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

Shadle Park’s Hathaway chooses Western Washington

Aleisha Hathaway will likely play wing at Western Washington University. (Dan Pelle)

Aleisha Hathaway is headed west to continue her basketball career.

The Shadle Park standout has signed a letter of intent with NCAA Division II Western Washington University.

“I loved the campus. I’m really a nature freak and it’s all green there,” Hathaway said of the Bellingham school.

Hathaway, a three-year starter who was the first player off the bench as a freshman, averaged a team-leading 12.7 points per game last season. She was a first team all-Greater Spokane League pick for a third straight year.

The 5-foot-9 Hathaway will likely play wing at WWU.

“The coaches are amazing,” Hathaway said. “The girls (WWU players) remind me of my freshman year at Shadle Park.”

Hathaway chose WWU over Humboldt State. She visited both schools and was offered by both schools. Several other Division II and smaller schools showed interest, including the University of Great Falls.

If Hathaway wants to contribute right away, she knows she’ll have to dedicate herself to working out this summer.

“I’m going to have to get into very good shape,” Hathaway said. “They run the floor a lot. And they’re a very good defensive team. I’ve been working out every day and running on the treadmill every day.”

Hathaway will graduate with a 4.0 grade-point average and is one of seven valedictorians.

Football coaches hired

Shawn Nilsson has been named head football coach at Lewiston, replacing Emmett Dougherty, who resigned after 13 seasons.

Nilsson, who played at the University of Idaho for Dennis Erickson and served previously as an assistant at Lewiston, plans on installing a pass-happy spread offense. He’ll have a capable returning starter at quarterback, Cole Zacha, to work with in the fall.

“We’re going to throw the ball a lot,” Nilsson told the Lewiston Tribune. “I think I have a pretty good understanding of coverages and (how to) teach those to our quarterbacks. The key – offensively – is a good, strong quarterback.”

• Former Sandpoint assistant football coach Casey McLaughlin has been named head coach at Bonners Ferry. McLaughlin was assistant head coach at Sandpoint the last six years and was the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator for three years. He replaces Clint Arthur, who served as interim coach last fall after the previous coach resigned after one game.

• They’re searching for a football coach at Pullman after Craig McCormick resigned.

Pullman was 8-22 in three seasons under McCormick. He served as a longtime assistant before taking the head coaching job. The Greyhounds finished 1-9 last season, going winless in the Great Northern League.

• Pullman also has a head coaching opening in volleyball. Dave Weitz resigned after three years. The Greyhounds won back-to-back State 2A titles and finished sixth last year under Weitz.

“We hated to see Dave go, but he had conflicts with his job,” Pullman athletic director Mike Davis said.

• Kris Knowles has been hired as athletic director at Sandpoint, less than a year after taking a similar position at Bonners Ferry.

Knowles replaces Tom Albertson, who is moving into a vice principal position in charge of curriculum.

A Coeur d’Alene High grad and former Lake City boys basketball coach, Knowles is looking forward to returning to the Inland Empire League.

Knowles will finish the year at BF. But he will be part of the hiring committee that must fill the girls basketball position at Sandpoint. Lance Bruce was let go after four seasons.