Valley Rivals Cv, U-Hi Shoot Some Hoops Tonight
Central Valley travels to University tonight for the first basketball meeting of the year between the Valley rivals.
The boys teams play at 6:45 p.m., with the girls game to follow.
CV’s teams are coming off Tuesday losses to Greater Spokane League favorite Ferris. Both Titan teams are seeking their first wins of the season.
“Inexperience,” was Bear coach Dale Poffenroth’s one-word explanation for his team’s 62-63 loss to the Saxons.
“They have three third-year starters and two second-year starters,” he said. “We have one third-year starter, a second-year starter and the rest are new.”
At that, CV (2-1 overall) led 29-26 at halftime before the Saxon veterans took over.
Veterans Rikki Jackson and Jenny Coyle and newcomer junior Jenny Wilson combined for 34 points.
The Bear boys (1-1) were playing just their second basketball game of the year, and it showed in 24 percent field goal shooting and and 62 percent free throw shooting.
Yet they rallied from a 12-point deficit to make a game of it on the inside play of junior Bryan Depew. The first-year varsity player had 14 points and eight rebounds to bring the team within a point.
University’s teams played their best games of the season against unbeaten Rogers.
The boys team (0-4) came from eight points behind in the fourth quarter to lose just 49-46.
Brad Van Dyne, U-Hi’s offensive constant in all four games, had 16 points. He’s the only Titan double figure scorer to date.
The girls (also 0-4) built a 10-point halftime lead in a foul filled game that featured 73 free throws. The Pirates took 45. Although making just 21, they won 61-53.
No Titans finished in double figures although five, seniors Crystal Conant and Jaimie Frost, junior Julie Schroeder and sophomores Vanessa Shelton and Megan Owen have done so in previous games.
Big wrestling win for Bears
The combination of a new coach and veteran team have put Mead back in the GSL wrestling forefront.
Not enough, however, to derail Central Valley’s veteran team.
In an important early season encounter, the Bears survived while still struggling to find their identity.
CV was still missing players from the state championship football team and others were competing in their first matches.
The result was that nine of 14 competitors were wrestling in weights higher than they normally will fill. Seven of them were winners during the 34-23 victory.
Victory was significant in light of Mead’s 41-29 win over University the next night. That left the Bears and Gonzaga Prep, both 3-0, the league’s only unbeaten teams.
“We had to bump wrestlers up because Tyree Clowe was sick,” said coach Dale Ethridge, “plus, he was not ready.”
Clowe will be CV’s 190 pounder. In his absence, Loren Kintner filled in against lanky Chris Mattingly.
“It’s still early and my moves weren’t flowing yet. He had a lot of strength and size,” said Kintner, an 11-2 victor anyway. “My game plan was to use a lot of ducks because he was tall and has long arms.”
Other victors who moved up a weight class were John Reese by an 18-5 score at 129, Shane Cunanan by technical fall at 135, Brandon Brown at 148 for a 6-1 decision, Courtney Brown at 168 to win 18-9 and Blair Alderman, at 178 to win 13-3.
Brandon Brown and Alderman were Inland Empire Classic tournament winners at 141 and 168 respectively. Cunanan won at 129 in the CV invitational event and Kintner was second at 178.
There was a state-level feel to the Classic.
Eighteen returning state placers and a half dozen others with state tournament experience wrestled their way to top four finishes.
University Titans Tom Owen, 101, and Curtis Bash, 122, were among the meet champions.
East Valley’s John Sommer, 101, and Mike Manuel, 158, placed second.
Finishing third were Conor Jordan, 135, and Josh Vande Vanter, 148, for U-Hi and Matt Jolley, 190, for EV.
Fourth placers were CV’s Shawn Conlon, 115, EV’s Brad Crockett, 148, Rusty Ruchert, 168, Chris Dassow, 178, and U-Hi’s T.J. Dowling, 275.
Titan gymnasts still perfect
University’s unbeaten gymnastics string keeps getting longer.
The Titans have won three more Greater Spokane League meets, giving them 86 straight dual victories in their bid to win five straight league titles.
They break until Jan. 8 for the first of two successive outings against Ferris, a team currently which is in second place with one loss.
Also remaining are two matches against Central Valley which is 9-2 at the holiday break.
YMCA activities
Registration is under way for the next quarter of Spokane Valley YMCA activities.
Indoor soccer for 4- and 5-year-olds begins Jan. 10 through Feb. 17. Gymnastics and Karate for grades K-6 offers two sessions, the first beginning Jan. 12 and the second beginning March 2.
Basketball for youngsters grades K-3 begins in February, but registration deadline is Jan. 18.
Fees vary between $41 for indoor soccer to $55 for basketball.
Volunteer coaches are needed. Call Pat Estes at 927-1474 for information.
, DataTimes