Dave Trimmer

Although Spokane-area football referees will not and cannot work games this week, the immediate effects on teams will be minimal. Three games scheduled for Friday, two in the Northeast A and one in B-11, have been moved to Thursday as school officials found replacement referees. Members of the Inland Empire Football Officials Association, which serves the Spokane area, voted Sunday night not to work games in a dispute regarding the method in which they are paid.

Although the view from opposite sides of the fence is different, it appears the majority of high school football games in the Spokane area will go on as scheduled this weekend. Inland Empire Football Officials Association referees voted Sunday night not to work games unless the method of payment is restored. Monday morning, the IEFOA was decertified by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, clearing the way for schools to find other certified officials to work.

All the hits Paul Mencke took were by choice, such as burrowing into the end zone for two touchdowns. That's why it was easy for the Lewis and Clark quarterback to pinpoint the key to the Tigers' 40-20 romp past Gonzaga Prep Friday night at Albi Stadium. "That was the line's best game, by far," said Mencke, who also threw for three touchdowns. "Those guys are the players of the game. No sacks and there was hardly any pressure on me."

Serve on a "feel-good" committee, the caller asked. Be part of final process to award scholarships to the best student/ athlete/citizens in the state. Sounded good.

USA volleyball players Scott Fortune, left, Jeff Nygaard, center, and Mike Lambert put up a block on Japan's Nasaji Ogino. Photo by John Sale/The Spokesman-Review

Boy, if this is the way Dealy Etter treats his friends, be sure to stay on his good side. The Lewis and Clark senior stunned North Central with a 68-yard touchdown run to spark the Tigers to a 27-13 victory in a Greater Spokane League football game Thursday night. "Oh yeah, I was more nervous than usual," said Etter, who transferred from NC to LC after his junior football season. "A lot of those guys have been my friends since kindergarten."

Cameron Christiansen tries to race between Chris Ryan, left, and Joe Walters of Shadle Park during first game of doubleheader at Albi Stadium. Photo by Sandra Bancroft-Billings/The Spokesman-Review

1. Kristin Parrish enjoys the contrast between track and cross country, the latter of which she says is "more relaxing." Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Parrish is starting out fresh. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

A history of bad owners, bad players and a bad building, and even a bad vote to replace the building, has given way to bedlam. With a Tuesday afternoon Kingdome crowd of 46,935 roaring from Andy Benes' first-strike pitch to Bobby Ayala's last-pitch strikeout, the Seattle Mariners moved two steps closer to their first-ever postseason appearance with a 10-2 drubbing of the California Angels.

Luke Stevros of Central Valley carries the ball downfield as the Bears roll over University. Stavros had a 9-yard TD run. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Cheney's Jeremy Getz, left, and friend block punt by NC's Colin Turnbull as Blackhawks swarm Indians, 38-15. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Clarence Hough was left to wonder how good Eisenhower must be, but the truth is University wasn't as good a football team a week ago as they were Thursday night at Albi Stadium. The Titans dominated the first half and then won the second-half track meet to defeat Hough's Ferris team 38-27 in U-Hi's Greater Spokane League opener. "I'll tell you what," Hough said, "Eisenhower must be a pretty good football team."

Missy Blackshire of Ferris delivers a spike against Lewis and Clark in Greater Spokane League volleyball action. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Daryl Groom and Kent Browning (10) thwart Mead's Matt Sturm. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Eisenhower's Adam Bledsoe may be the family's most complete QB. Photo by Kirk Hirota/Special to The Spokesman-Review

Jen Dunford is versatile, excelling in soccer and track. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review

Nead soccer coach Dick Cullen watches his team during practice. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review

1. GSL football preview. After heavy graduation losses, Lewis and Clark football coach John Hook may have trouble keeping GSL rivals at arm's length. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Paul Mencke and Lewis and Clark are taking aim. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review 3. Joe Ascolese and G-Prep hope to grab the GSL crown. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

There will be a major change in the Greater Spokane League girls soccer schedule this fall and an even bigger one for the boys next spring. Traditionally, GSL soccer games have been played on Mondays and Wednesdays with Saturdays used when teams needed to get in a third game. Also, the nine teams played a double-round robin league schedule to get in their 16 games. There is no room in the current schedule for nonleague games.

Spokane cleared the last major hurdle last weekend to make a little bit of history on a national stage. Though a lot of work remains, including official approval, Carroll Graham gave Spokane passing marks to hold the U-18 and U-16 AAU girls basketball tournaments next July.

There seem to be few ripples, so far, from an early summer decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow drug testing of high school athletes. Colfax is the only area school known to have taken steps toward a possible drug-testing program, and those have been only preliminary moves. "We've had maybe 10 phone calls, all from the press, none from the schools," said John Olson, assistant executive director/legal counsel for the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.

Medical Lake native Nate Hair takes time out from LPGA caddying job. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

1. Mike Combs searches for ball in brush along left side of par-5 fifth green . . . Photos by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. . . . and blasts out after finding it. Combs salvaged bogey en route to 68 and 5-stroke lead at Lilac Invitational. The four-day event concludes today at The Fairways.

If the early arrivials at The Fairways today find Mike Booth sleeping on the 18th green, look out - the 36th annual Washington Trust Bank Lilac Invitational could be over. Booth triple-bogeyed the 413-yard par 4 closing hole on Friday, opening the door for Michael Combs to take the lead halfway through the 72-hole tournament.