Area skiers capture gold in Buddy Werner finals
It may have been overcast and chilly, but the sun shined brightly on the Spokane Ski & Snowboard Racing Association and Schweitzer Alpine Racing School entries in the Pacific Northwest Ski Association’s Buddy Werner Championships for skiers ages 9-12 last weekend on Mount Spokane.
Each organization had an individual champion and will have two of the three skiers in each division representing PNSA in the Western Region J4 Festival next weekend at Mt. Hood, Ore.
Tyler Tran, 12, of Otis Orchards led SSRA to a second-place boys team finish by winning in a field of 123.
Courtney Altringer, 12, of Spokane led SARS to a third-place team finish in the girls competition by capturing gold in a field of 122.
Tran, who finished first in Sunday’s slalom after a second-place finish in Saturday’s giant slalom for the combined title, will be joined in the J4 Festival by Essex Prescott, 12, of Hayden and SARS, who was fifth overall. He was second in the slalom.
Joining Altringer, who was first in the giant slalom and second in the slalom, will be Sierra Schrankel, 12, of Spokane and SSRA, who tied for second in the combined. She won the slalom and was sixth in the giant slalom.
What a difference a year made for Tran and Schrankel. Tran had been disqualified in both his races in 2005, and Schrankel had told her coach last season she didn’t like the slalom because she was “lousy” at it.
Other top-10 area finishers were Alex Burandt, 12, SSRA, eighth in the combined as well as the slalom and giant slalom, and Margaret Wolf, 11, SARS, 10th in the giant slalom. She was 18th overall.
Top finish for Lookout Pass was Miwa Imamura, tied for 15th overall (15th slalom and 16th giant slalom). Dillon Bauernfeind was the top finisher for the 49 Alpine Team with 22nd in the combined (15th slalom). Tops for Team Independence was Spencer Hanson, 21st combined (21st slalom, 24th giant slalom).
SARS was fourth in the boys team scoring and third combined. SSRA, ninth in girls, was sixth combined. 49 Degrees was 16th in both boys and girls and 15th overall; Lookout Pass was 17th girls and 22nd boys and 20th overall; and Team Independence was 17th boys and 21st overall in the field of 23 teams.
Bowling
Vicki Frucci of Spokane Valley set the pace in the B Division and led area bowlers to the top spots in 12 divisions during the first weekend of the 2006 Washington Women’s Championship Tournament at Lilac Lanes in Spokane last weekend.
Frucci leads the all-events (1,840) and singles (650), shares the doubles lead with Cindy Wagner (1,093), and joined her XS teammates in setting the pace in the five-woman team (2,408).
All scores are scratch.
“For the first weekend, that’s a pretty good start,” said Frucci.
Other leaders:
Lucky Ladies, Spokane, 2,161, five-woman team, E Division; Bowler Girls, Spokane, 1,814, four-woman team, C Division; Take A Hike, Spokane, 1,789, four-woman team, D Division; The Basket Cases, Nine Mile Falls, 1,655, four-woman team, E Division.
Sheila Schmitz-Juanita Hasfurther, Lewiston, 943, D Doubles; Debbie Pearson-Samantha Brewer, Spokane, 856, F Doubles.
Ida Stowe, Spokane, 531, D Singles; Tamara Tucker, Spokane, 501 and Mona Eirls, Spokane, 501 (tie), E Singles.
Heather Seeloff, Nine Mile Falls, Wash., 1,280, G All-Events.
•Five members were inducted into the Spokane Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame at the group’s annual spring banquet.
Entering for meritorious service were Susan Alsperger, Rojean Flory and Diane Kaufman. For proficiency were Jamie Nelson and Kim Sternod.
Other awards went to Judy Balzer, member emerita; Nadine Krigbaum and Babe Wehr, life members; T&J Rototilling (Jerry and Terry Friberg), sponsor of the year; Lindsay Wykoff, rookie of the year; and Elsie Crouse, secretary of the year.
•Del Tucker was elected the first president of the new United States Bowling Congress in Spokane County.
Also elected were Terry Friberg, first vice president; Vicki Frucci, second vice president; and Kathy Schilling, sergeant at arms. Twenty-one directors were also elected.
College scene
Eric Fink of Mead, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard on the Grays Harbor men’s basketball team in Aberdeen, Wash., was named to the NWAACC All-Academic team.
Fink, who led the Chokers in scoring (11.8 points per game), 3-pointers (45 of 100) and steals (44) and was second in assists (80), was invited to play in the conference all-star game.
•Mt. Spokane grad Heidi Horobiowski put the ultimate cap on her senior basketball season at Eastern Oregon University by being named to the NAIA Division II women’s All-America third team.
Horobiowski, the Cascade Conference Player of the Year who led her team in scoring (13.2 ppg) and assists (100), also was named an NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete.
Cross country
Larsen Agee of West Valley, a three-time state participant, has signed a letter of intent to run for the Community Colleges of Spokane’s women’s team.
Agee, an All-Greater Spokane League selection, was 26th in the State 3A meet last fall. Her personal bests are 5 minutes, 24 seconds for 1,600 meters and 19:30 for 5,000.
Football
Mead High School senior Matt White, a second-team All-Greater Spokane League selection at linebacker and a tight end on offense, has signed with Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont. Because of incorrect information given to the newspaper, the school White selected was reported incorrectly Feb. 19.
Track and field
Eastern Washington University is looking for officials and volunteers to work two outdoor meets the Eagles will host this spring, including the Big Sky Conference championships.
Upward of 150 helpers are needed, and experience is not necessary. An information/sign-up form is available at www.ewu.edu/mtindex or www.ewu.edu/wtindex.
Besides the Big Sky meet May 10-13, Eastern will host the 35th annual Arnie Pelluer Invitational on April 6-7 at Woodward Field.
Deadline for volunteering is one week before each meet.
Info: Stan Kerr, skerr@mail.ewu.edu, or 359-2376.