Mike Vlahovich

Greater Spokane League fastpitch softball teams have been putting up slowpitch offensive numbers so far this season. In 20 of the league's first 30 games, the victors have scored in double figures and four teams in defeat also broke double digits. Included have been a 40-run outburst by Shadle Park, 26 of those in one inning, and 30 runs by University in a victory.

Spokane Valley high school baseball teams got off to a hot start, then cooled down – and vice versa. But what would you expect? This is the Greater Spokane League. Prior to Friday's games, Central Valley, East Valley and University were all 2-2 in a league known for parity and unpredictability.

Although an upper-tier Greater Spokane League program for the last several years, the baseball gods have been unkind to Mt. Spokane during postseason. The Wildcats have reached the playoffs four of the last five seasons and won two league championships. But they have yet to advance past the district tournament.

Considering the histories of the University of Southern California and University of Texas football teams, it seemed inevitable that the subject would arise on the eve of today's 2:20 p.m. NCAA tournament matchup of Trojans and Longhorns basketball teams in at the Arena. Can Tim Floyd win really big games in basketball at a football school like USC, Texas coach Rick Barnes was asked?

NC gets 'er done As Roosevelt girls coach Bill Resler said, tongue-in-cheek, at the State 4A, the Greater Spokane League must play pretty good basketball. What does it say when the first-place team in league wins State 4A by going unbeaten and the last-place team finishes third in 3A?

When North Central lost to Bainbridge in the semifinals of the State 3A basketball tournament in Seattle last Friday, the Indians gained a glimpse of Gonzaga University's future. High-scoring Bainbridge guard and tourney MVP Steven Gray scored 17 points, mainly on drives to the basket, and didn't play the whole game during a 55-40 triumph. Gray committed to play for the Zags during a summer camp at the University before his junior year at Bainbridge.

SEATTLE – The North Central Indians lost nearly two-thirds of their basketball games this year. So what? Today, they are the third-best boys 3A team in the state of Washington by virtue of Saturday's 47-39 victory over Southridge from Kennewick.

SEATTLE – The clock on North Central's Cinderfella story that for two days captured everyone's imagination, struck midnight quickly in Friday's State 3A boys basketball semifinals. Top-ranked Bainbridge (25-3) scored 15 straight points in the game's first 5 minutes en route to a 55-40 victory.

What a ride it's been for University High School girls basketball and coaching staff. Four years, 100 wins, four state trips, three state places and a trunk full of memories.

Ferris assistant coach Jason Gilman knows that state boys basketball championships don't come easily and how appreciative a team should be to win one. Following the Saxons' second title, Gilman was best able to put into perspective the accomplishment by a talented mix of juniors and seniors who survived a tournament grinder in Tacoma to win in a double-overtime dandy in Saturday's State 4A boys final, a 68-61 victory over Kentwood.

TACOMA – Mead did its part in Greater Spokane League girls basketball's finest hour. The Panthers defeated Snohomish 60-31 to place fourth at the State 4A Girls tournament in the Tacoma Dome and be part of an unprecedented three-team GSL finish that included the two state finalists.

TACOMA – All eyes were on Lyndi Seidensticker who, in the waning seconds of Friday's State 4A girls basketball semifinal game, was faced with likely the most pressure-filled shot of her successful career at Lewis and Clark High School. Of course, said her coach, Jim Redmon, she seems impervious to pressure.

Greater Spokane League boys basketball, as young as it is, figured to be pretty tough. The Columbia Basin League was considered perhaps weaker because of its inconsistency.

Morgan Hyslop missed traveling Tuesday morning in the van with his teammates headed to the State 4A basketball tournament in Tacoma. He wasn't, however, about to miss his final basketball experience with Ferris.

When Regan (Freuen) Drew was an impact sophomore playing on a Mead team that would win the state championship in 1992, she can't recall the feeling of playing on the big stage. "I don't think I knew any better," she said. "I was excited, but we had seniors with experience and I followed their lead."