Greg Lee

TACOMA – Matt Jorgensen and his Deer Park Stags will enjoy the school’s fifth straight State 2A wrestling championship for all of four days. Come Wednesday evening, Jorgensen and the Stags begin work toward a sixth consecutive title.

TACOMA – The back door was unkind to the Mead wrestling team. Despite four state champs out of five finalists, Mead’s Panthers couldn’t match Tahoma’s depth.

Despite four state champs out of five finalists, Mead’s Panthers couldn’t match Tahoma’s depth. Tahoma used a strong finish in placing matches to knock off favored Mead for the State 4A championship Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

TACOMA – Usually coaches, especially wrestling coaches, are guarded after the first day of a state tournament. Count Mead coach Phil McLean as more optimistic than guarded, though. He’s not declaring a 4A state championship yet at Mat Classic XXIV, but his Panthers made an impressive opening-day statement at the Tacoma Dome.

Mat Classic XXIV under way

Thursday Prep Page

It’s hard to imagine the legend of Chad Chalich growing any larger, considering what he accomplished in the Idaho 5A state championship football game last fall. The Coeur d’Alene senior quarterback broke a bone on the outside of his right foot in the second quarter of the semifinals, but he finished the game. The day after, his foot was in a cast.

The scoring averages may not show it, but the Coeur d’Alene girls basketball team’s two seniors, Kyeli Parker and Erin Legel, have had more of an impact this season than their two previous years on varsity. Balance is the word that best describes Coeur d’Alene’s starting five. Not one player scores in double figures, yet each is capable of a big game. Fewer than three points per game separate the five starters. Legel averages 9.2 points and Parker averages 6.7.

It’s hard to imagine the tale of Chad Chalich growing any larger considering what he accomplished in the Idaho 5A state championship football game last fall.

Matt Classic brackets posted

The 5A Inland Empire League boys basketball season concluded Wednesday and the only thing settled in the four-team league is the fourth seed. Coeur d’Alene had a chance to capture the league championship outright, but the Post Falls Trojans had other plans.

Shadle Park senior Aleisha Hathaway is at the head of her class in more ways than one. An all-Greater Spokane League selection a year ago, Hathaway is one of the best players in the league for a third straight season.