Bullpups And Titans Prepare For Mat Match

The high school wrestling season has scarcely begun and already the Greater Spokane League has scheduled a big match.

Last year’s co-champions, University High and Gonzaga Prep meet on the mat next Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at U-Hi.

It took some heroics and a juggling act by coach Don Owen’s for the Titans to pull out a 32-28 victory last year in the season’s finale.

So far this season the Bullpups and Titans have finished first and tied for third respectively in the Deer Park Invitational - and U-Hi wrestled without several of its starters.

In their GSL season openers neither team had problems, particularly the Titans, who beat Rogers 65-12.

They lost only two of 14 matches, after compiling a 35-0 lead, and finished with five straight pins.

Included were four in weights between 178 and 275 that are areas of concerns for Owen, and at 101 by freshman Magellan Laurich.

The night’s two feature matches were both won by U-Hi. Wrestlers with state experience met at 122 with Jared Osborn beating Daryl Groom, 7-3.

At 141, Ed Stretch beat Daryn Steeneck 6-3 in a match between regional veterans.

Osborn could potentially be involved in a huge match with state placer Cory Brannon of Prep next week.

And there are other intriguing matchups. So expect Owen to jockey his lineup again in an effort to gain the best advantage.

Inland Empire tourney concludes

Teams from throughout the region will conclude wrestling today at the Inland Empire Tournament hosted by Central Valley.

Six GSL schools, CV, U-Hi, Rogers, Mead, Ferris and North Central are joined by East Valley and West Valley from the Frontier League.

Big Nine schools include Moses Lake, Richland, Kennewick and Eisenhower.

Others are Kent Meridian, Ellensburg and Lakeland (Idaho).

Competition begins at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m.

Road not unkind to WV girls

West Valley’s girls basketball team is home for the first time after completing a four games in seven-day road swing.

The Eagles lost to Shadle Park and Gonzaga Prep of the GSL last weekend.

They rebounded for a pair of wins Tuesday and Thursday, beating Kellogg 54-31 and Pasco 64-52.

Junior Gabby McClintock scored in double figures for the third straight time with games of 12 and 14.

Chantelle Frost had games of 12 and 11 and Dawn Salfer scored 14 against Pasco as the Eagle girls evened their record at 2-2.

Tonight at 7:30, the Eagles entertain Rogers.

EV Christmas tourney upcoming

The East Valley girls’ basketball team hosts its annual Christmas tournament next Wednesday and Thursday.

Returning to the event are teams from Kellogg, Colville and Lakeside, last year’s third-place finishing State A team.

Lakeside is defending tournament champion, beating the Knights 37-35 last year.

Games are at 5:45 and 7:45 both nights.

Titan gymnasts consistently good

Competing twice in the same week, University High’s gymnastics team didn’t miss a beat.

The Titans had scores of 166.2 and 170.2 to share the early GSL lead with Ferris. Those teams square off Thursday at Ferris, at 7 p.m.

Kalie Cossette won all-around competition both times, averaging just under 9.0 per event.

She and Tara Hulbert went one-two Thursday during victory over Central Valley and Mead.

The Titans also have swept all four events in both meets, Lindsay Brandle and Coleen Pierce winning at least once.

Boots named all-Pac 10.

Central Valley graduate Suzie Boots was named for the second time to the all-Pac 10 soccer team.

A Stanford senior majoring in communications, Boots was selected on defense for the league champions.

They lost 3-2 to Santa Clara in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.

She also has been an academic all-Pac 10 selection.

Boots was a member of the 1993 Bear state basketball champions.

Gildehauses succeed again

The mother-daughter duo of Brenda and Stevie Gildehaus brought home trophies from the American Bicycle Association’s Grand National BMX Racing championships.

Brenda, 30, won the Women’s Cruiser class in her age group, defeating the defending champion.

Stevie, 5, was sixth in her age group.

Competition was in Oklahoma City over the Thanksgiving weekend.

, DataTimes