Mike Vlahovich

GSL baseball Annual appearances in the Greater Spokane League baseball playoffs are not an aspiration but an expectation for teams at Central Valley and University high schools. Historically, both have generally made top six finishes the GSL norm. "The bottom line is," said Titan coach Don Ressa, "when the dust clears you want to have a chance to play for a regional spot."

The Lakeside girls gather at midcourt at the end of their championship game to high five each other and celebrate their win. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

GSL baseball A new coach and new team are part of the North Side Greater Spokane League baseball scene, which begins next Thursday. Brock Taylor takes over at defending league champion Mead High for Dave Vaughn, who resigned to spend time with his growing family. "I'm not going to reinvent the wheel," said Taylor, a 14-year teacher. The last four seasons he was Mead's junior varsity coach. "The coaches before did a great job and the program is going in the right direction."

The Valley YMCA is offering an innovative baseball program for first- and second-grade youngsters. The organization, said youth activities coordinator Pat Estes, has purchased a pitching machine for use in games instead of having a traditional coach-pitch program. "The umpire will feed balls into the machine," explained Estes. "The ball will be there every time and the focus will be on hitting consistent pitching."

When Rogers and Gonzaga Prep play each other in Greater Spokane League softball on April 17, Paul Cooley will feel pangs. Gonzaga Prep's new coach will face his old team, the Pirates, whom he coached successfully for years and took to the state finals in 1995. Retired from teaching at Rogers, Cooley is now supervising student teachers for Gonzaga University.

Trying to duplicate last fall's dominant state championship girls soccer season may be difficult for coach Kevin Moon and the Riverside Ram boys. "It's a tall order, a once-in-a-lifetime season," said Moon. "The team needs to be careful not to hope it will come automatically because the girls did so well." But Moon is willing to try. The Rams have split off from Deer Park and the two are part of the new Great Northern League. Last year the combined team finished third in the Frontier League.

(From Valley Voice, March 19, 1998): Soccer replay The name of Travis Johnson was inadvertently left off Central Valley's soccer preview story in Saturday's Voice. Johnson, a sophomore, was goalkeeper for the Bears last year after Derrick Adams was injured. Both Adams, a senior, and Johnson will be in goal for the team. The Central Valley soccer team, all 68 of them, get into shape on a run around school grounds. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

The Frontier League boys soccer race could scarcely have been closer last year. East Valley won the regular season title, finishing ahead of Cheney by a mere point. The Knights then lost 1-0 to fourth-place West Valley in a state-qualifying playoff game. It continued a history of post-season frustration by league champions.

There is one consensus among coaches of North Side Greater Spokane League boys soccer teams. The league which produced two teams among the state's final eight last year - including North Central and eventual runner-up Ferris - will remain strong. "Ferris is the obvious favorite. Everybody is back but three players," said Shadle Park coach Stuart Saunders. "After that you're probably looking at six or eight teams who could compete."

State qualifying was a 50-50 proposition for Central Valley High School's basketball teams. Identical 52-49 decisions sent CV's girls to Seattle for their seventh state tournament appearance of the 1990s, and left the Bear boys at home. CV's girls beat Kamiakin on Jenny Wilson's buzzer-beating 3-point basket, their second win after a regional opening loss.

1. Keshia Shorts, Riverside, above, and Brianne Jolley and Janel Long (not pictured) of Lakeside, and Bernice Stime and Abbey Wood, also of Riverside, take to the 2A state tournament, which continues through Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. File photos/The Spokesman-Review 2. Jolley 3. Stime 4. Wood

1. The Panthers' body language reflects the mood after an end-of-the-season defeat by Chief Leschi in the B Tournament championship game. Photography by Steve Thompson 2. Valley Christian cheerleaders were overcome with emotion after the game. 3. On the road to the final: Cheering erupts on the Valley Christian sideline as the Panthers defeat Curlew 66-58 in an early game in the tournament. 4. Eric Smith fights for the ball with Michael Richardson and Jonathon Redding of Chief Leschi Saturday night. 5. Panther players gather for a prayer after the game Saturday.

With a big lead over DeSales on Thursday, Valley Christian starters watched from the bench as their subs got a chance to play. They didn't score, much to the amusement of the starters, but the Panthers still won by 17 points. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

1. Jolley 2. Stime 3. Wood

The championship was five days old and her team just hours away from its first regional basketball game, but Mead's unfailingly optimistic coach Annette Wing was still bubbling. "It's so exciting as a first-year coach, it's hard to sum it up," she said. "The players worked hard and deserve the credit." Mead had finished third in league behind Ferris and Central Valley. Only one game and a handful of points, however, separated the trio.

Rebecca Triplett

Panther power took them to state. Front row, Brent Decker, Jeremy Decker; Row 2, Matt Troyer, Jonathon Brecto; Row 3, coach Ray Ricks, Tyson Lacy, coach Steve Altmeyer, Keith Bolster; Row 4, Eric Smith, Mike Spuler; Row 5, Derek Sandin, Jared Evans, Chad Meyers. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

3A eastern regional Moses Lake took the air out of the ball and the wind out of Cheney's sails for a 46-42 victory to join three other Mid-Valley League teams in next week's 3A State tournament in Seattle. The Chiefs stalled nearly the entire final 4 minutes to complete the Mid-Valley sweep of the berths. West Valley of Yakima's boys and girls teams won Saturday mornings 3A eastern regional championships.

3A basketball A season's worth of drama was packed into two scintillating boys basketball games at the first 3A state-qualifying regional tournament among Border and Mid-Valley league teams. Moses Lake (19-6) refused to wither under a second-half Cheney (17-6) barrage, rallying from a 10-point deficit with 1:54 remaining in regulation to win 75-73 in overtime. West Valley-Yakima (21-3) edged Mid-Valley foe Hanford (17-8) 54-53 in the first semifinal contest.

Two hall of fame sportscasters died just two days and a thousand miles apart last week. Fittingly, they were linked by more than a common craft. Dick Wright, who spent two decades as the "voice of Valley sports" while at KZUN Radio, was an inveterate St. Louis Cardinals fan. Harry Caray was the St. Louis sportscaster for 25 years beginning when Dick listened to Cardinal broadcasts while growing up in Anaconda, Mont.

Jenny Coyle passes off to another Lady Bear in Thursday's game against Mead. Photo by Jason Clark/The Spokesman-Review

Having expectations is one thing. Realizing them often is another. There's euphoria at Valley Christian School, which has qualified for its first boys State B basketball tournament. By beating Curlew 65-62 Thursday night, the Panthers met the goals set for them by second-year coach Steve Altmeyer.

Unable to repeat last year's state team wrestling championship, East Valley was nonetheless happy with second place in the new 3A classification at Mat Classic X. "A second-place finish after a state championship might seem a step down," said coach Craig Hanson. "But it was a great finish considering the competition." EV scored 93 points, nearly equal to last year's title total. They placed six wrestlers and like last year had two finalists.

1. Three-year-old Jerrod works on a carton of milk while having lunch with his brother Jason Galles (in checkered shirt). Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review 2. With lunch over, Jason walks his little brother through the hallways of Mead High School and back to his day care. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review