Jess Brown

The concept behind the Spokane Chiefs' success so far has been pretty simple: Play humble hockey, see success on the ice. It's not only simple, it has worked.

A sweet November has set the tone for a good start in December for the Spokane Chiefs. Tuesday included two individual honors and two more points in the standings for the Western Hockey League's top team.

MEDICINE HAT, Alberta – It's tough to win a hockey game when you spend most of your time trying to kill penalties. Even the Western Hockey League's best team couldn't do it on Saturday night.

CALGARY, Alberta – This one took some grinding. That's what happens when two high-caliber teams meet. How appropriate then – in more ways than one – that Chris Bruton would come through in the clutch.

The grind of the Western Hockey League is relentless and unforgiving, but that's how the Spokane Chiefs like it. Coming off a successful six-game homestand and a road win over division rival Tri-City last Saturday, the Chiefs take their league-best 19-3-1-2 record north and east for five games in six nights against teams from the Central Division.

KENNEWICK – With finesse and irrefutable firepower, Drayson Bowman, Mitch Wahl and Chris Bruton continue to burn their opponents on the ice. Their timing couldn't have been better on Saturday night, when the stakes were especially high.

It took the Gonzaga women's basketball team most of the first half Friday night to take control of their game against Marquette, but once they did it was clear why the Bulldogs are beginning to find themselves on the national radar. Receiving one or more votes in the latest Associated Press and USA Today polls, the Bulldogs used a balanced scoring attack and an 11-point halftime lead to roll past the visiting Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference 77-64 in a non-conference game at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

It almost seems scripted. The Spokane Chiefs, coming off a dominant six-game homestand with five wins and a loss, hit Kennewick's Toyota Center tonight. There couldn't be a better way for the Chiefs to kick off a six-game road trip than paying a visit to their long-standing rivals, the Tri-City Americans.

In hockey, the first strike is never a bad thing. The Spokane Chiefs, noted for a quick attack, have outscored opponents 37-14 in the opening period this season and used the same tactic Wednesday night as they scored two first-period goals and rolled to a 6-0 Western Hockey League victory over the Chilliwack Bruins (13-10-3-0) in front of 5,414 Arena fans.

A most-welcomed surprise evoked feelings of excitement and shock Monday at Gonzaga University. After three straight losses to end their regular season, including 1-0 in overtime to third-ranked Santa Clara last Friday, the Gonzaga men's soccer team had little hope of a postseason.

There is nothing like kicking around a team that's down. Spokane's Levko Koper scored two goals and Drayson Bowman scored a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist and a fight as the Chiefs bullied the Prince George Cougars in a 5-1 Western Hockey League victory on Saturday night.

In the three seasons prior to Jennifer (Stinson) Greeny's arrival as head coach at Lewis-Clark State College, the Warriors had won a combined 20 volleyball matches. Things are definitely looking up.

When you compare it to the nine victories they rattled off from Oct. 12 to Nov. 2, the Spokane Chiefs' three-game winning streak isn't anything to start bragging about. Drayson Bowman's scoring streak, however, is shaping up to be a different story.

Jared Cowen is heading to London in December. London, Ontario, that is – and not for vacation purposes.

Toughest league in the state. That's what Mead volleyball coach Judy Kight called the Greater Spokane League on Saturday night, which is more than fair, considering the GSL placed three teams in the top five at last weekend's State 4A high school tournament in Kennewick.

When Lewis and Clark lost in last year's State 4A high school volleyball championship match to league-rival Mead, there were tears all around. This year, in the second straight all-Greater Spokane League final between LC and the Panthers at Kennewick's Toyota Center, the Tigers – for the most part – were thrilled to bring home the second-place trophy. After all, it seemed unlikely that the teams would meet there again.

Outside the locker room, injured Spokane Chiefs forward David Rutherford passed by teammate Drayson Bowman and jokingly yelled back, "First of your career, Bow?" presumably to remind Bowman that he's already been there, and done that. Bowman's pure scoring ability came in handy at exactly the right time Tuesday night as the 18-year-old forward scored his first career hat trick and assisted on a Mitch Wahl goal in the Chiefs' 4-1 Western Hockey League victory over the injury-bitten Prince George Cougars – losers of five straight – in front of 3,511 Arena fans.

Friday marks the start of the NCAA Division I women's soccer championships as 64 teams begin their quest for a national title. Depsite knocking off No. 4 Southern California in their final regular-season game and receiving votes in the major polls most of the season, the Washington State Cougars (11-5-3) were not among the four Pacific-10 Conference teams in the field announced Monday, leaving seniors Anna Miller and Allison Scurich with mixed feelings.

KENNEWICK – De ja volleyball. The Mead Panthers and Lewis and Clark Tigers earned a return trip to the State 4A volleyball semifinals today.