Mike Vlahovich

Jessica Gudgel epitomizes the libero, a back row specialist who can spend an entire match there except when it comes time to serve. West Valley's 5-foot-4 senior dynamo, dressed in black while her teammates donned white uniforms with orange numbers, seemingly was everywhere during the Eagles five-game victory over East Valley that sent her and the Eagles to their third straight 3A regional tournament. WV is the No. 2 seed from the GSL and will play Mid-Valley No. 3 next Saturday at the regional tournament in Cheney. EV that also lost to NC, is the No. 3 seed to regional and will play Mid-Valley No. 2.

North Central's volleyball team was staring in the face of a 2-0 deficit during the District 8 3A tournament Thursday night at Cheney. The Indians had lost to East Valley in the first game and were at game point, down 24-22, in the second game.

Mt. Spokane volleyball coach John Reid could finally breathe a sigh of relief following Tuesday's latest five-game marathon. His Wildcats advanced into this week's six-team District 8 4A tournament, which begins tonight and continues through Saturday.

Ian Williamson had a big hand in University's 20-13 victory over Central Valley. His kickoff return set up one touchdown and the senior wide receiver passed for the winning score. But he had other things on his mind when talking about the game after it had ended.

University High volleyball player Callie Taylor is a testimony to the power of persistence. Things didn't always go the way they were planned for the longtime club volleyball player and middle-school teammate of several of the Titan players. For the previous two years, she had been primarily a role player on junior varsity.

Coaches like to preach basics when talking about athletic success. There are times when a little chicanery doesn't hurt. A trick play by University produced a 20-13 Greasy Pig football victory over rival Central Valley on Friday for their fourth consecutive Greater Spokane League win and a share of third place.

Taylor Nepon, along with fellow members of a talented, if untested, sophomore class, had big distance shoes to fill when he joined Mead's cross country varsity this year. Wearing size-14 shoes, Nepon has filled them literally as well as figuratively.

District rivals University and Central Valley renew their long-standing football series Friday in a game that amounts to the season for both. The host Titans (3-3, 3-2), on a three-game Greater Spokane League winning streak, currently are fourth among 4A schools and in control of their destiny.

The lure of academics at a smaller school and chance to remain surrounded by family is keeping University High School basketball star Jami Bjorklund close to home. For the Gonzaga University women's program it's a coup.

The championship match of the 11th Crossover Classic volleyball tournament Saturday at Lewis and Clark may have been somewhat anticlimactic for first-time winner Eisenhower. Eisenhower, last year's tourney runner-up, methodically defeated Auburn Riverside 25-18, 25-22 to remain unbeaten for the season. They trailed once in the two games and were tied two other times.

Lewis and Clark basketball standout Briann January will make it a regional quartet playing at Arizona State University with her oral commitment to become a Sun Devil. January made her decision this week after narrowing a list of choices down to ASU and Vanderbilt.

For more than 30 minutes of their 48-minute Greater Spokane League football game, Gonzaga Prep and Central Valley ineffectually pounded at the heart of each other's defense. But the Bullpups, out of necessity, went strong side with their attack to end the scoreless futility late in the third quarter and won 10-7.

Riverside basketball player Angela Hartill has made an oral commitment to play for the University of New Mexico. Hartill, a 6-foot-3 post and three-sport athlete for the Rams, was the Great Northern League's co-MVP last year with a scoring average in excess of 14 points a game.

The Greater Spokane League football season reached its midpoint and two things are clear. There will be a scramble for the fourth available 4A playoff spot, and East Valley last weekend positioned itself for its first playoff appearance since 1996. The Knights (3-1 in league, 3-2 overall) complete a run of three games against 3A opponents tonight against North Central at Joe Albi Stadium. A win would put them in control.

As she always does, University volleyball coach Amanda Velasquez approached things cautiously. The Titans, on Tuesday, had just beaten Mead for the school's biggest win ever and after acknowledging the fact, she noted, "We still have quite a few games left and you never know what's going to happen. We've got to stay focused."

This year the Central Valley football family tragically lost two people with ties to its program. In remembrance, the school is establishing the Kristian Burkland/Julie Butner Courage Scholarship on their behalf.