Rogers’ Noble leads list of SWABs award winners

Rogers High track phenomenon Becca Noble has added another honor to her expanding resume, winning the 2005 Amateur Female Athlete of the Year Monday as voted on by Inland Northwest Sportswriters and Broadcasters.

Now a freshman at the University of Oregon, Noble will be receive the trophy Wednesday and be part of the 28th Spokane Regional Sports Commission Youth Awards Luncheon.

The lunch, set for noon in the Spokane Convention Center, is a tribute to the region’s high school youth. Major sponsors are State Farm Insurance and Rockwood Clinic, and more than 30 other businesses and patrons contribute to defray the costs for more than 1,000 young athletes.

SWABs junior awards winners will be announced – Noble is also a finalist for Junior Female Athlete of the Year – and several special awards will be presented, among them the Rockwood Clinic Trainer of the Year.

Noble and her fellow winners, amateur male athlete Jerome Harrison, professional athlete Brad Walker, coach Sean Bushey and Gonzaga University men’s basketball, will be recognized during the luncheon.

Noble completed her high school career last summer by winning the 800-meter championships at the National USA Track and Field Junior Nationals and Pan American Junior Games.

Her time of 2 minutes, 3.73 seconds at the U.S. Junior Nationals was the fastest metric half mile high school time in Washington history. In the spring, the multiple state 400-meter track champion and 2005 800 winner established 4A meet records in both.

Harrison rushed for a national best 1,900 yards for Washington State, was a Doak Walker finalist for running back of the year and named to seven All-America teams.

Walker pole vaulted a career-best 19-feet, 62/3-inches and was ranked No. 1 in the world. He was USA Track and Field’s national champion and a silver medalist at the World Championships. He is a University High and University of Washington product.

Whitworth College’s men’s soccer coach Bushey guided the 19-2-1 Pirates to the NCAA Division III tournament final four and a No. 3 national ranking.

Bulldogs basketball compiled a 26-5 record and top-32 NCAA finish last year. This is their fifth SWABs Team of the Year trophy in the last seven years.