Rogers, Mead Boys Contend In 5-Team Gsl Title Race

Rogers High’s young boys basketball team found itself in the limelight Tuesday night during its 41-40 last-second loss to Mead in the featured Greater Spokane League basketball game.

While the Panthers, who won on Tom Castillo’s free throw with four seconds remaining, have been accustomed to playing games significant to the league standings, it has been two decades since the Pirates have been a contender.

Going into Tuesday’s game, Rogers was part of a three-way tie for the GSL lead, having lost only to co-leader Ferris.

Mead was one of two other schools a game behind the leaders following an earlier loss to co-leader Central Valley.

Its victory left the two North Side schools tied with Lewis and Clark for third place in league behind the Bears and Ferris.

The Pirates have already equalled last year’s league total, although none of what the team has accomplished has come easy.

To date, five of the Pirates league games have been decided by three or fewer points. Their two losses have been by a total of three.

Sam Dempsey, Rogers’ 6-foot-5 post and the team’s lone senior, and Jason Ridley have fueled the team’s 7-2 overall record.

They are each averaging 13.2 points per game and last week combined for 72 points during a pivotal 48-46 win over Lewis and Clark and Friday’s 60-57 victory over Gonzaga Prep.

Other key performers for the Pirates have been guards Brett Oglesbee and Adam Hooper and center Greg Pugh, all juniors.

Two other North Side schools, Gonzaga Prep and North Central, are in the hunt for the top six finishes.

NC’s Chris Allen and Chris Blotsky are first and third in league scoring.

Allen is averaging 15.8 points per game and Blotsky is averaging 15 points after combining for 40 points last night. The Indians are at Rogers Friday at 8 p.m.

The season will reach its midpoint on Tuesday when the Pirates travel to another of the league leaders, Central Valley, with tip-off at 8 p.m.

GSL girls follow similar script

Like the boys league, GSL girls entered the week with a three-way first-place tie and a five-team battle behind them.

Mead girls, who beat Rogers last night, remained tied for the lead and will complete the first-half of league play Tuesday against Ferris in the Arena at 8 p.m.

Three Panthers, Ali Bailey, Danielle Zelinski and Brandi Curry, were among the league’s top eight scorers, averaging between 14.0 and 10.4 points per game.

The Pirates, whose Angel Fairbanks is third in league scoring with a 15.4 average, and Shadle Park share fifth place with two other teams.

The Highlanders lost a pivotal game at home against University to create the tie with Rogers, Gonzaga Prep and the Titans.

Local wrestlers think tourneys

With the quest for a league championship behind them, North Side GSL wrestlers, including those from Mead, can begin thinking postseason.

The Panthers lost 34-32 to Gonzaga Prep, effectively ending their title hopes.

“We have a bunch of good wrestlers,” said first-year coach Scott Bliss. “Now we have to find out who the stars are and who wants to go to state.”

Mark Denholm, third at 101 last season, is making the mental adjustment to 115 pounds. He lost last week to state 108-pound runner-up Chris Montgomery of the Bullpups 4-1.

“Tonight, Jesse McCarty wrestled like a state tournament place winner (at 122 pounds),” said Bliss. “He beat a great kid (Rudy Cavasier).”

The Panther pair are among eight Mead wrestlers and several athletes from the other North Side schools with good enough dual records to have postseason aspirations.

Riverside girls at GNL crossroads

Victories last weekend over Pullman and Colville set the stage for Riverside’s Great Northern League girls basketball challenge.

Riverside improved to 3-0 in league and 7-1 overall.

First up for the team is Friday’s 8 p.m. home game against Newport. In two weeks, the Rams play at Lakeside to complete the first half of the league season.

Once-beaten Newport and unbeaten Lakeside entered the season as GNL favorites.

Riverside’s veteran senior trio of Bernice Stime, Abbey Wood and Keshia Shorts have led the team: Stime averaging 11.4 points per game, Wood just over 11.0 per game and Shorts at 8.4 per contest.

They are the staples of a lineup in which 14 different players has seen varsity game time, nine of those on a regular basis.

The Rams will be asked to stop a Newport whose 6-foot-1 junior post, Carey Sauer, scored 57 points during two wins last week.

, DataTimes