Kevin Blocker

Now it can be said that Mead's Amy Fong is the girls singles champion of Inland Empire Tennis Tournament. These pages erroneously reported during the week that Fong was the defending champ. The title actually belonged to University's Leslie Whitten. But in the tourney's 51st edition on Saturday at Central Valley, there was nothing erroneous about the way the Mead senior defeated Kamiakin's Katherine Martin, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.

1. When he's not on the mound, Eric Sandberg takes his spot at first base. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Sandberg has taken off on offense. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

Former California resident Ryan Moran has warmed up to cold-weather tennis. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Quinn Sharpe, who made two trips to state as a wrestler, has emerged as the leading scorer in Frontier League soccer. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Lakeside's George Petticrew is 5-0 in the Northeast A. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

1. Cheney's Tucker Urdahl has delivered four victories, no defeats and two saves for the Blackhawks this season. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Urdahl

Shanelle Test is part of formidable NC rotation. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Mead pinch runner Jarrett Robbins beats the tag of Shadle Park's Kyle Heuett in the Panthers' 5-2 win on Tuesday. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review

Last year's GSL most valuable player, Holly Vanwert, winds up her prep career this season. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

John Barneson can laugh at a rare fielding mistake. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

How does this sound for a league race? One of last year's co-defending champions is gunning for a third conference league title. The other co-defending champ wants its second consecutive title. The team that finished in third place is the one of the three that went to the state's regional playoffs. By all accounts, the 1996 Frontier League baseball season ought to be a doozy. Co-defending league champions East Valley and West Valley are loaded with talent, and at Cheney, coach Terry Regnier is saying that this is the best team he's had in his nearly two decades as that school's coach. This season, the race for the top spot should be intense from start to finish. Even though Cheney won't have the services of pitching ace Rick DeMulling, who suffered a dislocated ankle at the end of basketball season, the Blackhawks do have first-team all-league pitchers in righty Doug Clark and lefty Tucker Urdahl. The Blackhawks' No. 3 pitcher is right-hander Brian Woodard, and Regnier is platooning various players to determine who will be No. 4 and 5 in the pitching rotation. "You don't get that very often in high school," Regnier said. "We've got a lot of depth." The Blackhawks are so deep that 18 players have seen action in early wins over Pasco and Riverside. EV lost some heavy hitters from last year, but returns several talented players. Center fielder Kyle LeGrant, second baseman Pat Stookey and left fielder Bill Tincup are at the top of a potent batting lineup. The Knights will also get solid pitching from two-time all-league performer Steve Pipkin. Pitcher Brian Lamarche closes when Pipkin is on the mound. As for WV, six of last year's nine starters are back for their senior season. Shortstop Justin Tichy, second baseman Joe Andrews, utility man Andy Imada, center fielder Riley Allen and the Eklund brothers, Tim and James at first base and left field, head up a lineup that can has some punch at the plate. In an 8-5 win against Shadle Park Tuesday night, WV pounded out 11 hits. As for the rest of the rest of the league, Colville, Pullman, Clarkston and Riverside will probably fight for the other positions. That edge would appear to go to Colville. The new head coach for the Indians is Randy Russell, formerly the head coach for the Whitworth College Pirates. For the past three years, Russell has been Colville's activities coordinator. The Indians have just three seniors on their roster and are still a year or two away from challenging for the rights to upper-echelon status in the league. Second baseman Andy Hardison, shortstop Justin Fox, pitcher Jason Spears and catcher-first baseman Bradey Noble are expected to make key contributions for Colville. Unlike previous years, when only three teams went to the league's district playoffs, four teams will now compete for a regional playoff berth.

There were a lot of radio and television announcers at this tournament covering Whitworth's run to the championship game. Hopefully none made unflattering remarks about the Pirates on the air.

Albertson's Taylor Ebright slides past Whitworth's Roman Wickers for two of his seven points in Coyotes' win. Photo by Associated Press

Nate Dunham (21) helps Whitworth elevate its game in 87-83 semifinal win over William Jewell on Monday night. Special to The Spokesman-Review

If Whitworth defeats William Jewell College in the semifinals of the NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament tonight, the Pirates will play in the championship game televised live by Prime Sports Network Tuesday night. PSN's title-game coverage is scheduled for a 6:30 start.

Nate Dunham (21) weaves through defenders on way to 22 points in Whitworth's 88-70 victory. Photo by Associated Press

The success the Whitworth Pirates have experienced on the basketball court this season can be attributed to many players. One of those players is junior transfer Nate Williams. Williams came to Whitworth College after two seasons at Clackamas Community College. In his first season as a Pirate, he has made an impact beyond what many expected.

As a reward for getting to the Elite Eight in the NAIA Division II basketball playoffs, what will the Whitworth College Pirates receive? A Saturday night date with the host school. The Pirates defeated MidAmerica Nazarene College of Olathe, Kan., 81-71 Friday night to advance to the tournament quarterfinals.

It was easy to get caught up in Whitworth's offensive explosion in its 103-73 first-round win against Howard Payne in the NAIA Division II playoffs Thursday night at Northwest Nazarene College. It isn't very often one sees a team hit 17 of 26 shots from behind the 3-point line - an effort that broke team and tournament records. But there was one aspect of the Pirates' play that was just as signficant as its first-half offensive outburst in their win. And that was their defense.

Even though the Washington State women's basketball team has won just one game in its last seven, if certain scenarios played themselves out between now and Saturday, the Cougars could be in at least a tie for third place in the conference. And yes, amazingly enough, the Cougars could be sitting in front of the television Sunday morning with a chance to receive an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament. One month ago, the Cougars had a record of 15-5, including 6-3 in conference. Now they're 16-11 and 7-9, tied for seventh in the Pac-10.

Four more wins would give Warren Friedrichs plenty to smile about. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Strange names, sounds, smells. ... You name it, the State B tournament is full of all of this and more. In case you missed some of the notes, quotes and half-truths circulating around the Arena, here's a chance to catch up.

Morton's 5-foot-10 senior center, Sarah Coleman, has always played big in the State B tournament. But she never did draw the media's eye the way Jennifer Stinson, Kari Hutchinson and Andee Schmick have in recent years. If there is a Rodney Dangerfield in the bunch, it is Coleman. In her last game Saturday, she scored 20 points grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out four assists to climb to sixth in scoring, seventh in rebounding and 10th in assists in State B history.

You can't watch the Rainier Mountaineers without asking: What is the purpose of that mind-numbing chant, "Ball! Ball! Ball! Ball!"? When the Mountaineers' opponents are in possession of the ball, Rainier's bench players chant incessantly, or at least until Rainier gets the ball back.