Mcallister, Thorarinsson Earn Wcc Soccer Honors
Junior forward Jeff McAllister became the first Gonzaga University men’s soccer player to receive West Coast Conference first-team honors, and Bulldogs’ coach Einar Thorarinsson was named coach of the year.
Keeper Josh Fouts was accorded second-team recognition, while midfielder Chris LaRochelle and defender J.C. Fernandez earned honorable mention as Gonzaga made its best showing in its brief four-year membership in the WCC.
McAllister, the first Bulldog to win the WCC goals crown with 14 during the regular season, capped his record-setting year with the All-WCC honor. The Portland native set school records for goals and points (31), smashing his records set last season.
Thorarinsson, in his second season at Gonzaga after moving across town from Whitworth College, orchestrated the second-best turnaround in WCC history. After going 3-10-2 last season, the Bulldogs went 11-6-1 this year. Fouts claimed school records for shutouts (7) and goals-against average (0.87).
College scene
Bowdin College senior James Johnson of Spokane (St. George’s) earned his third NCAA Division III cross country All-America award with a 24th-place finish at the championships in Rock Island, Ill.
He was 32nd as a sophomore and 11th as a junior.
“James has had a tough season coming back from illness and injury,” Bowdin coach Peter Slovenski said. Johnson finished no lower than 15th against Division III competition this fall for the Brunswick, Maine, school and earned All-Maine and All-New England honors, the latter for a third time.
Johnson, who ran 5 miles in 25 minutes, 4 seconds at nationals, now heads into the indoor season, where he will attempt to qualify for the NCAAs for the first time in the 5-kilometer race. He has the school record at 14:55.54. He has made three trips to the NCAA outdoor championships, never finishing lower than 16th.
Annaka Gustafson of Spokane (Mead), a sophomore at Westmont College in California and an NAIA AllAmerican last year, suffered an injury and did not finish this year’s national cross country championship meet in Kenosha, Wis.
Hockey
Television analyst Barry Melrose will be the featured speaker at the Jan. 22 Western Hockey League All-Star Game luncheon at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park.
Melrose, who coached the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds and Medicine Hat Tigers on the way to the NHL as coach of the Los Angeles Kings, covers hockey for ESPN.
Tickets go on sale Tuesday at the Spokane Chiefs office and G&B Select-A-Seat outlets.
Running
The Bloomsday Road Runners Club will stage its annual Turkey Trot at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day starting from the Duck Pond at Manito Park.
Entrants can choose from 2-, 3- or 5-mile distances. Entry fee is a donation of money or food for the Spokane Food Bank.
Volleyball
Three of the five championship matches went three games as the Spokane County Parks and Recreation Department wound up its adult coed fall competition with a tournament.
Volley Fever defeated Block This in the B North division, Scotty’s Scoreboard beat Jet Setters in B Valley and Diggit overcame Health South in CCC, all 2-1.
Fear Not won C North over O’Doherty’s and Donahues defeated Lawson Products in the D Valley final, both 2-0.
Miscellany
The Pullman High School Greyhound Booster auction last week raised more than $10,000 to support the school’s activities and athletic programs. The total exceeded last year’s auction, which raised almost $9,000, noted co-chairs Ellen Eng and Pam Harbour.
, DataTimes