Boys, Girls Finalists Selected For Youth Sports Luncheon
Ten girls and 10 boys are finalists for the Spokane-area junior athlete of the year awards.
Five coaches, five boys teams and five girls teams are also finalists for the Inland Empire Sportswriters and Broadcasters junior awards.
The finalists, selected by a six-person SWABs committee, are drawn from lists of hundreds of nominees from Spokane, the seven adjoining counties, and the leagues therein.
All will be honored Feb. 12 at the Youth Sports Awards Luncheon at the Ag-Trade Center. The luncheon and that evening’s Sports Awards Banquet are sponsored by the Greater Spokane Sports Association.
National Football League Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton will be the featured speaker at both the luncheon and banquet. Dennis Hull returns as banquet master of ceremonies.
There is no public sale of luncheon tickets.
Banquet tickets are $50 each. For reservations, call the GSSA office at 456-5812.
, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Junior Male Athlete of the Year MORGEN CHASE, Republic - Won four events at State B track meet, the 110 hurdles in 14.31 seconds, 100 meters in 11.21, 300 intermediate hurdles in 39.22 and 200 meters in 22.4, accounting for 40 of state runner-up team’s 44 points. TY GREGORAK, West Valley - All-State linebacker and Frontier League football defensive player of the year. Also played quarterback and tight end. ISAAC HAWKINS, Ferris - Won 1,600 meters in 4:13.25 and 3,200 in 9:13.04 at State AAA track meet. Also repeated as State AAA cross country runner and finished fourth in Foot Locker regional. BRETT LAWRENCE, Sandpoint - Won his fourth straight State A-1 wrestling championship, only the second Idaho prep wrestler in history to do so. Last year he compiled a 32-1 record and went 119-5 for his career. AUSTIN LEE, Post Falls - Three-sport athlete was state champion in the shot put in spring and was named Idaho Player of the Year in Idaho as tight end and defensive end for Trojans in football. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder also plays basketball. SCOTT McGLOCKLIN, Mead - Named All-State football running back after he rushed for 1,297 yards - fourth best in Greater Spokane League history - for unbeaten league champions. PAUL MENCKE, Lewis and Clark - Averaged 19.8 points per game for the Tiger basketball team, helping them to a surprising berth in the State AAA tournament. MARK RICKARD, Republic - Named to first team All-State B football team as a receiver, defensive back and punter. He had 46 career touchdown receptions and a career-record 190 catches and 3,888 receiving yards. He also tied state records for interceptions in a season 14, and career, 33. DAVID SCHILLINGER, West Valley - Outstanding point guard set the all-time Eagles basketball scoring record with nearly 1,500 points. He averaged 22 points per game last season. JEREMY THIELBAHR, Sandpoint - Rushed for more than 2,148 yards and 24 touchdowns in nine games. He had 4,020 yards in two seasons. He had three 300-yard rushing games, including a school-record 345 against Lake City.
Junior Female Athlete of the Year MISSY BLACKSHIRE, Ferris - Captured the State AAA 800-meter championship in meet record 2:10.27. Also named all-GSL volleyball player for unbeaten league champions. STACY CLINESMITH, Mead - Named MVP of State AAA basketball tournament and player of the year after leading team to championship win over Kamiakin. She averaged 15.6 points per game during regular season and 21.5 points per game during the tournament. HAYDEN KRISTIANSON, Chewelah - Won State A 800 for second straight year. Also all-league in basketball and repeated as district cross country champion. TRICIA LAMB, St. John-Endicott - Averaged 17.5 ppg for unbeaten State B basketball champions. She was second in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles and fourth in long jump as part of Eagles one-two basketball and track punch. KIM MEYERS, University - Undefeated for two years all-around in Greater Spokane League gymnastics and a two-year state placer. ALLI NIEMAN, Sandpoint - Idaho basketball player of year. She averaged 27.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game for state runner-up Bulldogs, who lost by four points in overtime in title game. Nieman set school records in numerous categories, including 2,046 career points and set three scoring records at state. ANDEE SCHMICK, St. John-Endicott - Averaged 19.1 ppg for unbeaten State B championship basketball team and named All-State. In track she won the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles for state runner-up team. JENNIFER SMITH, Ferris - Captured State AAA 3,200 meters in 10:42.92, giving Saxons a sweep of distance events, and defended her Region IV-AAA cross country title. CRYSTAL LEE, Central Valley - GSL basketball scoring leader at 18 ppg per game. Also all-league catcher for state qualifying softball team and all-league volleyball player. JESSICA SANBORN, Mead - GSL volleyball MVP and two-year kill leader for Panthers, who finished third at state.
Junior Male Team of the Year CHEWELAH CROSS COUNTRY - Won State A/B championship for second straight year. LEWISTON FOOTBALL - Bengals capped 12-0 season by winning Idaho State A-1 Division 1 football championship. MEAD CROSS COUNTRY - Panthers won ninth straight State AAA championship with the second-lowest score ever in State. MEAD TRACK AND FIELD - Using sprint strength to good advantage, the Panthers won State AAA meet for the third consecutive year. SANDPOINT WRESTLING - Winners of third consecutive A-1 state championship.
Junior Female Team of the Year DAVENPORT VOLLEYBALL - Bi-County team captured State B championship. EAST VALLEY CROSS COUNTRY - Beat all Spokane-area teams, including State AAA qualifiers during third consecutive State AA championship season. MEAD BASKETBALL - Panthers went 24-3 and reversed two earlier losses to Kamiakin to win third State AAA championship of the 1990s. MOSCOW BASKETBALL - Bears won fourth State A-2 championship in five years for outgoing coach Sally Greene. ST. JOHN-ENDICOTT BASKETBALL - Completed a 26-0 season to win the State B championship.
Junior Coach of the Year JEANNE HELFER - Mead girls basketball coach won her third State AAA championship since 1990 with a 44-41 win over Kamiakin. NICK MENEGAS - Lewiston boys football coach guided the Bengals to unbeaten 12-0 season and championship of A-1 playoffs. DAN TAYLOR - Sandpoint High wrestling coach has created a dynasty. The Bulldogs won their third straight A-1 state title. NICK LAZANIS - East Valley girls cross country coach guided Knights to a third straight State AA championship, unprecedented for a Frontier League team. PAT TYSON - The mastery of State AAA boys cross country continued for Tyson, whose Mead Panthers won for the ninth straight year.
Junior Female Athlete of the Year MISSY BLACKSHIRE, Ferris - Captured the State AAA 800-meter championship in meet record 2:10.27. Also named all-GSL volleyball player for unbeaten league champions. STACY CLINESMITH, Mead - Named MVP of State AAA basketball tournament and player of the year after leading team to championship win over Kamiakin. She averaged 15.6 points per game during regular season and 21.5 points per game during the tournament. HAYDEN KRISTIANSON, Chewelah - Won State A 800 for second straight year. Also all-league in basketball and repeated as district cross country champion. TRICIA LAMB, St. John-Endicott - Averaged 17.5 ppg for unbeaten State B basketball champions. She was second in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles and fourth in long jump as part of Eagles one-two basketball and track punch. KIM MEYERS, University - Undefeated for two years all-around in Greater Spokane League gymnastics and a two-year state placer. ALLI NIEMAN, Sandpoint - Idaho basketball player of year. She averaged 27.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game for state runner-up Bulldogs, who lost by four points in overtime in title game. Nieman set school records in numerous categories, including 2,046 career points and set three scoring records at state. ANDEE SCHMICK, St. John-Endicott - Averaged 19.1 ppg for unbeaten State B championship basketball team and named All-State. In track she won the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles for state runner-up team. JENNIFER SMITH, Ferris - Captured State AAA 3,200 meters in 10:42.92, giving Saxons a sweep of distance events, and defended her Region IV-AAA cross country title. CRYSTAL LEE, Central Valley - GSL basketball scoring leader at 18 ppg per game. Also all-league catcher for state qualifying softball team and all-league volleyball player. JESSICA SANBORN, Mead - GSL volleyball MVP and two-year kill leader for Panthers, who finished third at state.
Junior Male Team of the Year CHEWELAH CROSS COUNTRY - Won State A/B championship for second straight year. LEWISTON FOOTBALL - Bengals capped 12-0 season by winning Idaho State A-1 Division 1 football championship. MEAD CROSS COUNTRY - Panthers won ninth straight State AAA championship with the second-lowest score ever in State. MEAD TRACK AND FIELD - Using sprint strength to good advantage, the Panthers won State AAA meet for the third consecutive year. SANDPOINT WRESTLING - Winners of third consecutive A-1 state championship.
Junior Female Team of the Year DAVENPORT VOLLEYBALL - Bi-County team captured State B championship. EAST VALLEY CROSS COUNTRY - Beat all Spokane-area teams, including State AAA qualifiers during third consecutive State AA championship season. MEAD BASKETBALL - Panthers went 24-3 and reversed two earlier losses to Kamiakin to win third State AAA championship of the 1990s. MOSCOW BASKETBALL - Bears won fourth State A-2 championship in five years for outgoing coach Sally Greene. ST. JOHN-ENDICOTT BASKETBALL - Completed a 26-0 season to win the State B championship.
Junior Coach of the Year JEANNE HELFER - Mead girls basketball coach won her third State AAA championship since 1990 with a 44-41 win over Kamiakin. NICK MENEGAS - Lewiston boys football coach guided the Bengals to unbeaten 12-0 season and championship of A-1 playoffs. DAN TAYLOR - Sandpoint High wrestling coach has created a dynasty. The Bulldogs won their third straight A-1 state title. NICK LAZANIS - East Valley girls cross country coach guided Knights to a third straight State AA championship, unprecedented for a Frontier League team. PAT TYSON - The mastery of State AAA boys cross country continued for Tyson, whose Mead Panthers won for the ninth straight year.