U-Hi ends Shadle streak

When long Greater Spokane League softball winning runs have been ended, coach Jon Schuh’s teams have been the streak busters.

He was coach at Central Valley years ago when the Bears ended a University streak that had extended beyond 40 games. Monday, his Titans put an end to the remarkable 77-game GSL run dating to 2005 by Shadle Park, winning 10-4 in a makeup game at home.

“I didn’t do anything,” said Schuh. “But it just tells you how good of a team Shadle had for four years. They had a special group.”

Shaina Marvel drove in five runs, lining a three-run home run over the left field fence in the fourth inning and adding a two-run double in the fifth for an 8-0 Titans lead.

Schuh said his presence, like Forrest Gump, at the ending of the two longest winning streaks in GSL fastpitch history was merely coincidence.

“I just think it was the luck of the draw,” he said. “But for us it was good. We haven’t fared too well against the Highlanders in league. We’ve done better in district.”

Shadle lost the third league game in 2005 before running off 16 straight to end the regular season. The Highlanders were undefeated the next three years and won their first two games in league this year.

“It was exciting while it lasted,” said Shadle coach George Lynn, who added he knew it had to end sometime. “You don’t play for a winning streak. It just happens.”

To have it ended by the long successful and rival Titans, he said, couldn’t have been by a better team and coaching staff.

•After being shut out on one hit by Erika Santarosa of visiting Ferris through five innings, Mt. Spokane came up with four hits and three runs in the sixth for a 3-1 victory in another GSL makeup game Monday.

Chelsea Gray, who pitched a three-hitter and struck out eight for Mt. Spokane, had a sacrifice fly for the winning run. Santarosa struck out 13 and didn’t walk a batter.

Soccer

Pre-season prognostication is an inexact science at best, but the start of Greater Spokane League soccer produced one possible surprise.

Central Valley, league co-champions and a state qualifier last year, was something of an unknown entity this season. But the Bears opened beating one of the early favorites, Ferris, 1-0.

Even Bears coach Andres Monrroy said last week he thought duplicating last year’s performance would be tough.

“We graduated eight or nine seniors,” he said. “We graduated everyone on defense and our goalkeeper. That’s my biggest concern right now.”

One difference, he did point out, was that this year’s CV team is healthy. A year ago, despite its success, the Bears had someone out with injury in every game but their season opener, he said.

“I feel very confident about the offense,” he said. “The defense I haven’t seen yet.”

Against Ferris, veteran Trevor Delmedico scored 13 minutes into the match, and the Bears new-look defense proved up to the task. Senior third-year varsity goalkeeper Ryan Wurz turned away eight of the Saxons’ 14 shots for the shutout. Wurz backed Nick Piger, now at Gonzaga University, for two years. He did get considerable playing time as a sophomore, however.

“We have a mix of youth and experienced players,” said Monrroy, “but it’s a good mix.”

GSL soccer teams play twice this week, then are off until April 8. League is played in a hurry. The last regular season games are May 1.

•Monday afternoon, Christian Foster converted a rebound 39 minutes into the match after Mead keeper Zach Knechtges stopped a Lewis and Clark free kick to give the visiting Tigers a 1-0 win over the defending champion Panthers in a battle of two other teams deemed potential title contenders.

In other Monday matches, Ty Groom scored from 12 yards out at 32 minutes after a Brad Pelton steal to give North Central a 1-0 win over visiting Shadle Park. … Regan Saito’s goal at 87 minutes in the second overtime produced a 2-1 win for Rogers over visiting Mt. Spokane. … James Matern set up both goals, the first an Ian Hartfield 30-yard rocket at 39 minutes, as Ferris blanked visiting East Valley 2-0. … and Michael Ramos’ deflection off a cross from 18 yards out found the back of the net at 87 minutes in the second overtime to give University a 3-2 win at Gonzaga Prep. Nick Hanson’s header at 65 minutes for the Bullpups forced overtime.

Basketball

Top boys basketball players in six classifications made their points during the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association (WIBCA) All-State games last weekend in Seattle.

Five of the six teams cracked 100 points during the three games at Franklin High. The smaller schools beat their larger brethren in all three.

The 3A All-Stars beat the 4A 115-106, rallying from a point down at halftime. Shadle Park’s Anthony Brown scored 10 points for the victors, Gonzaga Prep’s David Stockton had nine for 4A.

The 1A team, led by Lakeside’s Brady Blankevoort, whipped 2A 106-86. Blankevoort scored 19 points and Freeman’s Luke Mathews had seven for the victors.

The 1B Stars outscored the 2B Stars 16-2 in overtime to win 114-100, with contributions from local players. Jordan Wakefield of Curlew had 11 points and five blocked shots. Nick Heitstuman from Colton added 10 points and Wyatt Sitton from St. John-Endicott had 11 rebounds.

Riggs Yarbro, the coaches’ player of the year from Moses Lake Christian, led the scoring among players of all classifications with 28 points.

Northwest Christian’s Matt Zandbergen scored 10 points and had 11 rebounds, while Chase Ramey, 2B player of the year, scored five points.

Baseball

University baseball coach Scott Sutherland said prior to the start of the season, that his pre-season GSL favorites don’t have quite the pitching depth of last year’s regional qualifier.

If the Titans’ first two games are an indicator, it might not matter.

They scored 29 runs in 11-1 and 18-3 victories over Gonzaga Prep during the season’s first week and ace Billy Moon didn’t see the mound. U-Hi had 27 hits during the two wins to make life easy for starters John Rapose and Austin Peasley.

Four different players had three-hit games. Jacob Olsufka, sophomore Nick Motsinger and junior Tony Tabish had five each in the two games.

U-Hi, Central Valley, Shadle Park and East Valley all swept two-game sets. Significant for the Highlanders and Knights were victories over fellow 3A schools Mt. Spokane and North Central, respectively.

Golf

Led by sophomore Paige Whidbee, the medalist with a 92, Pullman had three of the top five scorers and won the season’s first Great Northern League girls match at Palouse Ridge in Pullman on Monday.

Pullman scored 549 to 576 for runner-up Colville.

•Tyler Carlson of Clarkston shot a 2-over-par 74 in the boys’ GNL opener at Palouse Ridge and led the Bantams to a 425-428 margin over runner-up Colville. The Indians’ Casey Cox was second at 78.