Mike Vlahovich

A pair of North Side baseball teams are among four who have qualified for American Legion A League baseball playoffs. Tony Roma from Shadle Park shared the South Division title with a 14-2 record and plays McDonald's from Mount Spokane High tonight at 6 at Whitworth College. McDonald's shared the North Division title with Panorama Twins from Colville with a 10-4 mark.

The first in a series of American Legion baseball tournaments is under way. Tony Roma from Shadle Park plays McDonald's from Mount Spokane tonight in the second of two single-elimination games at Whitworth College. Panorama from Colville played Food Rainbow/Carsten's Marine Wednesday. Winners begin a best-of-three series Friday at Whitworth with a 6 p.m. game.

1. Chris Morlan, center above, runs in Manito Park with students from Lewis and Clark High School. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review 2. Morlan, a veteran of the U.S. Olympic marathon trails, rehydrates. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review

1. Trevor Britton has set an eight-state jumping record. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Trevor Britton is making a splash in water-ski-jumping circles. He's heading to regionals and hopes to qualify for nationals. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

The game Jim Hainline is about to pursue has changed since Jim Frazier bowled the PBA circuit in the 1970s. Frazier, 53, owns Jim Frazier's Pro Shop and Trophy House in the Valley. He also competes sporadically on the senior circuit. "There are so many variables," he said.

Jim Hainline went to pro-tour school in an effort to reach the PBA tour. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

At one point this season, Spokane Athletic Supply was in last place in the AA league, having lost its first five games and seven of its first eight. Since then the Central Valley team has won 11 of 12, moved into fourth place in the South Division of the AA league and finished second in the Fourth of July tournament. A jump-start from a coach used to a different approach to the game didn't hurt.

The Browne Mountain Bandits are finding out the seriousness of their AAA American Legion baseball title challenge. Trailing the leader, Blue Devils, by a game, the two teams were scheduled to play three times this week and play again on Tuesday . In addition, the Bandits are scheduled to meet co-runner-up Valley Cannons twice as part of 10 games in a 12-day schedule.

Between now and next Thursday, the North Side Blue Devils will determine their AAA Spokane American Legion title fate. During that time the Blue Devils face their nearest pursuers, the Cannons and Bandits, a total of seven times. It is part of an arduous 11-day, 11-game schedule facing that team that will nearly complete its league season.

1. Ken Eilmes as a basketball guard for Rogers in 1955. 2. In 1979, NC baseball coach Eilmes shares an opinion with an umpire. File photo

Spokane Valley Girls Softball season has reached its midpoint with the requisite jockeying of teams into new divisions. Teams with the best records are moved against each other in the 14-Under through 10-Under leagues. Dr. Benage, Wise Improvements and Burger King take their 4-0 records into the National Division of the 14-U League.

Andy Bolich, riding Blue, a horse he trained, started out in rodeoing riding steers. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review

Former Gonzaga Prep, Gonzaga U and current Utah Jazz player John Stockton has his star in the Walk of Fame. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Final round-robin games of the Spokane American Legion Fourth of July Tournament today will determine finalists in both the senior and junior divisions. The Spokane Valley Cannons play twice today at Shadle Park. The Cannons face the Billings (Mont.) Royals at 3 p.m. and the Coeur d'Alene Lumbermen at 6 p.m. The Cannons are made up of players from Central Valley, East Valley and West Valley high schools.

Shadle Park's Al K. Jackson Field, Whitworth College, Gonzaga University and Seafirst Stadium will be busy this weekend. They are locations for AAA baseball games during Spokane's annual American Legion Fourth of July tournament that begins this morning and concludes on Sunday. The tournament is the biggest weekend of baseball for the Spokane League.

Dustin Boast shoots in front of his brother Kyle on the street in front of their Liberty Lake home. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Shadle Park's Al K. Jackson Field, Whitworth College, Gonzaga University and Seafirst Stadium will be busy this weekend. They are locations for AAA baseball games during Spokane's annual American Legion 4th of July tournament that begins this morning and concludes on Sunday. The tournament is the biggest weekend of baseball for the Spokane League.

Central Valley High School is the site of the AA portion of this year's American Legion Fourth of July Baseball Tournament, beginning today. A total of 24 teams, 12 each in the AAA and AA divisions, begin play at 8 a.m. Each team plays five games in a two-division round-robin format. Seven Spokane League AA teams will be joined by three Bellevue teams, one from Yakima and one from Enumclaw, Wash.

Matt, left, and Adam Loucks, shown practicing at Central Valley High School, are both ranked at the top of their age groups in state tennis. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Suddenly hot Spokane Athletic Supply won four straight times going into Friday's game at Cheney and cooled off Olympic Sports in the process. But Olympic remained one of two University High baseball teams to contend in their respective American Legion leagues as the season approaches its midpoint. Despite stumbling against rival SAS (Central Valley), Olympic Sports is third in the AA Legion South Division.

Four successive easy wins moved the Blue Devils to the top of the AAA American Legion baseball league. The Blue Devils, a team made up of players from five schools - North Central, Lakeside, Deer Park, Shadle Park and Chewelah (Wash.) - outscored its opposition 62-16 to take a game lead over the Cannons and Bandits.

Balancing the day-to-day obligation of work and family is one thing. Juggling the schedules of three youngsters participating in summer sports, my wife Tambra and I have found, is something else. Our 15-year-old son Jared is entering high school next fall. As a three-sport aspirant, he feels the obligation of being in the weight room, attending two summer camps, taking traffic safety education and resolving the conflict between American Legion baseball and summer league basketball when games are on the same night.

There's a virtual three-way deadlock in Spokane Valley Baseball's Giants League following Valley Electric's initial loss. The Evergreen Junior High team was edged 7-6 by Food Rainbow on David Morrison's fourth-inning 3-run triple and a clutch RBI single by Dylan Bullock. It was Food Rainbow's third-straight win and brought Valley Electric into a tie with Broadway Eye Care for the lead. Perfection Tire is one-half game behind.

Jeremy and JoEne, from left, Chad (not pictured) and their father Jon will be passing the basketball to one another at this weekend's Hoopfest. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review