Finalists named for youth awards

A revamped format will greet young area athletes at a familiar site when this year’s Youth Awards Luncheon returns to the original Spokane Convention Ballroom site on Feb. 24.

Spokane Regional Sports Commission officials have said the intent of the change will be to make it more fast-paced and relevant to the audience.

Sponsored by Spokane Hoopfest, State Farm Insurance and Rockwood, the annual event will begin at 11:30 a.m. and honor Inland Northwest Sportswriters and Broadcasters finalists for Junior Male and Female athletes, teams and coaches of the year.

Many Spokane-area businesses also sponsor to help defray the cost of the lunch for high school youth.

Special honors will be bestowed for the 25-Year Award, Spokane Hoopfest Sportsmanship and Rockwood High School Sports Medicine Student of the Year winners.

Randy Ryan of the host SRSC is chairman of the event. Ed Sharman and Derek Deis are masters of ceremonies.

Tickets may be ordered by contacting Deana McClenny, 742-9379, by e-mail to deanam@spokanesports.org, or on the www.spokanesports.org Web site.

SWABs Youth Awards Luncheon Finalists

JUNIOR MALE

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Daniel Anderson, Sandpoint – Fourth-year soccer starter was the leading scorer and MVP on his third state championship Bulldogs team.

Jason Bates, Ferris – 4A All-State wide receiver set single-season GSL yardage record. He caught 104 passes for 2,556 yards and 22 touchdowns for state football finalists.

Anthony Brown, Shadle Park – 3A All-State basketball selection averaged 17 points per game for state qualifiers. He finished his career with 1,417 points, the all-time Highlanders scoring leader.

Drew Clausen, West Valley – Two-time Great Northern League MVP quarterback for State 2A finalists rushed for 1,002 yards and 15 touchdowns, and passed for 1,815 yards and 21 scores.

Connor Halliday, Ferris – Record-setting quarterback for State 4A football finalist completed 294 of 461 passes for nearly 4,100 yards and 40 touchdowns, setting GSL single-game and season yardage records.

Ben Johnston, North Central – Won State 3A cross country title in all-classification best 15 minutes, 15 seconds; was eighth in the Nike Cross Nationals; and last spring placed in the state 3,200.

Jacob Lauderdale, Lakeside – Oregon State redshirt won his third straight State 1A wrestling title (and fourth medal) and won more than 100 matches during his high school career.

Chase Ramey, Northwest Christian – Washington State 2B Player of the Year and MVP of Crusaders’ fourth straight State champions became one of a handful of Washington players to win more than 100 games during his career.

Spencer Shanholtzer, Cusick – Two-way star gained 10,591 yards of total offense at quarterback during four-year 8-man career and was named AP All-State linebacker.

Colten Williams, Mt. Spokane – Earned second AP All-State 3A honor rushing for 1,192 yards (a 7.38 average) and 19 touchdowns with 48 receptions for 606 yards and two TDs for state quarterfinalists.

JUNIOR FEMALE

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Jeneva Anderson, Lewis and Clark – Third-year varsity player, now at Washington, was a double-figure scorer for fifth-place State 4A basketball Tigers and All-State selection.

Katie Baker, Lake City – For the third time, the Lake City High basketball star, now at Montana, was named Gatorade Player of the Year. She averaged 21.8 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.

Shelby Cheslek, Pullman – Pullman two-sport athlete was State 2A MVP for state volleyball champions and a member of the Greyhounds’ state-placing basketball team.

Kinsey Gomez, Coeur d’Alene – Distance runner recorded the area’s fastest times and won her second state cross country title in three years, beating the defending champ by 33 seconds.

Kama Griffitts, Coeur d’Alene – Idaho State 5A Player of the Year led Vikings to their second straight state title by averaging 16 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game.

Kayla Johnson, Colfax – Multisport star was named MVP of both the State 2B basketball and volleyball tournaments in leading Bulldogs to a pair of titles.

Baylee Mires, Mead – Sophomore was a two-event track state champion, capturing the 4A 800 meters in 2:11.51 and 1,600 in 4:56.35. She also finished fifth in state cross country.

Alexis Olgard, Mead – Mead’s 6-foot-5 senior and University of Southern California signee was State 4A MVP for the Panthers’ state volleyball champions and led scoring for Team USA in the Junior World Championships.

Chessey Thomas, Lewis and Clark – LC and St. George’s athlete captured the State 4A golf championship and powered the Tigers to the team title. Among summer honors was the Pacific Northwest Junior PGA title and 20th place in nationals.

Kellie Zakrzewski, Cheney – Four-year Cheney soccer standout became one of the most prolific goal scorers in area history with nearly 130 for State 2A second-place finishers.

JUNIOR MALE

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Deer Park wrestling – The Stags produced six state champions and defended their State 2A team championship as a result.

Ferris cross country – The Saxons captured the State 4A championship following GSL and regional championships. They finished second at the Nike Cross nationals.

Lewiston basketball – The Bengals won the school’s first 5A state title in 61 years, compiling a 22-4 record with a victory over Madison for the title.

North Central cross country – The Indians captured their fourth straight State 3A championship. They defeated Ferris in the Nike Cross regional and were seventh in nationals.

Northwest Christian basketball – The Crusaders won an unprecedented fourth straight State 2B championship, completing the season with a 29-0 record.

JUNIOR FEMALE

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Coeur d’Alene basketball – The Vikings finished 25-0 while earning their second straight Idaho State 5A championship.

Colfax basketball – The Bulldogs capped a 26-2 season in garnering the State 2B championships for their sixth state title in eight years.

Mead volleyball – The Panthers won their sixth State 4A title over the past seven years in five two-point games, rallying from two games to none and a fifth-game deficit.

Pullman volleyball – The Greyhounds, under first-year head coach David Weitz, swept to the State 2A title, winning two times in five games for the school’s second title.

St. Maries volleyball – The girls ended a 16-year drought following years of dominance to capture the Idaho State 4A championship.

JUNIOR MALE

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mike Hadway – Ferris cross country coach guided Saxons to the State 4A title and their fifth since 2003. Ferris also finished second during the Nike Cross National team race.

Matt Jorgensen – Deer Park wrestling coach guided his program to a second straight State 2A championship as the Stags had six individual titlists.

Ray Ricks – The Northwest Christian coach guided the Crusaders to the State 2B basketball championship for the fourth straight time, a classification record.

Randy Thoreson – Coach of the Sandpoint Bulldogs boys soccer team won another State 4A title, his seventh championship of the decade.

Kelly Walters – North Central track and field coach orchestrated a second straight State 3A title.

JUNIOR FEMALE

COACH OF THE YEAR

Corey Baerlocher – Colfax girls basketball coach guided team to a 28-2 record and his fifth state title in six years, this time in the 2B classification.

Sue Doering – Longtime Colfax coach continued the school’s dominance of her sport by winning a sixth straight volleyball title, four in 1A and the last two in 2B.

Judy Kight – Mead volleyball coach led Panthers to sixth State 4A title in seven years and her seventh championship overall.

Dale Poffenroth – Coeur d’Alene basketball coach, who won three state titles at Central Valley, won a second straight Idaho 5A championship with a 25-0 season.

Clark Vining – Colton girls basketball coach capped a 24-0 season for State 1B championship and also coached football to the State 8-man quarterfinals.