Talotti And Ames To Represent Braves In Kijhl All-Star Game

Two members of the Spokane Braves have been selected to play for the Southern Division in the Kootenai International Junior Hockey League All-Star Game on Jan. 20 in Revelstoke, British Columbia.

Darin Talotti, the Braves’ leading scorer (and No. 4 scorer in league), was a first-team selection. Derek Ames, tied for 10th in league scoring, is the other Spokane representative.

Talotti had 23 goals and 25 assists in 23 games for 48 points. Ames had 10 goals and 28 assists in 24 games for 38 points.

Awards

Jim Paton of Spokane has been named one of 10 finalists for the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and National Sportscasters and Sportwriters Association Heroes Award.

Paton, the former Rogers High School baseball coach, who has lived with Parkinson’s disease for 14 years, was the Washington winner among 50 state nominees vying for the national honor. Three winners will be selected from the 10 finalists in January and honored at a breakfast Feb. 5 in Atlanta, Ga., at the SGMA’s Super Show.

Two others from the Northwest are among the national finalists - Dr. J. Randall Rauh of Miles City, Mont., and Tom Ward of The Dalles, Ore.

National winners will receive $3,000 in cash and a $15,000 charity contribution toward the winner’s sports program. Paton, deeply involved in youth sports, particularly baseball, already has won $100 and a $400 charity donation.

The Heroes program recognizes and rewards individuals for their commitment in raising the level of pursuit and sports excellence within their community.

Bowling

Second-seeded James McCord knocked off top-qualifier Brian Long 185-167 to win the season’s fourth Junior Bowlers Tour event last weekend at Sawmill Lanes in Post Falls.

Corey Thomas finished third, Tim Amann was fourth and Chad Price fifth.

Top score in the relatively low-scoring tournament was a 234, rolled by both Jeremy Allen and McCord. Kim Seifert was high for the girls with a 231.

Next JBT will be the doubles Jan. 21 at Lilac Lanes.

Christmas came a week early to Kami Free. Bowling in the Monday Scratch league at Silver Lanes, Free registered her first 300 game last week.

College scene

Rachelle Snowden of Spokane (Mead High School), a senior outside hitter on the Pacific Lutheran volleyball team, has earned NAIA Academic All-American honors.

Snowden, earlier named first-team all-conference and second-team all-region following a record-setting season on the court, has a 3.83 grade-point average as an elementary psychology major.

Gretchen Laete of Spokane, who attended Evergreen Lutheran High School in Kent, Wash., is a forward-center on the Wisconsin Lutheran women’s basketball team in Milwaukee.

Adrian Kropp of Spokane (St. George’s) earned a varsity letter on the Beloit College men’s soccer team in Beloit, Wis.

Jon Hood of Spokane (Mead) was the senior captain and a varsity letterwinner on the men’s cross country team at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. Hood had a best time of 28 minutes, 50 seconds for 8,000 meters.

Shad Nichols of Spokane (Ferris), a sophomore linebacker, earned a varsity football letter at Principia College in Elsah, Ill. Nichols led the Panthers with 98 tackles, including 15 solo stops and two quarterback sacks, and recovered three fumbles.

David VanOver, an assistant professor of information systems in the college of business and economics at the University of Idaho, is the school’s new faculty athletic representative to the NCAA.

VanOver replaces Hal Godwin, who stepped down after holding the position for 14 years.

Figure skating

Johnnie Bevan of Spokane finished second in the senior men’s competition at the Pacific Coast Sectionals earlier this month in Burbank, Calif., to qualify for the nationals next month in San Jose, Calif.

Meegan McDonald of Spokane was ninth in junior ladies at the sectionals. Eddie Bevan of Spokane was injured after the short program and did not compete in the novice men’s long program.

Snowmobiling

The second annual Snow Boss SnoCross snowmobile race will be run next weekend in Haugan, Mont., located at Exit 16 midway between Spokane and Missoula on Interstate 90.

Registration will run from 7-10 p.m. Friday at Lincoln’s 10,000 Silver $ and Saturday from 8-9:30 a.m. at the Snow Boss track. Racing begins at 10:30 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday on the challenging ths-mile track.

Last year, 60 racers competed for $3,640 in prize money. There are 12 classes, with a spot for every man, woman and junior (13-16-year-olds). Entry fees range from $10 for juniors to $60 for pros. Admission is $4, with youngsters 10 and under free.

Info: (406) 678-4242.

Wrestling

Terry Haney, a 1995 graduate of Newport High School, placed third at 163 pounds in the All-Military Classic earlier this month in Little Creek, Va.

Haney, in the Navy and stationed at Pittsburgh, caught the attention of Naval Academy recruiters at the tournament, said his former high school coach, Mike Haptonstall.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo