On a night when freshmen made the difference, the St. George's Dragons and DeSales Irish decided sending one team to state just wasn't enough. Both boys and girls teams for DeSales and St. George's won Friday night in winner-to-state, loser-out games in the District 7/9 2B playoffs at Mead and Mt. Spokane.
The Oscar for best supporting actor is still a highly coveted award. In terms of basketball, Northwest Christian coach Ray Ricks would give the best supporting role honor to Derek Iranon.
Although it was somewhat of an off night for the University Titans, it was a rather successful evening for the Greater Spokane League. The Titans took a 20-6 lead after the first quarter and Angie Bjorklund broke another record as the University girls basketball team thumped an overmatched Wenatchee squad 68-36 Tuesday night at the 4A Eastern Regional tournament at U-Hi.
It seems there is a bit of déjÀ vu going on in 2B basketball. The Republic and Northwest Christian boys will once again meet in a postseason championship game and Bi-County opponents Liberty and Reardan will meet in the girls title game after all four won semifinal games Monday at the District 7/9 2B tournament, securing places in state tournaments.
Saturday night belonged to the boys and girls basketball teams of Curlew High School. Both Cougar squads earned a No. 1 seed to this week's State 1B tournament in Yakima and took home the title at the District 7 1B tournament in Deer Park.
It was the kind of game you hoped would never end. At least, if you were a fan. But as Mark Stinson watched his University girls basketball team cut down the net Friday night after finally defeating season-long rival Lewis and Clark 67-61, it seemed apparent the Titans' head coach was glad it was over.
It was a good night Thursday for the Lewis and Clark Tigers and the University Titans. Both teams rolled to semifinal victories and secured home-court advantage at the regional tournament Tuesday in the District 8 4A tournament at Central Valley High School.
It's pretty apparent that Alyssa Garro loves basketball. The Pullman senior will answer whatever question you throw her way, but where she really opens up is about being on the court and playing her favorite sport.
It was about 10 months ago that soccer players and fans in the area found out the Spokane Shadow were calling it quits. Nearly one year later, the Spokane Spiders are hoping to fill the void left by the Shadow as the new franchise in the Northwest Division of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League.
When Almira/Coulee-Hartline senior Greg Giese finally dunked on Dec. 12 against Reardan, third-grader Dallas Isaak was certain he knew who should get credit. "Dad!" coach Scott Isaak's son, the team's ball boy, said. "I'm the reason he did it. I told him to dunk."
The term "rebuilding" isn't in Jamie Nilles' vocabulary. The West Valley basketball coach just doesn't buy it. "I just think if we buy into (rebuilding), it means we will have an off year," Nilles said.
The Spokane Indians have a new manager and hitting coach for the upcoming season. The Indians and Texas Rangers announced Tuesday that Andy Fox, who had a nine-year career in the major leagues, will manage Spokane for the 2007 season.
For West Valley coach Jamie Nilles, Saturday games feel more like a mental game versus a physical one. "Everyone plays tough Friday night games, so Saturday is always a little more about the mental game," Nilles said. "It's still physical, but everyone is a little tired so it is more about grinding it out mentally."
Opposite of what most high school basketball players can say, Kylie Shaw doesn't know what it feels like to not win a state title. The Colfax senior, a four-year varsity veteran, has been a part of the Bulldogs' three consecutive state championships.
It was just the kind of homecoming Greg Billington was hoping for. The 16-year-old Billington returned to Spokane for the first time in 14 years and finished first in the young men's division at Saturday's USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships at Plantes Ferry Park. The race featured athletes from 48 of the 50 states.
All Mt. Hood volleyball coach Lena Chan wanted was a higher finish than last year's tournament. So when the Saints (34-7) swept Clackamas 30-28, 30-21, 30-27 to win the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges championship Saturday at Spokane Falls Community College, Chan got her wish.
It took some muscle, but Community Colleges of Spokane fought its way into the final day of the volleyball season. The Sasquatch (22-21) swept Skagit Valley (20-21) in a loser-out match Friday to stay alive in this year's NWAACC championships at Spokane Falls Community College.
He may not be the loudest guy on the field or lead his team in rushing yards, but Jacob Ferderer is the kind of player who shouldn't be overlooked. The Reardan senior has been a solid offensive weapon and flexible defensive player for the Indians this season. A 5-foot-9, 170-pound running back, Ferderer is often slightly in the shadow of teammate Jon Jayne in rushing yards.
It was a tearful finish to a brilliant season, but after Saturday night's state 4A volleyball championship loss to Greater Spokane League foe Mead, the Lewis and Clark Tigers can still hold their heads high. After all, they finished second in state. That kind of finish is still worth the kind of bragging rights the Tigers have earned this season and is a step up from last year's fifth-place trophy.
OK, Judy Kight, have you and the rest of those Mead Panthers caught your breath yet? In case you missed it, the Mead volleyball team downed Lewis and Clark to win the 4A state volleyball title Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. It was the Panthers' fourth consecutive title.
KENNEWICK – It wasn't Redmond or Spanaway Lake's fault. Mead and Lewis and Clark, simply put, had a date with destiny. And as fate would have it, the reigning champion Panthers prevailed, topping LC 25-21, 25-22, 26-24 Saturday night in the championship match of the State 4A volleyball tournament at the Toyota Center.
KENNEWICK – It's turning into what people have wanted to see all season long: a tale of one city, two teams. Three-time defending state champion Mead and Lewis and Clark advanced to the semifinals as the Greater Spokane League went 5-1 Friday at the State 4A volleyball tournament at the Toyota Center.
They had a losing record in the Greater Spokane League, and if Mt. Spokane weren't a 3A team, the Shadle Park Highlanders' volleyball season would have been over weeks ago. So calling Shadle a Cinderella team isn't exactly a stretch.
It seems like every year there is that one team that surprises the entire league. The one that has everyone saying "where did they come from?" This fall it was the Mt. Spokane High School volleyball team.
This isn't an average week for Kayla Newberg and the Riverside Rams. For the Riverside senior, today marks the day she will sign her NCAA letter of intent to play volleyball next year for the University of Rhode Island Rams. For her and the Riverside Rams, Friday they are set to appear in the first state volleyball tournament in school history.
