Newport, Pullman fill coaching vacancies
Turnover continues in coaching jobs in the region.
Newport announced this week the hiring of head football and volleyball coaches.
Zachery Farnam takes over in football, replacing Adam Daniel. Farnam has been the defensive coordinator the past seven years at Newport.
He was one of 56 applicants for the job.
“He just knocked everybody out during his interview,” Newport athletic director Gary Coe said. “It was unbelievable the number of applicants we had. They came from all over, including the Midwest and Montana.”
Kaprina Goodwin takes over in volleyball. A Northport graduate, Goodwin recently graduated from Gonzaga University, where she played for four years.
Goodwin replaces Jamie Pancho, who resigned and is pursuing a teaching and coaching job in Boise.
“We’re really, really fortunate to get Kaprina,” Coe said. “She was a great student in high school and college and an outstanding volleyball player.
“Her lack of head coaching experience will not be a factor. She’ll be a wonderful role model for our young girls.”
Daniel resigned after two years as head coach to take an assistant coaching position and teaching job at his alma mater, University. He’ll join first-year head coach Rob Bartlett as the Titans’ offensive line and defensive ends coach. Daniel’s brother, Jason, is on Bartlett’s staff.
“I wanted to be closer to my kids,” Daniel said of the move. “I was commuting every day from the Mead area.
“I’m going to miss Newport like crazy. I loved it there. We were starting to make some head way. I think things are on the right track. I wouldn’t have left if I didn’t think the job was in better shape than how I found it.”
• Pullman has filled vacancies in football and volleyball.
Dan Lucier, a 25-year head coach in Superior, Mont., takes over in football, replacing Craig McCormick, who stepped down after going 8-22 in three years.
Lucier, 53, coached teams to 10 conference or district championships. His 2008 team won a state championship.
Lucier, who will serve as dean of students at Pullman, is from Frenchtown, Mont. He played football at Montana Western in Dillon.
“He’s outstanding,” Pullman athletic director Mike Davis said. “He has a long history of success, and he’s an innovator. He’s got the energy and experience to have a positive impact.”
Jill Solbrack has been named the Greyhounds’ volleyball coach.
Solbrack, a three-year starter at Colfax, played four years at Whitworth. She has been an assistant the last three years at Colfax.
Administration
Longtime Mead softball and assistant football coach John Barrington has been named the school’s athletic director. Barrington replaces Dick Cullen, who is retiring.
“I’m really excited,” Barrington said. “Things have been going pretty good here for a long time. There’s some pressure following Dick.”
Barrington was an assistant football coach for 24 years before stepping away last fall. He spent the last 10 years as offensive coordinator.
He was the head softball coach the last 15 years. He will resign from that position.
“That’s going to be really tough,” Barrington said. “I coached both of my daughters. My niece is going to be a senior on the team next year. I’m going to miss coaching and the relationships with kids.”
Football
The Earl Barden All-Star Classic, the annual football game for 2A to 1B players, is Saturday at East Valley High in Yakima.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
Here are the area players selected to play on the East team: Justin Barrong (wide receiver/defensive back) of Freeman, Jason Jorgensen (running back/DB) of Deer Park, Ben Bissell (quarterback/DB) of Cheney, Alex Pond (tight end/linebacker) of Colville, Alvin Li (RB/DB) of Colfax, Justin Berarducci (WR/DB) of Colfax, Colton Davis (RB/defensive line) of Colville, Keith Coulson (RB/DB) of Newport, Zach Mohr (WR/DB/placekicker), Niko Knezovich (RB/LB) of Reardan, Calvin Connall (RB/LB) of Chewelah, Dylan Ellsworth (RB/DB) of West Valley, Quinn Robinson (RB/LB) of Freeman, Dylan Miller (TE/LB) of Deer Park, Dewey Bender (fullback/LB) of Riverside, Ezra Sanders (offensive lineman/LB) of Pullman, Joseph Schweiger (OL/DL) of Freeman, Justin Hause (OL/LB) of Lakeside, Brandon Heide (OL/DL) of East Valley, Zak Thompson (OL/DL) of Colville, Alex Hachman (OL/DL) of WV, Doug Smith (OL/DL) of Colville, Waylen Anderson (OL/DL) of Reardan, Avery Smetana (OL/DL) of Freeman, Brent Conrad (OL/DL) of Colfax, Eddie Bitzan (OL/DL) of Kettle Falls, Don Burns (OL/DL) of Newport and Cole Evers (TE/DL) of Davenport.
Basketball
The 16th annual Washington/North Idaho All-State Girls Basketball games are Saturday at West Valley High School.
Action begins with the East B taking on West B at 1:30 followed by East 1A facing West 1A at 3:30 and capped by East 3A/2A meeting West 3A/2A at 5:30.
Admission – $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under and senior citizens 62 and older – is good for all three games.
Here are the area players selected to play in the games: Chantel Heath of Reardan, Kay Mielke of Davenport, Hannah Dietzen of Northwest Christian, Dominique Pleasants of Lake Roosevelt, Payton Meyer of Colton, Kaelee Reed of Wilbur-Creston, Courtney Holter of Selkirk, Lindsay Loe of Columbia Hunters, Ashley Knight of Colville, Taylor Lewis of Newport, Tayler Femming of Lakeside (Nine Mile), Brook Sprenger of Moscow, Dani Failor of Post Falls, Taylor Anderson of Moscow, Erin Legel of Coeur d’Alene, Darby Murray of Lakeland, Steffie Pavey of Priest River, Alison Ruygrok of Deer Park, Brooke Reilly of Mt. Spokane, Emily Drake of Pullman, Danielle Beltrame of Deer Park, Jenae Martin of West Valley and Ashley Meek of WV.
Area coaches selected to participate are Ed Shields of Reardan and Loren Carlon of WV.
Softball
The Northwest Wildfire 12 under from Hayden captured a title at the Vancouver (Wash.) Invite June 8-10.
Players on the team are: Capriel Halliday, Gracie Schauls, Katie Kastning, Emma Guindon, Ariel Smith, Reilly Williams, Marley Chambers, Olivia Zufelt, Olivia Guindon and Kaitlyn Scoble. They’re coached by Brandon Guindon, Tony Williams and Gary Scoble.
Scholastic
Pullman took second in the WIAA/Washington National Guard 2A Scholastic Cup competition for 2011-12.
The Greyhounds earned 1,280 points. Points are earned for qualifying and placing in state athletic competitions. Points are also earned by sport and activity for having a top eight finish in the state team grade-point average.
Signings
Mead quarterback Andy Wetzel is headed to play at the University of Puget Sound.
Wetzel, an honors student who graduated with a 3.82 GPA, was a three-year starter and was all-Greater Spokane League honorable mention for three years. He finished as the Panthers’ career leader in touchdown passes (38) and accuracy (63 percent).
He ranks third all time in passing yardage (3,182 yards) and fifth all time in single season passing (1,447).
• Ryan Leone of Central Valley plans to play baseball at Yakima Valley Community College.
Leone was a four-year starter for the Bears.
Golf
Central Valley High graduate Joel Christensen carded a two-day total of 141 to win the Toyota Series Liberty Lake Amateur Golf Championship held at Liberty Lake last Saturday and Sunday.
Christensen shot a 70 on Saturday and a 71 Sunday to win the Champion Flight.