Mike Vlahovich

A year ago, Kellen Clute didn’t have to factor much in Mt. Spokane’s offense, deferring to other talents while concentrating on defense during a Greater Spokane League championship football season. Thursday night the new-look Wildcats took up where they left off and Clute’s contribution at tight end helped turn the tide during a wild offense-driven 33-27 victory over Central Valley in front of 1,881 fans at Joe Albi Stadium.

It was all about redemption. Las Vegas No. 9 hitter Alex Estrella took it upon himself to assure he wouldn’t be the losing pitcher in Friday’s first game of the 2010 American Legion World Series.

Memories fade with time, but by any measure the 1967 American Italian Club baseball season was remarkable. Many would ultimately go on to play sports in college and several played baseball professionally.

The regular season No. 1 teams finished No. 2 when Spokane Valley Baseball tournament champions were crowned to complete summer youth competition. Both Midget regular season winner Raycap (Greenacres) and PeeWee unbeaten Liberty Lake I lost in the title games at West Valley on July 31.

There were few surprises during the double-elimination tournaments that concluded the Spokane Valley Girls Softball season. Top-three seeds generally reached the semifinals and finals of the four tournaments, with top-two ranked teams playing for three of the championships, some needing two games.

Recent American Legion reminiscences about legendary Spokane Valley coach Ron Jackson and Yakima Beetles standout Dave Edler (and company) bring to mind an anecdote when Jackon’s Appleway Chevrolet got the Beetles goat.

Why ride when you can run? Chace Bell’s aversion to horses as a youngster led to his becoming a dominant sprinter and the Reardan junior swept away the State 2B 100- and 200-meter fields during the final day of State 1A/2B/1B meets. Bell’s two victories were among 12 earned by local athletes during Saturday’s championships in three boys classifications at Eastern Washington University.

Three Northeast A League strong men did their part Friday, leading a productive first day for area athletes during the boys State 1A/2B/1B track and field meets that got under way at Eastern Washington University. The weather generally cooperated with only a few sprinkles and some wind throughout the day.

The State 1A/2B/1B track and field championships begin a two-day run on Friday and among the competitors are a dynamic trio from Chewelah.

Like voting on such reality shows as “American Idol” or “Dancing With The Stars,” singling out one individual performer more valuable than another during Saturday’s District 7 1A track and field meet proved difficult. Was it Chewelah’s stable of boys shot put and discus throwers or Cougar teammate Samantha Beamer? There were the four-event efforts of Newport hurdler-jumper Aric Walden and distance teammate Sophie Bush.

The age-old question of taking on a daunting challenge was answered emphatically – “because it’s there” – by a pair of runners who went to extremes during the District 7 2B track and field state-qualifying meet at Whitworth University Tuesday afternoon. Republic’s Nik Michel and Colfax’s Morgan Willson took on a formidable distance quadruple, running the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter races, then anchoring their respective schools’ 4x400 relay teams.

It’s No. 5 versus No. 6 for the Big Sky Conference berth to the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. Sixth-seeded Montana State University, relentless on defense and playing offense like it had the home-court advantage, ended short-handed conference champion Eastern Washington University’s NCAA dream 65-57 with a big finish in the game’s final 4 minutes, 31 seconds.

North Central’s boys and East Valley’s girls continued an odds-defying 3A regional basketball weekend and in high-scoring basketball games earned the Greater Spokane League a sweep of all four Eastern Washington state berths. After losing to Shadle Park for the fourth straight time this year in Friday night’s regional championship, NC’s Indians (15-11) did the same to the host Rogers Pirates with an 80-72 decision Saturday. For the third time in five years, NC will compete at state, joining the Highlanders (20-4) next week in Tacoma.

Second in state a year ago, Shadle Park’s girls basketball team is state-bound again. Sparked by Jenna Humphrey’s career night, the Highlanders got the better of a physical up-and-down game against East Valley to win the 3A regional title 54-41 at Rogers and qualify for state next week in Tacoma.