Mike Vlahovich

Record setters, dominating performers and state champions read like a who’s who of Spokane area high school sports stars. They are this year’s nominees for Inland Northwest Sportswriters and Broadcasters players, coaches and teams of the year.

Until Saturday evening Deer Park’s Joe Grable and Mt. Spokane’s John Hoover had never wrestled each other. Their first meeting, in the 145-pound title match during the Pacific Northwest Classic at University, was worth the wait. The two state placers – Grable is a two-time top-three 2A state finisher and returning finalist; Hoover finished fifth in 3A – went toe-to-toe in a contest that took three rounds and as many overtimes to decide.

University wrestling has the luxury of numbers. Nearly two teams worth of Titans have wrestled in Greater Spokane League varsity matches this season, giving coach Don Owen leeway when juggling his lineup against foes come big-meet time. Thursday night was the first of six such meets over the next three weeks that determines this year’s champion. U-Hi displayed a serious intent while carving out a 55-18 victory over visitor and fellow unbeaten Mt. Spokane.

Gonzaga Prep junior guard Sam Dowd was easily the smallest man on the floor when the Bullpups and Ferris Saxons squared off in a basketball game between 3-1 teams. But he came up big in Prep’s 58-57 nail-biting Greater Spokane League triumph at home Tuesday night.

A year ago University’s Tanner Orndorff wrestled at 145 pounds. A year older and 50 pounds heavier, Orndorff is a metaphor for how much the Titans have grown. Despite the remarkable weight gain, Orndorff had only one close match en route to the 195-pound championship at Saturday’s Inland Empire Wrestling Tournament at Central Valley and helped the Titans win the team title.

Brian Owen’s wrestling career has been sidetracked by injuries too numerous to comprehend. But the fifth-year junior at Boise State, ranked 15th nationally at 133 pounds, came home Saturday evening and clung to a 5-3 victory when the Broncos “hosted” rival Oregon State in their annual Border War before a packed house of some 2,500 spectators at Central Valley High School.

Two touchdowns in a space of 2 minutes at the start of the third quarter propelled the host Titans (8-4) to next weekend’s State 3A football semifinals following their 23-13 victory over visiting North Thurston (9-3) on Saturday

Two wrestling programs ranked among the top 20 colleges nationally will clash in Spokane Valley when 10th-ranked Oregon State University and 16th-ranked Boise State meet at Central Valley High School on Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. The two agreed to move their match from Boise to Spokane. CV coach John Owen said, “It kind of fell in my lap.”

So stunning was the outcome of the football game, not even University’s coaches saw it coming. The Titans (7-4) made school history with a shockingly easy 34-6 romp over visiting O’Dea and advanced to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs for the first time. They will be the home team against North Thurston, a 35-23 winner over Kennewick on Saturday.

When Paige Gallaway and Megan Dimmler are in the middle of the field during a soccer match, it’s difficult to tell their numbers apart. But in Central Valley’s 5-2 home throttling of visiting Auburn in the first round of State 4A play, you could take your pick. Each scored twice, returning the Bears to the elite eight. Hair color is the only distinguishing factor and neither the blondish-hair Gallaway, No. 23, nor dark-haired Dimmler, No. 22, is satisfied.

PASCO – Riverside’s girls cross country team staked its tent behind the starting line during the state cross country meet. But it wasn’t where they camped, it was how they finished.

It was an ending that defied description. Heck, it was an entire game that defied description Down to the game’s final 10 seconds and University needing one last big play, the Titans found one in big-play receiver Austin Flynn.

The first three possessions that ended with interceptions proved ominous in a Greater Spokane League football finale between University and North Central. It was a downright spooky game in which the Titans, despite themselves, scored late and hung on for a 21-14 victory and heartbroken end for the Indians following a spirited two-way effort.

It was by the skin of their teeth, but Deer Park’s boys cross country runners defeated Cheney for the District 7 2A championship Friday afternoon at Plantes Ferry Park. This is the time of year when Jay Martin’s Blackhawks are usually at their best. Stags coach Scott Daratha recalled a season a year or two ago when his team beat Martin’s five of six times, the loss coming in district.