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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Changes all around


Senior two-year starter Riki Schiemeister takes aim during practice for the University High School Titans. She will lead a rebuilding year for the team and Coach Mark Stinson. 
 (J. BART RAYNIAK / The Spokesman-Review)
Steve Christilaw Correspondent

As if Mark Stinson needed a reminder of what his University Titans will be without for the 2007-08 season, all he had to do was watch a little television.

Angie Bjorklund, who rewrote the Greater Spokane League record book for scoring during her four-year high school career, not to mention leading the Titans to last year’s state Class 4A championship game, played on national television.

Bjorklund went straight from the halls of U-Hi to starting for the defending national champions at the University of Tennessee.

“It was surreal,” he said. “We sat around this last weekend watching her play and play well on television.

“That’s not the kind of game film I’m used to watching, I can tell you that.”

Legendary coach John Wooden refers to his first UCLA men’s basketball team after Lew Alcindor graduated as “the team without.”

Stinson understands the sentiment.

You don’t replace a once-in-a-lifetime player. You simply turn the page and move on to the next chapter.

“That’s it exactly,” he said. “But we lost a lot more than just Angie from last year’s team. We lost four players who were really important to our program. Each one of them was special.”

Change is an area theme.

At Central Valley, former assistant coach Freddie Rehkow, who stepped down as head coach at East Valley after leading the Knights to the school’s first state tournament, steps in to lead the Bears. Former head coach Judy Walters stays on as his varsity assistant.

Meanwhile, the Knights turn to assistant coach Rob Collins to lead East Valley in its quest for a return trip to state.

Greater Spokane League

East Valley Knights

The Knights begin the season in a transition.

“Right now I have a couple kids who haven’t joined the team yet because they’re in Europe,” Coach Rob Collins said. “And I have another who was just cleared to begin practicing at about 50 percent after an injury. We’ll be a little thin to start the season.”

East Valley graduated six seniors off last year’s state Class 3A tournament squad who played the majority of the time a year ago.

Two more players from last year’s squad opted to join the cheerleading squad, further thinning the ranks.

Last year’s leading scorer, junior Kelsi Jacobson, returns and Collins will look to her to improve on her average of 8.7 points per game.

“I believe she can be a big-time scorer for us this year,” Collins said. “But we’re going to have to find some support for her. Some others will have to help pick up the slack.”

Junior Morgan Manchester, the back-up point guard a year ago, moves up to start while her sister, senior Bryanna, will step into start at a wing. Both have well-earned reputations for playing hard-nosed defense for the school’s soccer team and the coach will look to them to help bring that same attitude to the hardwood.

Senior Kathy Tate will give the team a 5-10 presence in the middle while junior Jenea Knopp will provide some depth.

Collins said he’s not entirely sure what to expect from the GSL’s Class 3A competition. Mt. Spokane should be tough, he said, and North Central should be improved.

Central Valley Bears

Judy Walters’ 2006-07 Bears squad did not have a single senior on the roster and turned in a 5-15 season.

This season, new coach Freddie Rehkow welcomes a group of seasoned players. In addition, Rehkow will have one benefit Walters did not have as coach: having Walters as an assistant.

Walters was the key varsity assistant to Dale Poffenroth during his successful run as CV coach.

Rehkow said the one surprise thus far this season has been the determination and work ethic his squad brings to the gym every day.

“Though this team is young, they are really determined to learn more and become a more cohesive group in an effort to be successful as a team,” he said.

Senior guard Justine Bowman is a 5-foot-4 senior sparkplug who doubles as an experienced point guard. Senior guard Mallory Flesher recovered from a broken arm, and Rehkow expects her to add grittiness and defensive pressure.

Lindsey Gigler, 5-10 sophomore, came in stronger and with much-improved skills – giving the team a strong post.

“We’ve had a couple name changes this year, and a few players didn’t return, so the roster isn’t exactly the same as last year,” Rehow said.

Tristina Kline, returns for her junior season, but is now Tristina Krakenberg, and junior Ashley Carpenter returns as Ashley Hinseth, but is still a 5-10 post.

The Bears are still young. Only Bowman and Flesher are seniors, and the team has just three juniors in Brittany Catron, Krakenberg and Hinseth.

University Titans

In addition to Bjorklund, the Titans will be hard-pressed to replace the nonstop motor of Dara Zack and the huge heart of Leah Archibald, who lost both her sophomore and junior seasons to knee injuries, but never lost her desire to play.

That doesn’t, however, mean that the cupboard is bare.

Senior starting wing Riki Schiermeister returns off a healthy junior season and her sister, sophomore Dakota, started at point guard a year ago.

“It’s not easy to come in as a freshman and play the point in this league,” Stinson said. “But Dakota came in and did a nice job for us.

“They’re both the kind of players where you only have to show them something once and they have it down. You only have to tell them something once. They just get it.”

As for a team motor, Stinson said, the team needs look no further than 5-5 junior guard Lauren Millard.

“She’s the one with the motor this year,” Stinson said. “She wants to press all the time. In fact, if we’re not pressing she’ll look over at me like ‘Awww, come on!’ “

The Titans, who shoot the ball well and like to use the three-point line, will have plenty of inside height this season.

Seniors Skye Pearman-Gillman and Kelsey Mitchell are 6-foot posts and senior Janessa Carr lacks just an inch of making it a threesome.

Senior Kasey Jurich, the leading scorer in last year’s state championship game with Lewis and Clark, will play as a 5-8 wing.

“Kasey is coming off a wonderful volleyball season,” Stinson said. “She’s worked hard and is so athletic.”

New to the mix is sophomore transfer guard Chenise Pakootas.

“We’re really high on her and what she’ll bring to the team,” Stinson said. “She’s a transfer from Inchelium.”

Great Northern League

West Valley Eagles

Monday afternoon Coach Lorin Carlon was kicking himself for being generous.

“I told the soccer girls they could take Monday off if they wanted to after playing at state over the weekend,” he said, rubbing his crew-cut head. “We gave the volleyball players an extra day off after the state tournament, too.

“Then I realized that we still have to get ready to play the jamboree Saturday.”

Jordyn Sodorff, Lacey Nordby, Missy Carey and freshman Torrey Finn will all try to make a fast transition from soccer to basketball. Senior Melissa Mauro, a second-team All-GNL player a year ago, got a late start after volleyball.

The Eagles’ successful fall that saw every team in every sport advance to play in the postseason and the volleyball and soccer teams come home with trophies will inspire a basketball team that finished two games away from a state-tournament berth in its first GNL season.

West Valley lost to Cheney in the loser-out portion of the regional tournament. The Blackhawks then upset Pullman, which had been undefeated in the regular season, to nab the second of two state berths.

“We have a big group of freshmen out this year, and I think we’ll see a few of them at some point this year,” Carlon said. “At least on the junior varsity, if not on varsity before it’s all said and done.”

Three freshmen start the season on the WV varsity: Shaniqua Nilles, Hannah Love and Finn. Nilles and Love both stand in at 5-9.

“I have seniors and I have freshmen,” Carlon said. “I told the seniors that we’re only going to go as far these freshmen can take us. A lot depends on how quickly we embrace them and make them part of the team.”

The rest of the GNL will be difficult to peg, Carlon said.

“There’s a new coach at Clarkston and a new coach at Deer Park,” he said. “I still think Pullman is the team to beat, but there’s a new coach there, too.

“Just when you think you know what to expect, they go and change coaches and it all goes out the window.”

Northeast A League

Freeman Scotties

Coach Matt Gregg, last year’s NEA Coach of the Year, returns a versatile group led by junior All-League swing player Carley Heinen.

“Carley is a lot like Jessie DePell was – versatile and athletic,” he said. “The thing is, though, we may have to play her a lot inside because I have a very young post.

“Our whole team is going to be like that. We’re going to be able to move players around and mix-and-match depending on who we’re playing.”

Senior Kelsey Raines returns to run the point and classmates Darby Moberg and Ashley Carrell at forward and guard, respectively.

Freeman was upset in the NEA tournament a year ago, losing to eventual state champion Colfax in the district championship game and then falling to Lakeside, a team the Scotties had beaten in the three previous meetings, 49-46 in a winner-to-regional game.

The long-standing Freeman-Colfax rivalry will finally come to an end after this season.

The Bulldogs have been Freeman’s nemesis for years, winning the last four straight Class 1A championships and five state titles since 2002.

“We still have to deal with them this year, but it’s the last year,” Gregg said. “They’ll be gone (to Class B) after this year.

“This year we at least get four state berths. That should make getting to state a little easier.”