Area athletes dot college conference all-academic teams

Twenty-four area athletes were among the more than 600 with grade-point averages of 3.2 or higher named to Big Sky Conference All-Academic teams for fall quarter 2015.

The area athletes by school:

Eastern Washington: Football - Zach Bruce, junior, University; Cole Karstetter, freshman, Ferris; Stu Stiles, sophomore, Mt. Spokane; Kennan Williams, fr., Cheney. Men’s cross country - Aaron Brenton, senior, Cheney/Community Colleges of Spokane; Isaac Kitzan, jr., North Central. Women’s soccer - Paige Gallaway, jr., Central Valley; Tasha Luu, sr., Colville/Spokane CC; Laci Rennaker, so., Central Valley; Savannah Hoekstra, so., CV; Chloe Williams, so., Lewis and Clark.

Idaho: Men’s cross country - Skylar Ovnicek, fr., West Valley; Levi Wintz, fr., Logos. Women’s cross country - Kinsey Gomez, sr., Coeur d’Alene High; McCall Skay, fr., WV; Krista Story, fr., CdA. Women’s soccer - Alyssa Lloyd, jr., Mt. Spokane.

Idaho State: Football - Cody Sorensen, sr., Ferris. Women’s soccer - Meaghan Bare, fr., Lake City.

Montana: Football - Chase Naccarato, jr., Mt. Spokane; Ben Roberts, sr., Washington State. Women’s soccer - Taryn Miller, fr, Central Valley; Ashlee Pedersen, so., Mt. Spokane.

Montana State: Men’s cross country - Andrew Vandine, fr., North Central.

• Toni Bertsch, a Rocky Mountain senior from Post Falls, and six Greater Spokane League graduates were named to the 2015 Frontier Conference volleyball Academic All-Conference team with GPAs of 3.0 or higher.

From the GSL were Mead graduates Jonni Dorr, Natalie Kassa and Paige Montgomery, all juniors at Carroll; Mikayla Ness, a Montana Western senior from Central Valley; and Kennadie Clute, a junior, and senior Marissa Verduci, Mt. Spokane products at Lewis-Clark State. Verduci played her freshman year at North Idaho College.

• Jacob Wimpenny, a Lewis-Clark State senior from Post Falls, and junior teammate David Gilbert from Mt. Spokane were among six area athletes named to 2015 Frontier Conference All-Academic teams in cross country with grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher.

Joining them on the men’s team were Alex Ramm-Hutchison, a senior from St. George’s, and sophomore Taylor Smith from University, both at Carroll, and Great Falls junior Matt Robb from Coeur d’Alene High.

The All-Academic women’s team included Courtney Sherick, a Carroll junior from U-Hi.

Bowling

Area youth bowlers will benefit from proceeds generated by the eighth annual “Otto Bowl,” in memory of the late Jim “Otto” Hanson, on Feb. 6 at Valley Bowl.

A field of more than 80 is expected with proceeds going to the Mike Jarvis Scholarship Fund. Jarvis and Hanson were longtime friends involved in furthering youth bowling. When Jarvis died, Hanson established the scholarship. When Hanson died in 2008, his family kept the fund growing. The Spokane County U.S. Bowling Council presents two $1,000 scholarships yearly to graduating seniors who have been involved in bowling in the Inland Empire.

The six-game-format tournament is open to bowlers of all ages and skill levels with multiple ways of winning cash prizes.

Info: Marylin Young, (509) 630-0788 or ottobowl@ymail.com.

Soccer

Edgar Anzaldo, an assistant the last three seasons at San Diego State, has been named a new assistant coach at Gonzaga University, Bulldogs women’s head coach Amy Edwards announced.

In Anzaldo’s three seasons at San Diego State, the Aztecs won three Mountain West regular-season titles, two tournament titles and earned two NCAA tournament appearances.

“We are ecstatic to have Edgar join the women’s soccer coaching staff,” Edwards said. “Edgar brings a multitude of successful experience on and off the field, as well as an undeniably tireless work ethic. Most importantly, he brings an exceptional depth of character.”