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Morrison, Shock join repeaters Noble, Walker

Winning the ArenaCup af2 championship as an expansion team earned the Spokane Shock two SWAB awards. (File Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
By Mike Vlahovich mikev@spokesman.com(509) 927-2180
Winning the ArenaCup af2 championship as an expansion team earned the Spokane Shock two SWAB awards. (File Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

There were two repeat winners, one obvious choice and reward for a feel-good storybook ending when Inland Northwest Sportswriters and Broadcasters voted their 2006 amateur and professional athletes, team and coach of the year.

International track and field stars Becca Noble and Brad Walker are again the amateur female and professional athletes of the year.

It is no surprise that Gonzaga University basketball star Adam Morrison was voted Amateur Male Athlete of the Year.

And the Spokane Shock, which caught Spokane’s fancy by going from expansion team to champion of arenafootball2, added the SWAB Team and Coach of the Year trophies to their larder.

Their accomplishments will be recognized, Junior awards winners announced and special awards presented Wednesday during the 29th Spokane Regional Sports Commission Youth Awards Luncheon at noon in Hall C of the new Convention Center.

Luncheon chairman is Jeff Colliton. Dennis Patchin and Rick Lukens will preside over the event that honors 40 youth finalists and rewards the efforts of more than 1,000 area high school athletes.

Major sponsors are State Farm Insurance, Rockwood Clinic and Spokane Hoopfest, joined by a number of Spokane-area businesses that help defray the luncheon cost.

Noble, in her freshman year at Oregon, added to an already impressive list of credentials compiled while at Rogers. She was the NCAA women’s 800 meter champion, timing 2 minutes, 2.7 seconds; won a USA Track and Field Junior National Championship; and was bronze medalist in the World Junior Games in Beijing.

Walker, from University High and the University of Washington, become the 12th pole vaulter in history to exceed 6 meters, with a lifetime best 19 feet, 8 1/4 inch vault.

Morrison was the NCAA Division I scoring leader with 28.4 points per game for the Sweet 16 Bulldogs. He was an Associated Press All-American and winner or runner-up for several national Player of the Year awards.

The Shock and coach Chris Siegfried won SWAB awards after they went 17-2 during their inaugural af2 season and won the ArenaCup in Puerto Rico.