Gu Player, Coach Honored

Gonzaga University senior forward Jeff McAllister was the unanimous selection as the West Coast Conference men’s soccer player of the year, and Bulldogs head coach Einar Thorarinsson repeated as coach of the year in honors announced Tuesday.

The Bulldogs also placed four players on the second team - sophomore forward Brian Ching, sophomore defender J.C. Fernandez, junior goalkeeper Josh Fouts and senior midfielder Chris LaRochelle. Freshman forward Jason Kuska was given honorable mention recognition.

McAllister won the offensive triple crown by leading the conference in goals (19), assists (8) and points (46) as the Bulldogs recorded a 14-4-0 overall mark and earned a share of the WCC regular-season title with Santa Clara University at 4-2-0. Santa Clara earned the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament by virtue of its 2-1 win over Gonzaga this year.

Thorarinsson, who in three seasons has vaulted the Bulldogs into regional and national recognition, became the first Gonzaga coach in any sport to earn back-to-back coach of the year accolades. The 14 wins are the most of any WCC school and a Gonzaga single-season record, the second straight season the Bulldogs posted the league high in wins. Thorarinsson is 28-20-3 in his three seasons at Gonzaga, including a 25-10-1 record the past two seasons.

Wrestling

Sandpoint High wrestler Jared Lawrence, undefeated through three years, signed a letter of intent to compete at the University of Minnesota.

He’ll join his brother, Brett, a redshirt freshman. Former Sandpoint standout Zac Taylor is a senior at the school.

Basketball

Central Valley High School senior Rikki Jackson, a 5-foot-9 guard, has signed a letter of intent to play for the women’s basketball team at the University of Idaho.

She joins recruits Darci Pemberton, a 6-foot forward from Everett, Wash.; 6-3 center Julie Wynstra of Lynden, Wash.; 5-11 guard Jennae Krell of Bothell, Wash.; and 5-10 guard Meg LeBlanc of Corvallis, Ore.

Jackson was honorable mention as a junior on Street and Smith’s All-America team. As a junior she averaged 14.7 points, 11.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds while helping CV reach the State AAA title game.

Guard Tyrone McDaniel scored 19 points and took in six steals Tuesday to boost the Spokane-based NBC Thunder to a 69-66 victory over Boise State.

A half-court attempt by Boise State’s Justin Lyons bounced off the rim as the game ended.

The Thunder pulled to a 37-25 lead at the half on 16 points by forward Emile Shephard, including 9 for 9 from the free-throw line

The Thunder led 56-36 with 11:20 left before forward Roberto Bergersen and guard Gerry Washington brought the Broncos to within three with 4.4 seconds remaining. McDaniel missed a free-throw attempt, giving Boise State the final shot.

Junior hockey

Joe Lattanzio scored twice as Rossland defeated the Spokane Braves 5-4 in overtime of a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game at Rossland, British Columbia.

Tyler Keller and Cam Wolferman totaled one goal and two assists apiece for the Braves, who are on their longest road swing of the year.

, DataTimes