Rams Jump Into Frontier Pressure

Riverside’s boys basketball team is off to a 6-2 start, but the Rams will be tested by fire during their Frontier League debut.

They meet defending champion West Valley at home Friday and follow up with a road trip to preseason favorite Pullman the following night.

So far, six different Riverside players have scored in double figures at one time or another. The constant has been third-year veteran Kasey Ahrens, who is averaging 24.0 per game and has dipped under 20 only twice.

Second-year starter Ryan Monroe is averaging a solid 12.6 per game and has been under doubles only once in seven games.

And Battle Ground transfer Josh Hall, in five earlier games scored at a 19.8 clip, including a 30-point game against Connell.

Theirs is part of a busy schedule of games for North Side boys and girls teams that will continue through February.

Included was Wednesday night’s game between unbeaten girls teams Mead and Shadle Park in the Greater Spokane League.

Mead hosts Rogers on Friday and Gonzaga Prep next Tuesday in a game with second-place GSL implications.

No holiday break for wrestlers

North Side wrestlers were busy during two holiday weeks with tournaments in Idaho, on Vashon Island and at Mead.

Lakeside High School, which has been impressive locally, including a perfect 84-0 win over Newport in its Northeast A opener, was just as impressive at Vashon.

The Eagles won the tournament with 196.5 points, including three championships among 15 top-six finishes.

Included were champions Trevor Blackwell at 101, Chris Padayao at 115 and Nate Bohl at 148.

Reaching the finals were runners-up Jason Belyea at 108, Anthony Layton at 122 and Cory Hamilton at 178.

In three weights the deep Eagles had two top-six finishers.

Mead finished second to Wenatchee at its Tournament of Champions with three champions among eight finalists, and a dozen placers overall.

Weight winners were 115-pound Jon Rugan, who earlier placed sixth at the Tri-State Tournament, Lyle Beerbohm at 141 and James Clark at 148.

Finishing second were freshman Jesse McCarty at 101, Luke Johnson at 135, Steve Fish at 190, Spencer Smith at 215 and Joe Collier at 275.

Shadle Park’s Scott Close won the 101-pound title, and Rogers’ James Dawe at 135 and Shaun McMackin at 168 were other titlists.

Placing second were Highlander Shawn Howard at 122 and Pirate Nick Fuller at 129.

Tuning up for its Frontier League debut, Riverside placed seventh at the Royal Invitational at Royal City.

Adrian Bojorquez won at 115 pounds and Matt Morin at 168.

The Rams also had a wrestler place third, one was fourth, four were fifth and one took sixth during the 16-team tourney. They debut Saturday at home against Pullman in Frontier League competition.

In the week’s features, Mead stands in the way of unbeaten Gonzaga Prep during a two-match week that will determine the seriousness of the Bullpups’ title threat.

Northeast A League teams Deer Park and Lakeside test Medical Lake tonight and Friday in a battle among league powers.

, DataTimes