Garske To Follow Smith To Utah State

It seems glamorous when colleges are bidding for the services of a high school athlete, but there can be a downside.

It happened when head football coach John L. Smith left Idaho for Utah State.

Mead standout quarterback Griffin Garske was left dazed and confused. A couple of weeks earlier, he had told the Vandals he would sign a letter of intent in February.

He had selected Idaho because he liked the school, the coaching staff and the system. But when Smith left, Garske wondered if Idaho would still honor the verbal commitment and if the new Vandals coach would have a system to fit his talents.

So, when Smith invited Garske to take a look at Utah State, he said yes to put his mind at ease. Monday, when he returned from Logan, he said yes again. He would attend Utah State.

“It was kind of a big-time place,” Garske said. “I liked it, it was cool. The hardest part was knowing my dad won’t be able to come to my games.”

Garske said he felt as much of an obligation to Smith and the assistants who have “been with me all the way through this” as he did to Idaho, which had offered him a place to play.

Eventually, the known quantity of Smith’s offensive philosophy and the atmosphere of a bigger school won out.

“Hopefully, it will work out for the best,” Garske said. “The only thing you can do is make a decision and hope.”

Although it was tough decision for a high school senior, his father was pleased.

“He made a decision where he bettered himself,” Scott Garske said. “I’m really proud of him. He did it on his own.”

Blue chips

The Tacoma News Tribune released its Northwest Nuggets Sunday and the Greater Spokane League and Eastern Washington had their best representation ever.

Of 15 potential major-college football players, six were from east of the Cascades, including three from the GSL Robert Barlow, Steve Gleason and Randy Jones.

Since the first Nuggets in 1988, the largest group from the east had been four in 1989. The current six represent more than the past five years combined.

Jones, a kicker from Ferris, committed to Washington on Monday. Gleason is still taking visits, and Barlow is probably headed to a junior college for academic reasons.

Also on the list was Pete Sirmon of Walla Walla, who is going to Oregon; Eisenhower linebacker Malcolm Stewart, who is uncommitted because of academic reasons, and Hanford lineman Mac Tuiaea, who is headed to UW.

Peterson to Pac-10

St. George’s senior Chrissy Peterson, one of the area’s top all-around athletes, last week verbally committed to play soccer at Stanford.

Peterson is the leading scorer among Panorama League girls basketball players (25.8 ppg). She won the State B cross country title as a junior. She was also one of the leading Greater Spokane League soccer scorers - playing for Lewis and Clark - the past two years.

St. George’s girls basketball coach Ross Thomas said Peterson turned down offers to play both soccer and basketball at smaller colleges in Colorado and New England.

Kim Stiles of Mead, a two-time all-GSL player before a basketball knee injury slowed her season, will play soccer at University of Portland, an NCAA Final Four team last fall.

Healing Tiger

Lewis and Clark wrestler A.J. Ahenakew is recuperating after having emergency surgery around the first of the year.

Ahenakew, a sophomore, finished fourth at the regional tournament last year and advanced to state in the 108-pound division.

LC coach Dan Thew said he hopes to have Ahenakew at the Feb. 3-4 District 8-AAA Tournament at Mead.

Healing Wildcat

Ryan BeLieu, who leads the Colton boys basketball team in every offensive and defensive category, may miss another two or three weeks after injuring his eye against Tekoa-Oakesdale.

BeLieu’s pupil still is dilated, said Colton coach Glenn Voshell.

Highway 2 revisited

Davenport and Wilbur-Creston renew their sports rivalry Saturday as W-C junior Jessica Martin has her final Bi-County League shot at Gorillas senior Jennifer Stinson.

Third-ranked W-C (14-0) heads east to fourth-ranked Davenport (13-1) for a 5:45 p.m. game.

Davenport, State B champ in 1992 and ‘93, handed the Wildcats their lone league loss last year. The teams were also volleyball rivals the past two seasons, with Davenport winning state in ‘93 and W-C in ‘94.

Stinson (6-foot-1) and Martin (6-0) are big reasons for their teams’ successes. Stinson, who will play volleyball at Washington State University, leads the Bi-County in scoring at 31.3 ppg. Martin is second with 22.8 ppg.

Davenport coach Jim Stinson said he would be surprised to find Martin and Jennifer Stinson guarding each other.

“We tried that when Jessie was a freshman,” said W-C coach Mike Crowell, 65-19 at W-C. “She had three quick ones (fouls).

“I think the kids are up for this, but we’ve never pointed to Davenport all year.”

Meet with merit

Defending Northeast A wrestling champion Lakeside (4-1) heads into today’s 7 p.m. home competition with league-leading Deer Park (5-0) a bit battered.

Lakeside’s Bart Orth, Ben Orth, Wes Bouchia and Chad Drury have had recent brushes with misfortune. Bart Orth (15-0 this year) injured his fibula at University High, Ben Orth (12-2) tore a ligament in his ankle, and Bouchia and Drury’s car was involved in a 50-mph, head-on collision near the old city dump.

“I know we’re in danger of not winning the NEA,” said Lakeside coach Scott Jones. “It’s nice to win league titles, but the ultimate goal is state.”

Lakeside finished second at state last year, one place ahead of Deer Park. Lakeside defeated DP 29-23 last season, although the Stags won seven of the 13 matches.

DP is ranked second and Lakeside eighth.

Juanita looks for coach

Juanita has decided to hire a boys basketball coach and teacher at the semester break to replace Jim McDonald, who was suspended for misconduct.

The Rebels think they can salvage their season, which started with much promise, considering they returned four starters from the team that lost the state Class AAA state championship game to Ferris. Juanita is 5-8.