EWU’s Tripp, Sittman claim Bassmaster regional
Laj Tripp and Kyle Sittman led a trio of Eastern Washington University teams that dominated the Bassmaster Collegiate Western Regional Championship last weekend on Folsom Lake outside of Sacramento, California.
Tripp, a freshman from Coeur d’Alene High School, and Sittman, a sophomore from Kennewick, caught about a 2 1/2-pound fish on their last cast with about five minutes remaining and needed it to grab first place by 15 ounces.
Teammates JD Gabbert, a senior from Central Valley, and Taylor Throop, a sophomore from Davenport, finished fifth. Cy Floyd, a junior from Eastmont, Washington, and Travis Opel, a junior from Wenatchee, were 10th, as all three teams qualified for the national collegiate championships in Wisconsin in July. The top four there qualify for the Bassmaster Classic, the Super Bowl of competitive fishing.
Tripp and Sittman took the lead on the first day of the three-day tournament after catching a 5-pound female and 2½-pound male, but slipped behind Chico State after Day 2. Besides the 2½-pounder with their last cast, they had caught another 2½-pounder 45 minutes earlier as they rallied to pull out the title. Gabbert and Taylor vaulted from 16th place after the first day to get fifth and Floyd and Opel had to rally back the third day after slipping from fifth to outside the top 10 the second day.
Basketball
Chuck Randall, whose basketball roots are deep in Eastern Washington, was named 2015 Basketball Old Timers Man of the Year on Wednesday at the 63rd annual Basketball Old Timers Banquet in Seattle.
The Seattle-based group describes itself as a “unique organization of ‘over-the-hill’ basketball junkies!”
Randall, best known for the two decades he coached at Western Washington University, has received hall of fame honors from Central Valley, where he went to high school; WWU; Eastern Washington University, from where he graduated and played baseball; and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Born in Farmington, Washington, he was raised in Veradale and was a three-year letter winner in football, basketball and baseball at CV. His Eastern Washington teaching/coaching stops include Opportunity Grade School and Riverside, Republic, Freeman and Lind high schools. He received a master’s degree from Washington State in 1954.
• Riley Lupfer of Lewis and Clark and Megan Nilsson of Mt. Spokane are on the Northwest Blazers Orange that won the top division in the 3 Stripes/Arizona Elite NCAA Certified Viewing Tournament for high school girls April 24-26 in Gilbert, Arizona.
Blazers Orange went 5-0 in the Superstar Division of the 90-team tournament, defeating Sagebrush Hoops 53-31 in the finals. Steve Klees and Kayla Soliday are the coaches.
College scene
Sage Scheiwiller, a New York University freshman from Lewis and Clark, had quite a rookie softball campaign in the school’s inaugural varsity softball season.
Scheiwiller, a second baseman/pitcher, was selected to the All-University Athletic Association second team and was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro Rookie of the Week last week after closing out the season by pitching her second no-hitter.
Scheiwiller had a 6-11 pitching record for the team that finished 12-24 with a team-leading 63 strikeouts in 90 1/3 innings. She batted .471, second in the UAA behind a teammate, with a team-high 36 runs, tied for second in hits (56) and was second in slugging percentage (.588).
• Megan John, a Whitworth junior with a 3.97 grade-point average as a health science major, was named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-District 8 Division III first team in softball by the College Sports Information Directors of America. John, the Pirates’ designated hitter from Beaverton, Oregon, is eligible for selection to the D-III Academic All-America team.
• Mitchell Gunsolus, a senior infielder at Gonzaga, has been named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-District 8 first team in baseball with a 3.45 GPA. His first all-district honor earns Gunsolus, who is scheduled to graduate today with a business degree, a spot on the Division I Academic All-America ballot.
• Dan Scheibe, a Whitworth senior starting pitcher from Richland, has been named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-District 8 Division III first team in baseball. Scheibe, a psychology major with a 3.93 GPA, is eligible for the D-III Academic All-America team.
• Carson Paull of Sandpoint, a freshman midfielder on the Capital University men’s lacrosse team in Austintown, Ohio, was named to the All-Ohio Athletic Conference second team.
Paull, who the school release announcing his selection said “elevated his play down the stretch” with seven goals and eight points in the final three games of the regular season, finished with 29 points, 19 goals, 18 ground balls and 10 assists.
• Kayleigh Valley, a Montana sophomore from University HS, shared the Grace Geil Most Improved Player award when the Grizzlies passed out honors at their annual women’s basketball awards banquet. The 5-foot-11 Valley was the MVP of the Lady Griz Classic, was honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference and was named to the Big Sky all-tournament team.
High school scene
Lewis and Clark had two of the five Greater Spokane League teams that captured WIAA Spring Team Academic State Championships.
The Tigers won in 4A boys soccer with a 3.722 grade-point average and 4A softball with a 3.712.
Other GSL champions were Gonzaga Prep, 4A girls golf, 3.902; University, 4A girls tennis, 3.923; and Mt. Spokane, 3A girls tennis, 3.933.
St. George’s and Colton each also won two titles: St. George’s in 2B baseball (3.409) and 2B boys tennis (3.656) and Colton in 1B baseball (3.514) and 1B softball (3.805).
Other area schools that won spring state academic state championships: Pullman, 2A baseball, 3.693; Northwest Christian, 2B girls golf, 3.620; St. John-Endicott, 1B girls track and field, 3.805; Odessa-Harrington, 1B girls tennis, 3.480.
The awards are sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Washington and Les Schwab Tires.
Letters of intent
Eastern Washington women’s soccer – Lexi Klinkenberg, a forward, and Abby Klinkenberg, a defender, both Kentridge High School, transferring as sophomores from Western Washington; Aimie Inthoulay, a midfielder, Burien, Washington, transferring as a sophomore from Texas-Pan American.
Eastern Washington volleyball – Ashley Seiler, 5-foot-11 outside hitter, Cheney High School, where she was a four-year All-Great Northern League selection, transferring as a sophomore from Casper (Wyoming) College; Alexis Wesley, 6-1 middle blocker, Silverdale, Washington, transferring from Memphis as an immediately-eligible graduate; Tilbe Yaðuoðlu, 5-8 setter, Hamm, Germany, a freshman.
Washington State women’s track & field and cross country – Josie Brown, Coeur d’Alene High, middle distance, 5A regional cross country champion, third at Idaho 5A State Championships; Betsy Arlt, Wenatchee, middle distance; Ja’Maun Charles, Pleasanton, California, sprinter; Stephanie Cho, Vancouver, British Columbia, hurdler; Regyn Gaffney, Chehalis, Washington, sprinter; Tracy Myers, Beamsville, Ontario, middle distance; Sarah Stavig, Bothell, Washington, sprinter; Grace Victor, Wakerley, Australia, middle distance.
Western Washington men’s basketball – Brad Wallace, 5-foot-11 guard, transferring from Eastern Washington, where he played football last year as a sophomore. Played basketball as a freshman at North Idaho College.
Idaho men’s tennis – Lucas Coutinho, Recife, Brazil, singles and doubles.
Hockey
The Spokane Chiefs, through their Chiefs Care community involvement program, has presented $13,000 to the Susan G. Komen Eastern Washington affiliate to help fight breast cancer.
Funds were raised throughout the 2014-15 season, culminating on Breast Cancer Awareness Night and Helmet Giveaway on Feb. 28, primarily through the sale of special-edition breast cancer awareness T-shirts and hats and the auction of pink-accented, game-worn Chiefs jerseys and special superhero capes worn by the players during warm-ups.
“Our organization has always felt it is important to give back to the community that supports us,” said Chiefs vice president of sponsorships Jay Stewart. “We’re proud to partner with Susan G. Komen and excited that we are able to make a donation that will help so many people in the Spokane area.”
Shooting
The Spokane Junior Rifle Club’s Gold team placed fifth nationally at the U.S. Army National Junior Air Rifle Championships in Fort Benning, Georgia, last month.
Mike Cooper, Mt. Spokane; Katie Loudin and Randi Loudin, both Post Falls; and Maliya Hillman, Lewis and Clark, combined for a 4,495 out of a possible 4,800, taking 60 shots each from 33 feet. The winning score among the nine national finalists was 4,550. The quartet qualified by placing eighth out 66 teams nationally during regional competition in October.
Individually at Fort Benning, Cooper shot 1,130 out of 1,200 to place 15th out of 46 competitors; Katie Loudin, 1,127, 20th, Randi Loudin, 1,119, 27th; and Hillman, 1,119, 28th.
Soccer
Kara Marbury, a 2014 Mead graduate who has played with Spokane Shadow and Spokane Shine programs, has signed with the Seattle Sounders Women for the 2015 summer W-League.
Marbury, the Greater Spokane League Offensive MVP as a senior at Mead, just completed her freshman season as a forward at the University of Illinois, where she had two goals, one a game winner, and two assists. She started of 11 of 12 games in which she played.
• Three area girls teams in the U16 and U17 age groups won division championships last weekend in the windup of Washington Cup competition in Ravensdale, Washington.
The Spokane Foxes Premier ‘97 Red, coming off a first-place finish in the Washington State Premier League Division 1 for its age, defeated Player Academy for Skills from the Seattle area 2-0 to win U17 Platinum. The Academy from Hayden, Idaho, shut out Velocity FC Green from Renton 3-0 to win U17 Silver. The Academy will play in the U.S. Club regionals next month.
Inland Empire Youth Soccer Alliance Breakers ‘98-Andersson of Spokane won the U16 Platinum title with a 1-0 triumph over the ISC Gunners from Issaquah, Washington, and plans to play in regional competition next month.
The Foxes: Haidyn Bulen, Abby Muelheim, Delaney Mosca, all Lewis and Clark; Alli Smeltzer, Ryann Rydeen, both University; Kaylen Carlson, Brittney Sanders, Rylee Goff, Emily Stiles, Ashley Sanders, all Mt. Spokane; Jenna Jensen, North Central; Katie Balauro, Sam Knight, both Riverside; Molly Carpenter, Mead; Morgan Palmer, Ferris; Jamie Fryett, Shadle Park; Ashley Meyer, West Valley. Coach – Chris Stiles.
The Academy: Anisha Nicholson, Nora Flores, Calico Taylor, Samantha DuBois, all Post Falls; Maddy Murn, Monica Higbee, Harley Hendry, Morgan Cline, Darby Dowd, Thea Marshall, Morgan Bixenstein, all Lakeland; Erin Hague, Colby Cosgrove, both Lake City. Coach – Josh Martin.
The Breakers: Anna Rodgers, Bekah Reason, Haley Marie Elkin, Halle Campbell, Isabella Millsap, Kaitlyn Andersson, Maddie Collins, Maddy Derby, Olivia Gadau, Sara Lambdin, Shannon Gerety, Hanna Herzog, all Lewis and Clark; Cassidy Crosswhite, Freeman; KayDee Fisher, The Oaks; Liza Davis, Myah Long, Sandra Garcia-Birginal, Kyra Martin, Saylen Leifer, McKenna Cutler, all Ferris. Coach – Stefan Andersson.
Five other area girls teams and two boys teams also played in upper age-group Washington Cup finals.
Girls: Spokane Foxes ‘99 Premier, U15 Gold, semifinals; Foxes ‘99 Premier Platinum, U15 Platinum, quarterfinals; IEYSA Breakers ‘99-Herzog, U15 Platinum, quarterfinals; Foxes ‘99 White, U15 Bronze, quarterfinals; Coeur d’Alene Sting Premier ‘99-Roma, U16 Gold, quarterfinals.
Boys: Washington East ‘00, U14 Gold, finals (2nd); Spokane Breakers ‘00-Derby, U14 Platinum, quarterfinals.
Volleyball
Matthew Dyck, the head coach at Central Arizona College the last four seasons, has been named assistant coach at Eastern Washington, Eagles head coach Wade Benson announced.
Dyck, who replaces Janelle Allen, who left following two years in Cheney, will serve as the Eagles’ assistant recruiting coordinator and supervise the team’s academic program besides assisting with on-court training.
Dyck was head coach of the Arizona’s men’s program from 2008-10 and served as director of Arizona Premier Volleyball from 2006-14. At Central Arizona, he was the conference coach of the year in 2013 following an 18-7 record and third-place league finish.
Miscellany
Judy Crabb, an administrative assistant in the Eastern Washington athletic department for almost 38 years, retired late last month.
“There certainly are not many people who can boast a more than 37-year career in one job at one place, and that is what Judy has accomplished,” said Bill Chaves, one of nine EWU athletic directors for whom Crabb worked. “Through the many presidents, A.D.’s, coaches and staffs throughout the years, Judy has been the constant. We will miss her greatly, but we are happy for her as she begins the next chapters of her life.”
Crabb, who started in September 1977, was inducted into the Eastern Athletic Hall of Fame in fall of 2014 and received the EWU Distinguished Service Award in 2000.
• John McFarland, a Spokane native and former employee in The Spokesman-Review sports department, has written a book, “Facing America’s Team,” recalling the glory days of the Dallas Cowboys and some of its biggest stars.
McFarland, a 1984 Central Valley graduate who worked at the S-R in the newsroom in 2000-01 before moving to Texas, wrote what he describes as “a collection of stories from about 80 former NFL players who faced the greatest Cowboys over the years.” McFarland said some of Dallas’ biggest rivals shared stories about facing the likes of Bob Lilly, Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman, among others.
“Facing America’s Team” will be published Sept. 1 and can be purchased on Amazon.