Ferris, Shadle in early GSL showdown

Slowly, but surely, five Ferris football players are gaining their basketball legs. Saturday’s 75-54 win over Mead was an indicator.

“We’re rounding into basketball form,” said Ferris coach Don Van Lierop. “It’s taken a while to do that, but it makes sense.”

And it comes at a critical time, when the Saxons play host to Shadle Park tonight in a first-place showdown between Greater Spokane League favorites.

The Ferris football season went through the last Saturday in November, just three days prior to the first GSL basketball games, and the Saxons (4-0) didn’t play until Dec. 1.

“In our first two games,” Van Lierop said, “we were behind in the second half of both. But it’s a good group. They’re competitive and don’t lose their composure.”

They ultimately defeated Central Valley 70-61 and Mt. Spokane 58-44. Friday night Ferris jumped on University early, leading by 14 points after a quarter in a 66-54 victory. The next afternoon the team scored 20 or more points in each of the first three quarters against the Panthers.

Jeff Minnerly has been an early catalyst with a 16.3 average. He and last year’s league MVP, Jared Karstetter, have each had a 26-point game.

“Jeff played that way all summer,” said Van Lierop. “It doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Tonight, the two most talented teams in the league face off. Shadle (3-0) has four double-figures scorers, led by sophomores Robby Douglas and Aaron Dunn.

“The difference from summer to now is the Douglas kid,” said Van Lierop. “He gives them a fourth dimension.”

This game may be early in the season, but Van Lierop already envisions the winner as having an inside track to the GSL title.

Hot start for Indians

Last year, North Central was 4-16 in the GSL. The Indians are 3-1 already.

And while coach Jay Webber cautions against making too much of the hot start, he realizes its importance.

“Getting off to that kind of start makes a difference. It’s especially huge in the 3As,” he said.

Unlike last year, when the last-place Indians made the district playoffs and ultimately finished third in state, only two 3A teams will make the postseason.

“You could get all three teams in, but the problem is the third team has to finish sixth or better in league,” said Webber. “That’s not going to happen. So this is a great way to get the season started, no question about that.”

Significant is that two of NC’s wins came over Mead and Central Valley, teams in the preseason picked to finish third and fourth. The Indians, led by Nick Rijon, return four players from last year. Most were reserves last season.

“They went through a lot of sitting on the pine last year and I think they learned from those experiences,” Webber said. “It’s their time to shine.”

He has eight new players, including three sophomores, and a nice freshman class. The future, said Webber, looks promising.

Tough weight class

The 125-pound weight class at the Inland Empire Classic was loaded, even if two-time Montana state runner-up Jack Love was a late scratch.

There were seven state placers in the field without the expected No. 2 seed. It is no wonder that eventual champion Brian Owen was named outstanding performer in tournament.

The University senior, a state champion and two-time second-place finisher, won three matches by pin. In the title match, he beat Mead’s third-place state finisher Philip Smith by a 17-6 major decision.

Four other GSL wrestlers won titles at the I.E. Classic – CV’s Tyler Simmet (135), Jordan Choate (145) and Jacob Neumann (189), and U-Hi’s Anthony Rivera (119, all wins by pin). Mead had five finalists, all finishing second.

Scribblings

East Valley wrestlers competed in the Spud Walley Invitational in Sedro Woolley and finished fifth, but third among 3A powers and edged the six-time state team champions and host Cubs. The Knights had six finalists, Clete Hanson pinning his way to the 189-pound title. Matt Melbrech (119), Jake Rodriguez (125), Nic Price (145), Dakota Lawson (171) and Alaric Parks (285) were all second. … Mead’s girls basketball team of the future is playing like the team of the present. In Friday’s four-point loss to two-time state champion Lewis and Clark, sophomore Jazmine Redmon and freshman Taylor Ingebritsen combined for 37 of the Panthers’ 48 points. … Move over Ryan and Jacob DesRoches, here comes little brother. Riverside freshman Nick DesRoches was named Outstanding Wrestler of a tournament in Othello, winning at 152 pounds. Two-time state champion Ryan (171), a senior, and state-placing junior Jacob (160) were also weight class champs.