It’s on again: CV vs. U-Hi in Stinky Sneaker
If you have a teenager, or even if you once WERE a teenager, you know all about stinky sneakers.
In some homes, said stinky sneakers aren’t allowed in the house and are left outside to air out. At least until the neighbors complain. There is even an urban legend that suggests that skunks have relocated out of deference to such offensive footwear.
But within the Central Valley School District, the Stinky Sneaker takes on a different meaning. Within these boundaries this splendid lace-up apparel is more fabled than Dorothy’s ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” and more prized than the glass slipper from “Cinderella.”
In fact, the Stinky Sneaker is more than just a bedazzled shoe.
It’s the annual spirit basketball game between the district’s two main high schools, CV and University; aside from a playoff game, it’s the one contest looked forward to most by students and fans alike.
Two games on a Friday evening. A boys game and a girls game. One sneaker.
It is not an event for the faint of heart, but rather for the leathery lungs of youth.
And, it turns out, it’s not a game for your typical high school gymnasium.
The Stinky Sneaker outgrew even the newly built CV and U-Hi home courts and had to move to the Spokane Memorial Arena in order to accommodate the popularity of these boys and girls basketball games and the festivities that surround them.
In fact, you might infer that the games themselves are, well, not secondary. They are still about bragging rights. But they are at least equaled by the festivities that grow up around them. They are, if you will, a spirit delivery device on this one night.
There are other ballyhooed spirit games in the Greater Spokane League. Lewis and Clark and Ferris have the Rubber Chicken game. North Central and Shadle Park play for the Groovy Shoes. Mt. Spokane and Mead have a game of their own.
What makes CV-U-Hi so special is the proximity.
Not only are the schools close to one another, the students remain close as well. Many attended grade school and middle school together before going their separate ways as high school freshmen.
This year the Central Valley girls come into the big, rivalry game on a big, 15-0 roll. In the last week the Bears have posted wins over Lake Stevens and defending state Class 4A champion Kentridge in two games on the west side of the state as well as a 57-5 romp over Shadle Park on Tuesday to go to 9-0 in GSL games.
On top of that, CV is ranked No. 1 in the state by the Seattle Times, a position cemented further by the 57-39 thumping the team gave Kentridge, the No. 4-ranked team.
The first time the Bears faced U-Hi the Bears posted a lopsided 55-28 victory – the Titans’ fourth game under first-year coach Jay Kennedy.
Since that game U-Hi has gone 10-1, with two five-game win streaks sandwiched around a 72-67 loss to Skyline in a nonleague game. The Titans swept their season series with Gonzaga Prep, posting a 64-59 win Tuesday.
The boys game projects to be a much tighter contest.
The first game was won by CV, 68-66, at University’s gym, but the Titans are looking for a second straight win in the sneaker game at the Arena.
CV comes in with an overall record of 6-8, 4-4 in league games, after posting an easy win over Shadle Park on Tuesday.
University comes in with a 7-8 overall record, but just 2-8 in league games, after a 64-57 loss to Gonzaga Prep.
The game should be even better than the first meeting between the two, which should ramp up the intensity of the loud, boisterous Arena crowd.
But really, the partisan crowd is part of the contest, competing to see who can display the most enthusiastic school spirit.
It’s a sight to behold.
And it’s the reason a large number of CV and U-Hi students will be hoarse come Saturday morning.