Dave Trimmer

Miss the postseason and the awards shrink. Though he was again a unanimous All-Big Sky Conference selection, Eastern Washington sophomore star Rodney Stuckey did not repeat as the Most Valuable Player.

Stephanie Hawk was named co-Player of the Year in the West Coast Conference on Monday and this weekend Gonzaga could finally reach the NCAA tournament, which is about all a senior could ask for as her career winds down. But the objectives Hawk had when she left Ontario, Ore., were met long before the stretch run of her basketball career arrived.

Now comes the waiting – and waiting and waiting. Eastern Washington took care of business Saturday night, closing out the regular season with an 80-72 men's basketball win over Sacramento State before 3,089 fans at Reese Court.

TACOMA – On consecutive nights last month Central Valley's wrestling team came up with clutch performances to knock off East Valley and University to capture the Greater Spokane League championship. "I'm not saying we're better than those teams," veteran coach John Owen said of his 10-0 team. "We were better on those nights and we did it back-to-back."

TACOMA – If wrestling officials would have known what kind of show Class B wrestlers were going to put on, they would have split the State 1A/B tournament well before Mat Classic XIX. In the most stirring team race of this six-class extravaganza in the Tacoma Dome, Reardan won the first B team championship when heavyweight Derek Toney pinned Kyle Strode of Ocosta in the third round Saturday night.

TACOMA – Although she is the lone Greater Spokane League wrestler in the first girls Mat Classic XIX wrestling championships, Emily Juhre isn't competing to make any particular statement. "I don't care if I'm the best wrestler or the worst wrestler, I just want to get better," the Central Valley sophomore said Friday between matches at the Tacoma Dome. "I wrestle because it keeps me in good shape. I love learning the techniques and it's fun."

Heading into a stretch of four must-win games the Eastern Washington basketball team knew tonight's matchup with Portland State was "muster" than most. To have any hope of controlling their destiny – which means making the Big Sky Conference tournament – the Eagles have to beat the Vikings when they collide at 7:05 p.m. at Reese Court.

With everything on the line, the Eastern Washington Eagles looked like the team they always believed they could be. With Rodney Stuckey scoring a season-high 34 points and each of his teammates making key contributions along the way, the Eagles knocked off Big Sky Conference leader Weber State 89-74 before 2,187 fans at Reese Court Wednesday night.