Quick hits
Cross country starts
Early cross country invitationals held locally and around the state will test the powers of prognostication of coaches’ association members who made their favorites known in a preseason poll.
The fact that North Central is favored among Class 3A schools is no surprise. The defending state champions, who had the top four regional finishers last year, bring back all seven runners and are ranked second nationally.
The 4A is a little less concrete, although Mead (ranked No. 1), Central Valley and Ferris are picked among the state’s top four.
Rankings are high praise for last year’s top three state finishers from a storied cross country city.
Four-time champion Ferris graduated six of its seven runners and all five scorers. Mead brings back seventh-place finisher Kelly Lynch and one other runner from last year’s varsity. CV is the most experienced of the trio with four returning state placers.
At least three boys teams – Lake Stevens, Eisenhower and Tahoma – loom as threats to the GSL’s run of 19 straight 4A team titles.
CV’s girls, at No. 7, are the only GSL 4A top-10 team.
Mt. Spokane’s boys, with six returnees, are ranked third in 3A. Mt. Spokane’s girls are ranked second and NC seventh.
West Valley’s boys are ranked No. 1 in 2A and Riverside’s girls are third. Riverside’s boys and Cheney’s boys and girls are also ranked.
Lakeside’s (Nine Mile Falls) boys and girls are picked second and third in 1A and Chewelah boys are ranked. St. George’s and Reardan are ranked in both boys and girls. The defending champion St. George’s boys are picked to repeat.
New soccer coaches
There are numerous unfamiliar (or vaguely familiar) faces pacing the sidelines at Greater Spokane League girls soccer games this year. Five of 11 teams have new coaches.
Andres Monrroy takes over at Central Valley, replacing Brandon Deyarmin, who is in administration. Monrroy coached East Valley last year guiding the Knights to fourth place.
EV replaced him with Gabe Escobar, a former Knights player who has been a club coach and helped with the Knights.
Ashley Jones (nee Troxel) is the new coach at Ferris, taking over for longtime successful coach Robin Crain. Jones is the daughter of Lake City football coach Van Troxel and was a standout soccer and track athlete for the Timberwolves. She went on to play soccer at Whitworth.
Mead coach Steve Snider had plenty of experience coaching in the Yakima area before moving here and becoming the fourth girls coach in four years.
Glenn Duggan, assistant coach at North Central last year, became the head coach when Jennifer Tissue resigned.
Football this week
Mead vs. Lewis and Clark, Friday, 8 p.m., Albi Stadium: This is the GSL game of the week, pitting 1-0 playoff contenders.
Last year LC’s Tigers scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull out a 21-6 victory. The Panthers outgained them by 100 yards.
Both teams began the season in similar fashion to a year ago. Mead beat Shadle Park 52-6 (last season it was 56-7), and the Tigers defeated Central Valley 27-21 with a late touchdown (last year the team came from behind 13-11).
Expect another close game.
Other GSL games: University vs. Shadle, tonight 6:15, Albi. Another playoff contender, U-Hi’s Titans gave up an early touchdown but beat Highlanders a year ago and got out of the chute quickly with a non-league win over Coeur d’Alene.
Friday night games include Ferris at EV, 7. Ferris’ Saxons needed overtime to win last year. They looked impressive in their opener. Rogers is at Central Valley, 7. CV’s Bears are seeking to rebound from tough season-opening loss. Mt. Spokane plays North Central at Albi, 5:15, in a game between 3A teams jockeying for playoff position. Gonzaga Prep is at Bellarmine Prep in non-league play, 7 p.m., in Tacoma for the annual game against parochial counterpart.
NEA game of the week: Kettle Falls is at Lakeside in a 7 p.m. Friday matchup of 1-0 teams. Just like last year, KF held off Freeman 14-13 in its opener. Lakeside opened with 41-0 win in Chewelah. Other games: Colfax (1-0) at home against Chewelah, and Freeman at home against Newport.
Quote of the week: Colfax coach Mike Morgan after being asked for game statistics in 37-10 win over Newport: “Our stats got washed away during the monsoon in the third quarter.”