Mike Vlahovich

Ricky Giampetri, left, can only watch as his teammates suit up. Determined to make the most of his senior year, injuries have limited his playing. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

A hot first half of the Greater Spokane League volleyball season has made way for a tepid second round for University High. The Titans, 6-2 at one point in league season, have lost four of their last six games and dropped into fifth place in the standings. Included was a loss to Central Valley, only the Bears' second win of the season.

Even though two starters were struck down by ankle sprains, Central Valley took a big step toward its first Greater Spokane League football title in 12 years. During Thursday's 31-20 win over Gonzaga Prep, the Bears lost star-crossed Ricky Giampietri on his team's third scrimmage play and 298-pound tackle Mike Caruso seven plays later when they first scored. "We had kids fill in and shuffled the defensive secondary around," said coach Rick Giampietri. "I'm really pleased with how we settled things defensively when Rick went down."

West Valley's Joe Bonner (64) can only get a piece of East Valley's Matt Eastman as the two schools played to a tie Friday. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Casey Parson, now a Valley businessman, played for the M's in 1981. He also coached two current Cleveland Indians players while in the Dominican Republic. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

My colleague here at The Spokesman-Review, Dave Trimmer, said it best. "I know about ERAs, not the IRS," he mused while trying to make heads or tails of the strike by local football officials. No amount of justification for their action can explain to your eighth-grader, his head hanging down, why his football game has been canceled.

As the annual West Valley-East Valley football rivalry approached, the biggest concern was whether the game would be played. "We better play," said EV coach Jim Clements on Tuesday, adding it could have been any time from tonight to Saturday. Area football officials went on strike this week over a pay method dispute and the game depended upon referee availability. Outside officials have since been assigned for the regularly scheduled 7:30 p.m. Friday time.

There was good news and bad news at last weekend's Richland Invitational cross country meet. The good news is that Mead's girls were team winners and the boys finished second ahead of Ferris. Bad news for the boys is that three Saxon runners finished in front of Mead's first placer. In a dual meet, that assures a team victory. The two teams race for the Greater Spokane League title next Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Whitworth College.

Jason Schlafmann had to forgo cross country to play soccer at Valley Christian School. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Shadle Park High's Shawn Kingsbury emerges from a pile during an evening game against Post Falls at Joe Albi Stadium. Photo by Sandra Bancroft-Billings/The Spokesman-Review

Cheney's Earon Davis plows through the East Valley defense during the Blackhawks' win. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

David Brasefield, Cheney's leader in sacks, counts North Central quarterback Mike Cabellaro among his victims. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Highly recruited Tamara Van Engelen, headed for a Division 1 college in volleyball, is homeschooled. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Brandi Hemmings has been beset by a series of injuries, but has never given up cross country at Central Valley. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Based on times at last year's district cross country meets, Riverside's move to the Frontier League is well-timed. The Ram boys, competing in the Northeast A League, ran faster as a team than did any of last year's Class AA Frontier League teams. Bill Kemp, however, doesn't see Riverside as the team to beat.

What more could fans ask for in a Valley football game? This Friday, when Central Valley travels to University, it is not only the annual meeting of district rivals but also of Greater Spokane League unbeatens.

University High wasn't the same football team Thursday night as the one that played a week earlier. It was by design. The Titans were the complete package in their league opener. The result was their most explosive offensive showing, by three touchdowns, in coach Mike Ganey's three years.

Fritz Wolff competing in Arizona. Wolff travels around the country racing for the Yamaha team and is planning trips to Europe and the Middle East. Family photo

Entry deadline for Valley Hooops is fast approaching. Harry Beckous, director of the three-on-three basketball tournament at University City, said entries must be postmarked by Wednesday. The cost is $60 per team. Trophies and T-shirts will be awarded to each division winner.

A rainstorm that dumped several inches of water in the Valley on Thursday afternoon didn't deter the East Valley cross country team, which worked out along the Centennial Trail near Walk in the Wild Zoo. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Girls cross country Frontier League girls cross country is unarguably the best in the state at the Class AA level. The past two years have produced two individual champions, a runner-up and two third-placers as well as East Valley's team championship last season. Every one of those individual placers and all but one EV runner return.

Mead's Adam Morris got much of his football inspiration from Jason Ailor. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

1. Mike Van Houten 2. R.J. Del Mese

Riverside, Deer Park, Lakeside Football has come full circle for two small north county high schools. Riverside has outgrown the Northeast A League and has joined the Frontier, the league in which Deer Park resided before dropping down to the Northeast A.