drove in the winning run.

Catcher Aaron Anzalone drove in the other Carsten’s run and was a key defensively with three putouts at home for the 12-4 team.

Midget game gets defensive

Both Midget finalists played sound defense with all scoring done in the first four innings.

Happy Hatter’s initial run in the second inning, when Justin Hingtgen singled in a run. That proved to be the difference.

Each team scored solo runs in the next two innings Happy Hatter getting one run off a mistake at third and the winner on a rundown play with runners at first and third.

National Division champion Resort By The Tracks finished the season at 15-1.

Happy Hatter shared second place at 10-2 in the American Division, then won four straight playoff games.

Second Pee Wee seeds played No. 1

Two Pee Wee teams seeded second in the tournament wound up playing for number one.

American Division tri-champion Spokane Indians, 14-2, wound up on top.

Three pitchers, Chris Stiles, Ryan Moore and Sam Brune combined for a no-hit 15-strikeout win.

The winners had six of their nine hits in the first inning, including three infield singles, to score four runs.

They made it 6-1 in the second on Bobby Williams’s two-run single. He stole home for the final run in the sixth inning.

Afterward, Blake Trimmer, whose brother Garrett played on the McDonald champions of two years ago, was asked what he was going to do.

“I’m going to Disneyland,” he replied.

And the family was off in a motor home for a trip to California.

Valley’s Berg places fourth

A career best shot put propelled Carolyn Berg to fourth place in the National Junior Olympics Track and Field Meet at San Jose, Calif.

A 10-year-old McDonald Elementary student, Berg put 25-8-3/4, nearly four feet better than her regional effort of 21-10 that qualified her for nationals.

“She had thrown real good in practice and we thought we’d be happy with 24-feet,” said her father and coach Bill Berg.

She nearly got that during prelims, hitting 23-11-3/4 before making her placing put.

“On her first throw in the finals she was right in the middle of the sector,” said Bill Berg of his daughter’s carerer best effort which temporarily placed her third.

A girl followed with a 27-2 throw that bumped her into fourth spot.

Travis Harken, who won state this year at Valley Christian, high jumped 6-feet, 3-inches, well below his best.

“It’s discouraging,” he said. “I feel strong and jump high but am not getting everything I should out of it.”

Another Valley qualifier, Marie Cox from Central Valley by way of North Pines Junior High, went unplaced in the high jump.