Mike Vlahovich

When was the last time West Valley and Deer Park started a football season 3-0? For the Stags, it was back in 2000; for the Eagles, you’d have to go back even further.

It was a classic case of the irresistible force meeting the immoveable object – and in two overtimes, the largely immoveable object prevailed in a Thursday night Greater Spokane League football showdown between 3A playoff aspirants. Shadle Park (2-1) quarterback Chris Donohue bulled into the end zone from 3 yards out with the winning touchdown in the Highlanders’ 20-14 victory over East Valley (1-2) at Albi Stadium.

The race was over before the race was decided when Greater Spokane League cross country began with a taut early-season meet Wednesday at Ferris. Ferris’ Adam Thorne had put considerable distance between himself and fellow junior standout, Mt. Spokane’s Allan Schroeder, to win in 16 minutes, 26 seconds at 5,000 meters.

To err is human, to forgive divine – although these days it seems society is not in a forgiving mood. So when a mixup caused this year’s state volleyball tournaments in Kennewick to be scheduled a week later than anticipated, there was unhappiness in the coaching community. I heard about it last summer from Jack Hamann, the husband and assistant coach of Leslie Hamann at Garfield High in Seattle.

East Valley volleyball coach Jim Dorr got his fill of Hawaiian cuisine and his players feasted as well, winning last weekend’s Puget Sound Adidas Invitational Tournament in Auburn, Wash. This was the Knights’ third trip to the PNW, put on by Auburn Mountainview coach Momi Bowles, and first title. Dorr became friends with Bowles when she coached at University and North Central before moving west.

Has anyone heard of the A-11 offense? The subject came up in talking to Rick Giampietri at an early Central Valley football practice. Word was that Rogers was implementing it and Giampietri feared a nightmarish time trying to defend against it. As it turned out, when the Bears and Pirates played on Friday the A-11 was nowhere to be seen. Giampietri said Rogers ran its regular Gun Option offense so well it wasn’t needed.

For a first-night football game, the Mead-Mt. Spokane encounter had it all. Both teams entered with high expectations for a game fueled by intense rivalry. It ended a nail-biter in front of a large and appreciative crowd.

In the minds of participating coaches and runners, the second Tracy Walters Invitational cross country meet was more about end-of-summer training than it was the beginning of a competitive fall season. But Saturday’s boys race that completed action at Audubon Park certainly was competitive and had championship elements about it.

Ferris borrowed a little something old and something new Thursday night which proved the perfect marriage during a 49-6 Greater Spokane League season-opening football victory over North Central at Joe Albi Stadium. Receiver Aaron Roberts and back Nate Tonani, both three-year veterans, accounted for 214 yards and six touchdowns and first-year quarterback Connor Halliday threw for 170 yards, including three scoring strikes to Roberts, in front of 2,039 fans.

This likely isn’t the last word on the subject of the change in regional strategy when the Columbia Basin Big Nine Athletic Conference (CBBN) expanded to 11 4A schools. Because even though Greater Spokane League football is affected, cross country, volleyball and girls basketball could be impacted even more.

Team St. Luke’s, a sports team created by St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute for children with physical disabilities, traveled to Piscataway, N.J., to compete July 19-27 in the National Junior Disability Championships at Rutgers University. The team sent 15 athletes who brought home 134 medals and broke 35 national records. Five were also invited to compete in the International Junior Disability Championships, also at Rutgers that week. Team St. Luke’s won 96 gold medals, 19 silver medals and nine bronze medals.

Spokane’s American Legion Senior (AAA) League could conceivably send four teams to next week’s state tournament. The league could just as easily have no state entrants. A new regional format is scattering three teams, the Bandits, Northstars and Blue Devils, to the four winds.

While playing 7-on-7 football this summer, Ferris’ Nate Tonani learned something about the country and something about himself. Tonani played linebacker on the Washington team sponsored by the Seattle Seahawks that won the championship of the NFL High School Player Development Tournament (HSPD) Championships last week in New Orleans.

John Owen, for six years the head wrestling coach at Central Valley of the Greater Spokane League, is switching schools and leagues. The former North Idaho College coach has been hired to teach and coach at West Valley in the Great Northern League.

Two wins over fellow title contenders this past week moved Home Run Construction atop the 16U League in Spokane Valley Girls Softball. Home Run (5-1) defeated Farrell Spray 15-5 and Tri Diamond (both 4-2) 11-5. Emily Mauro had 15 strikeouts in the two wins, doubled and drove in three runs in the first triumph. Allie Riggin had five RBIs and Ynasia Van Komen drove in four more during the two victories. Baily Riggin had three hits in the second game.