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

Five Spokane skiers qualify for U.S. Ski Association Cross Country Junior Nationals

Staff And News Service Reports

Five members of the Spokane Nordic Ski Association qualified for the U.S. Ski Association’s Cross Country Junior Nationals March 8-14 in Soda Springs, California, following the culmination of a season-long series of qualifying races last weekend on Mount Spokane.

Lauren Potyk of Ferris qualified in the U16 female division and was joined by four in the U18 male division, including brother Andrew Potyk, also Ferris; Ian McCarthy and Daniel Korus, both Lewis and Clark; and Brett Ford, St. George’s, on the Pacific Northwest Ski Association team.

All had top-10 finishes in Saturday’s races – Lauren Potyk eighth, McCarthy fifth, Andrew Potyk sixth, Ford eighth and Korus ninth.

Another highlight of the full weekend of Junior National competition on Mount Spokane was the PNWSA U14 championships. Brooks Schaaf (Libby Center), in sixth, and Patrick Kors (Sacajawea Middle School), 10th, led the showing by Spokane Nordic skiers in the male division. There were no area skiers in the female division.

Area skiers with top-five finishes in other Junior National races (all Spokane Nordic unless otherwise noted):

10U female – Zola Barnwell, second. 10U male – Tom Groza, first; Owen Swanson, second.

12U female – Linnea Sunderman, third; Annaby Kanning, Sandpoint Nordic Club, fourth; Alicek Groza, fifth. 12U male – Zane Barnwell, fourth; Sasha Sharman, fifth.

The PNWSA also completed a special team competition to recognize high school skiers in Washington with LC finishing third and Ferris fourth behind Leavenworth and Winthrop.

College scene

Savannah Blinn, a redshirt junior outside hitter at Gonzaga, is one of 231 college players or recent graduates participating in the USA Women’s National Volleyball Team tryouts this weekend in Colorado Springs, Colorado, bidding for a spot on one of two 12-player USA Collegiate National Teams.

Blinn was an All-American honorable mention from the American Volleyball Coaches Association after posting 566 kills (most at GU in the side-out era and fourth all-time) with 4.64 kills per set, among the top 15 in the nation for both categories.

Joining Blinn in Colorado Springs is newly-promoted Gonzaga assistant coach Ashley Allen, who is helping run the tryouts.

Bowling

Clint Norlen had the most to shout about when the Junior Bowlers Tour wound up the 2014-15 season with tournaments the last two weekends.

Norlen, who led the qualifying several times during the season but could never win a tournament, finally broke through for his first victory during the Feb. 8 stop at Bumpers Bowling Center in Spokane Valley.

Once again, Norlen was the leading qualifier, and that coupled with a win over Toby Mertens in the title match, 208-202, earned Norlen the top spot on the 2014-15 JBT All-Star team with 190 points. Mertens was second with 183, followed by Marcus Goss (153), Raymond Worthey (130) and Shelby Snyder (121).

Goss had high season average, a 209. Vanessa Vanderweide’s 195 average led the girls.

Goss finished third in the Feb. 8 tournament with Vanderweide, who rolled a 278 game, fourth and Snyder fifth. On a day of high scores, Norlen had a 278 game while putting together five-game series of 922 and 967. Goss had a 936.

Scores were lower in the season-ender last Sunday at Lilac Lanes, in which Goss beat leading qualifier Snyder, who had averaged 230 for her first five games, 199-184 for the win. Worthey, who used a 256 game to win the first playoff, finished third; Norlen was fourth; and Mertens fifth.

Norlen had the day’s high game, a 278, and Snyder led the girls with a 257.

The JBT will wrap things up next Sunday at Valley Bowl with its fun tournament that is open to anyone.