Sports in brief: Ferris’ Halliday commits to WSU

Connor Halliday grew up on Boise State football where his father, former Coeur d’Alene standout Duane Halliday, played. When push came to shove, the Ferris quarterback chose Washington State instead.

Halliday, who will be a senior Saxon this fall, has made an oral commitment to become a Cougar.

“Dad took me to Boise games when I was little,” said Halliday. “I’ve been there about 30 times. But Washington State is the best place for me.”

He said he liked the campus atmosphere at WSU better. He was the only quarterback the Cougars were recruiting and “it was kind of tough to say no.”

Besides, he added, his dad showed no bias toward Boise.

“He kind of liked the Wazzu thing more than I did at the start,” Halliday said. “I was talking with my mom and told her I could wait for more offers. But I said, you know, this is the best fit anyway, so why not get (the decision) out of the way.”

Halliday transferred to Ferris late in his sophomore season from eventual state champion Lewis and Clark where he had been the backup QB. Last year he completed 170 of 278 passes for 2,464 yards and 21 touchdowns.

In the state semifinal against eventual champion Skyline, he said, was when WSU began recruiting him. He said Northwestern and Boise State were among other suitors.

Mike Vlahovich

Felony charges for WSU trio

College football: Sophomore cornerback Tyrone Justin is among three current and former Washington State football players charged with felony burglary.

Justin and former cornerback Romeo Pellum are scheduled to stand trial in August in Whitman County Superior Court. Former freshman cornerback Kevin Frank is scheduled to enter a plea on Friday.

The three players allegedly burglarized a teammate’s dorm room.

Pellum, who led the Cougars last season in interceptions, was dismissed from the team in the spring due to team violations.

Justin is listed as the starter at right corner- back in the spring football depth chart. Frank did not attend spring drills.

Babcock will coach Olympics

Hockey: Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock will coach the Canadian men’s hockey team at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, according to a person familiar with the decision.

Babcock, the former coach of the Spokane Chiefs, will have Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock on his staff, according to the person who spoke Tuesday to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Canada won the gold medal in Salt Lake City in 2002, but struggled in Turin four years later.

Associated Press