Mike Vlahovich

Ferris High School's Ryan Ellis, left, entangles Charlie Ashbaugh of Tahoma during the semifinal round of the state wrestling championships in Tacoma. Photo by Jason Clark/The Spokesman-Review

Getz

West Valley-Spokane's Ryan Spivey (44) absorbs a foul by Jake Gravbrot during a loss to West Valley-Yakima. The loss ended the Spokane school's season. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

1. D.J. Goldsmith is from a long line of Goldsmiths who have played for Freeman. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Matt Miller leads the Scotties in scoring. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Rare is the year in the past decade that the Central Valley girls basketball team has not been a title contender. This season was no exception. With two victories this week, the Bears finished the season with a share of their seventh Greater Spokane League championship, their fifth during coach Dale Poffenroth's nine-year tenure. During that time, his teams have also finished second twice. His formula?

Three sets of brothers - featured in a Dec. 25 North Voice article - were integral members of Lakeside High's unbeaten wrestling season and tournament success. Six of them will be in the State 2A portion of Mat Classic X this weekend in Tacoma. Senior Jason and freshman Justin Belyea won 115 and 108 pound district championships, respectively. Senior Jason and junior Adam Christen were winners at 141 and 135 pounds.

All-GSL wrestling team, back row, from left: Coach Tim Owen, Ferris; Keith Riddle, Mead; Ryan Ellis, Ferris; Ben Houk, Rogers; Marshall Sims, Rogers; Brandon Bouge, CV; Brandon Brown, CV; Shane Cunanan, CV. Front row: Connor Jordan, U-Hi; Chris Montgomery, G-Prep; Nick Bliss, G-Prep; Travis Pascoe, G-Prep; Kyle Gleason, G-Prep; Tommy Owen, U-Hi; David Sandberg, NC. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Although both East Valley and Central Valley send strong teams to this weekend's Mat Classic X in Tacoma, neither will be favored. The Knights, defending state AA champion, have eight state qualifiers and the Bears seven, to lead Valley schools to state. But the Knights finished second to Moses Lake in 3A regional tournament last weekend and also must contest Lake Stevens and Anacortes, which coach Craig Hanson rates as a contender.

Chris Blotsky, left, and Chris Allen are leading the North Central High School basketball team and the Greater Spokane league in individual scoring. The two are shown standing in the main hallway of the North Side school. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

2A/A-B wrestling Lakeside Eagle wrestlers are in a league of their own after qualifying 16 wrestlers to next week's Mat Classic X in Tacoma for the State 2A championships. "It feels like it sometimes," admitted Eagle 178-pounder Sean Wheeler, one of a dozen champions. Lakeside climbed through a window of opportunity brought about by this year's statewide reclassification, sending at least one wrestler per weight to state.

Shelly Bartlett's trip to and from Spokane to be at Wednesday's Sports Awards Luncheon and Banquet was a sleep-depriving experience. But the result made it all worthwhile. Bartlett, a University High graduate and University of Nebraska gymnastics All-America, was named 1997 Sportwriters and Broadcasters Female Athlete of the Year. The plane in which she was flying from Lincoln, Neb., had a gauge malfunction and passengers were forced to stay from midnight to 4 a.m. in Minneapolis. She arrived in Spokane at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and had to be at the luncheon by 11.

Chris Gregg of the West Valley Eagles hopes this also stands for "Win." Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

CV wrestlers Courtney Brown, left, and Blair Alderman faced each other at district last weekend. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

East Valley battled tradition and hostility as well as talent when the Knight wrestlers traveled to Moses Lake in its first step on the journey to state. They came through with flying colors, advancing 14 wrestlers to this weekend's Region IV tournament in Ellensburg and winning a heated team competition in the process. "If you were wearing green it was tough," said EV coach Craig Hanson. "We were right in the heartland down there."

Moses Lake and its veteran team may be gone, but there is plenty of experience remaining at this weekend's Region IV 4A wrestling tournament in Yakima. Forty-five regional veterans remain, including eight state placers from the Greater Spokane League and seven from the Big Nine. The Chiefs, second in the AAA tournament last year, take their eight subregional finalists and 13 regional qualifiers into the new 3A Region IV in Ellensburg.

It's a cliche, true, but an apt one when Mead boys basketball coach Jim Preston said, "We control our own fate, especially getting up to second place." At the time, the fourth place Greater Spokane League Panthers were preparing to travel to second place Lewis and Clark, a team they had lost to by three points earlier in the year. Remaining on the schedule were playoff hopefuls Gonzaga Prep, winners of five straight games, and Rogers, Ferris and North Central.

1. G-Prep's Kyle Gleason got out of this predicament with Shadle's Kevin Olson and went on to take the 178-pound title. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review 2. Advancing: CV 148-pound wrestler Brandon Brown, bottom, and U-Hi's Josh Vande Vanter earn Region IV berths. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review (photo ran on page C1.)

1. Ardent Bears boosters helped win the Stinky Sneaker. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Titan fans have to wait until next year for another shot at the Stinky Sneaker. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Border League girls If East Valley girls basketball coach Darsi Frazier could bottle the formula that has worked so well against rival West Valley, she'd be a happy woman. The Knights took advantage of woeful Eagles shooting for a 49-25 victory and sweep of the season series. Yet EV, 6-11 overall and 5-8 in league, remains a game and a half behind the Eagles (9-9, 7-7) in the Border League.

Freeman High's boys basketball team is on the verge of something that coach Mike Thacker is reluctant to publicize. "I never count my chickens before they're hatched," said Thacker. "Especially when you have to go on the road to win a league title." There. He said it.

Boys Border League West Valley post player Chris Gregg decided it was better being on the basketball floor than sitting next to his coach. The result was a big second half that helped the Eagles to a 77-67 victory over East Valley on Friday in the Golden Throne spirit game. "Coach told me, 'go after the boards, son,"' said Gregg, "and if I got the open shot to take it."

CV's John Reese battle U-Hi's Andrew Smith in the recent Battle of the Bone. Photo by Jason Clark/The Spokesman-Review

Two months after his seventh birthday our worst fears were confirmed. Our son Jared was, like Travis Pascoe, diagnosed with Type I diabetes. Today Jared is a sophomore at University High School and one of just a handful of area high school athletes who have been identified with the disease. That's why I was intrigued by Pascoe's story. "You know," Jared told my wife, Tambra, not long ago, "I've lived longer with diabetes than I have without it."

A pair of Lakeside wrestlers welcomes the chance to rest and recuperate before the Eagles' bid to become a two-time state champion. While eight Great Northern League athletes per weight compete this weekend at Deer Park to fill the remaining district berths, the top four seeds in each earn byes into the 2A District 7 tournament Feb. 13 and 14 at Medical Lake. That means most of the Lakeside team will rest, including three-time state qualifier Anthony Layton, and last year's state qualifier Adam Christen.