Greg Lee

Nine Greater Spokane League football players will suit up for the 51st annual 4A/3A all-star game. They are: Jalen Hicks and Keegan Bray of Ferris; Justin Vogt and Taylor Duncan of Lewis and Clark; Tucker Stout of Central Valley; Kyler Ooley of Rogers; Nick Wood of Gonzaga Prep; Bryce Williamson of University; and Jacob Yedica of Mt. Spokane.

They had one basketball but they could have used several for the talent-rich teams in the 22nd annual Jack Blair Memorial game. That’s not to mean the players were too selfish. Far from it.

The Greater Spokane League girls basketball players who will play in the Jack Blair Memorial Classic are arguably the best assembled group the game has seen. Consider: The two-time most valuable player, Otiona Gildon of Gonzaga Prep, is headed to the University of Oregon. First-team selections Sue Winger (Idaho) of Mead, Laura Stockton (Gonzaga) of G-Prep, Michaela Kay (Portland State) of Lewis and Clark, Madison Hovren (Army) of Central Valley and Riley Lupfer (Boise State) of LC are headed to play at NCAA Division I schools, too.

TACOMA – First it was shin splints late last month. Then during prelims Thursday, Nick Johnson of Gonzaga Prep felt a twinge of pain foreign to him. “It was bad. I tweaked my hip really bad. I went over a hurdle too high,” Johnson said. “I came down and my trail leg pulled up a little bit. I didn’t think I was going to be good for the finals.”

TACOMA – Three Great Northern League athletes fell short of season bests Friday at Star Track XXXIII. They weren’t about to give back their gold medals, though, after the second day of State 2A action at Mt. Tahoma High School.

TACOMA – It was exactly how Brittany Aquino thought it would feel. The East Valley junior dreamed of winning the State 2A 1,600-meter final, and she saw her dream play out in living color the first day of Star Track XXXIII at Mt. Tahoma High School.

Sam Schafer says there’s a charm and benefit to training on a cinder track. “It’s different, that’s for sure,” the Odessa-Harrington senior said. “But I kind of like it. It’s a little more challenging but when you get to meets on all-weather tracks you feel a lot faster.”

JT Johnson finally got a head girls basketball coaching job. Johnson, 60, a former longtime Shadle Park assistant coach, teacher and graduate, interviewed for two Greater Spokane League jobs and applied for another in the past year.

MIDDLETON, Idaho – Bonners Ferry hurdler Mackenzie Mendenhall seemingly had the race won before she even got to the first hurdle Saturday. And once she got into high gear, there was no stopping her.

BOISE – While three seniors put golden punctuation marks on their careers, the new kid on the block served notice. Melody Kempton of Post Falls proved this spring that she can do more than play basketball – the sport that most likely will land her an NCAA Division I scholarship some day.

BOISE – You would have thought Quinn Mitchell had won a state championship. Not so much by the Lake City senior’s emotion but because of the satisfaction of a job well done.

BOISE – It may have been nerves. Lake City baseball coach Travis Georgius thought his team was lethargic.

Lake City third-year baseball coach Travis Georgius stopped short of saying the Timberwolves were ahead of the rebuilding schedule when they qualified for state. After all, Lake City played in games the last two years that decided state berths.

The District 8 4A and 3A track meets are today and Friday at Spokane Falls Community College. Action begins today at 3 with prelims in sprint events and a handful of field events. Finals will be held in the 400-meter relay and 3,200.