Mike Vlahovich

There was no stopping Deer Park during a weekend when state trophies were abundant, both team and individually for North Side teams and athletes during last weekend’s state high school wrestling and gymnastics competition in the Tacoma Dome. The Stags scored 184.5 points, a 2A record by a point, and had an amazing six state champions while winning their second straight team title by an 89-point margin.

East Valley’s third-place finish during the State 3A high school wrestling tournament last weekend in Tacoma wasn’t for lack of performance, but for lack of numbers. The Knights had seven state placers, three of them finalists, which was more than second-place Yelm. Champion Enumclaw had one more finalist and two more placers.

Success found Ray Ricks early as a student at Northwest Christian School. It has stayed with him since his return and subsequent hiring as head boys basketball coach nearly a decade ago. He played a role as a senior transfer when the Crusaders won their first State B championship in 1989. Ten years later he became part of the school’s administrative team and subsequently its basketball coach.

A lethargic effort Tuesday in the first night of the 4A regional has put Gonzaga Prep’s boys basketball team in a hole. The Greater Spokane League champions were outplayed in every facet of the game by visiting Richland and lost 54-45.

You’d have to go some to top the credentials of University High School’s new football coach. Bill Diedrick returns to high school coaching after a long career as a coordinator and assistant coach at several high profile colleges and in the professional Canadian Football League, where he was part of a Grey Cup championship team. His hiring was approved Monday night by the Central Valley School District board of directors.

TACOMA – High school gymnastics is over this year for Shadle Park freshman phenom Alana Norman. Softball awaits.

TACOMA – There are no presumptions when you talk with Deer Park head coach Matt Jorgensen. As strong as the Stags were, in past conversations there was never a hint he thought they were a lock to win a second straight State 2A championship at Mat Classic XXI. Yet this year’s version, with seven returning state placers – two of them champions a year ago – was even more dominant than the previous one, surprising even Jorgensen.

TACOMA – Subscribing to the theory that blonds have more fun, East Valley’s eight wrestlers bleached their locks and put their best wrestling foot forward on the first day of State 3A competition during Mat Classic XXI. The Knights, like last year, put six wrestlers into the today’s semifinals that begin at 10 a.m. in the Tacoma Dome. They are among 10 semifinalists from the Greater Spokane League, three from North Central and one from Mt. Spokane. All are guaranteed no worse than sixth-place medals at state.

Other than wrestling, only hunting and fishing can compete for Cody Miller’s affections. He sees similarities in the sports. Like wrestling, he’s won a fishing tournament. And, Miller said, hunting requires patience.

Losing the final two regular-season basketball games, to Greater Spokane League champion Lewis and Clark and third-place Shadle Park, wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for Mead. “You learn a lot from games you lose,” Panthers coach Regan Drew said. “We knew the areas that needed to be better.”

Outnumbered decidedly by wrestlers from the Columbia Basin, the Greater Spokane League held its own during the Region 4A tournament Saturday at Central Valley. The Columbia Basin Big Nine had qualified 70 wrestlers to regional, the GSL 42. Despite the CBBN’s advantage, the leagues evenly split finalists and champions during the one-day event.