They’ve Got Spirit, They Do!

The Rubber Chicken game between Lewis and Clark and Ferris is Friday at the Arena.

The game is the original and best of the spirit competitions between rival schools, although all the games are enjoyable as interest and spirit at most high school contests continues to decline.

The Groovy Shoes between North Central and Shadle Park is at the Arena Jan. 30. The Stinky Sneaker between University and Central Valley is Feb. 5 at CV. The Golden Throne between East Valley and West Valley is Feb. 6 at WV.

FL adds regional

The Frontier League has joined the Greater Spokane League in playing regional tournaments.

The FL has hooked up with the Mid Valley League to determine state entrants. The format hasn’t been set but will probably include two teams out of the four-team Frontier and four teams out of the eight-team Mid Valley.

Coaches selected the Moses Lake boys as the Mid Valley favorites, followed by West Valley-Yakima, Prosser and Sunnyside. On the girls side it’s West Valley, Ellensburg, Eastmont and Sunnyside.

Big Nine coaches picked Davis to win its first boys title since 1983, followed by Richland, Pasco and Kamiakin. Although Kamiakin is favored to win its seventh straight girls title, the pack is closing in with Richland, Wenatchee and Davis rounding out the top four.

Slow boat

Darrington was the surprise of last year’s boys State B tournament, placing third after entering with an 18-8 record.

But the Loggers nearly missed the boat this season, at least in a Dec. 23 game at Orcas Island.

As the girls junior varsity game dragged on, Orcas coach Ric Landshut suggested to Darrington coach Jeff Bryson that they would never finish their game in time to catch the final ferry to the mainland, at 8 p.m.

To accommodate their visitors, the Vikings moved the first half of the boys varsity game to their old gymnasium, with emphasis on old.

But Darrington grew fond of the ancient place, steaming to a good lead, and reluctantly moved to the new gym after halftime. The Loggers won and just made their boat trip.

NBA sponsors games

Seattle area high school basketball teams are teaming up with the NBA.

Many NBA teams play on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, often in the afternoon.

This year on Jan. 19, a tripleheader of high school games is planned at Seattle Pacific University. The games match top 3A schools against 4A schools.

The first game, at 1:30, features defending AAA champion Mercer Island, a 3A team, against Franklin. At 3:30, 3A Olympia plays Lincoln, and at 5:30 3A White River faces Lake Washington.

To complete the NBA tie-in, the game is being produced by Sam Perkins’ 8 4 8 Production Co., and involves George Karl’s Friends of Hoops nonprofit organization. Perkins is a forward for the Sonics and Karl is the coach.

Karl said the teams were selected because of their competitiveness and because most have at least one player who is a major-college prospect. Friends of Hoop paid for various summer all-star prep teams from the Seattle area to compete in national tournaments.

Proceeds will benefit the Seattle Public Schools middle-school program. During the afternoon, six scholarships will be awarded to seniors who excel in fine arts, music, athletics and general scholarship.

Double dribbles

Johnny Gebbers of Brewster matched an Eastern Washington prep record Tuesday when he scored 61 points during the Bears’ 95-94 overtime win over Cashmere.

Gebbers made 14 of 18 shots from 2-point range, 6 of 7 3-pointers, and 15 of 16 free throws.

Jim Swannack of Lamont scored 61 in 1961. James Spotted Horse of East Valley (Spokane) scored 60 two years ago.

The state record of 80 was set in 1968 by Bob Wright of Green Hill, a defunct school in Chehalis.

Junior Dustan Arlt, who averaged 6.7 points per game for Ritzville as a sophomore, is averaging 25 ppg in Bi-County League games this year.

Republic’s leading scorer, Lucy Wilson, saw a chiropractor Wednesday for treatment of her tender back. Wilson has averaged 20 ppg in the Panorama League for the Tigers.

DeSales junior Scott Zea is on academic probation and is not expected to return this basketball season.

Zea, a thin, 6-foot-5 post with a soft touch, helped the Irish to the District 9-B title game last year. DeSales’ 1996-97 roster was without a senior.

Sheri Rouw of Mount Vernon Christian scored 13 of her 23 points in the second half, including the go-ahead basket, during a 51-49 Northwest A/B win over La Conner on Dec. 16.

Rouw’s effort came after her father Otto, working the time clock, suffered a seizure at halftime in reaction to a medication. The elder Rouw was treated and released at an area hospital.

Former Naselle boys coach Lyle Patterson, now an assistant with Knappa (Ore.), returned home for an 89-46, non-league win over the Comets last Monday.

“Everyone’s so nice, it’s almost heart-warming,” said Patterson, who in 32 years guided Naselle to 25 State B appearances. Naselle hired Patterson’s former assistant, Ryan Bjornsgaard, as head coach in mid-October.

The Wenatchee girls team won three games on a trip to Laredo, Texas, before Christmas and an education lesson.

The Panthers toured the Laredo area and Mexico, including the less affluent areas.

“This is a real educational trip for the girls,” coach Bill Groogan said. “They’ve seen some real extremes in their lifestyles.”

Groogan is a former coach and principal at J.W. Nixon school in Laredo.

Inglemoor’s 6-5 center, Cori Enghausen, had a triple double of 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in a 58-46 win over Redmond.

Dave Tuengel of Oakville, who has put out the B report in recent years, has added a 3A-4A edition. For information, write Washington Prep Basketball, Box 563, Oakville 98568. The phone number is (360) 273-6406 or e-mail wpbb@localaccess.com

, DataTimes