Mike Vlahovich

1. Dale Schnibbe coaches or helps coach all of the teams on which his children play. Eric, standing next to his dad, and his siblings have a full schedule of summer games. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Ann Schnibbe will take 9-year-old Tonya to one game while Dale Schnibbe will take 7-year-old Jacob to another. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Spokane Valley BMX racer Rick Hoover recently returned from a 17-day odyssey that earned him trophies from three different races. The races are part of the 38-race American Bicycle Association Cruise America Summer Tour. It began June 6 at the Great Salt Lake Nationals in Utah and wraps up with a zig-zagging safari across the U.S. that ends in Raleigh, N.C., in late July.

Machines for Murphy Brothers Construction move dirt at the site of Sports World. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

It may seem difficult to envision North Side American Legion baseball teams from Shadle Park playing in the South Division of AA and A leagues. So far, the results have been favorable, and neither team can complain. Eagle Hardware, Shadle's AA entrant, was 5-1 and in third place through Tuesday following the first two weeks of the season.

Baseball The Browne Mountain Bandits swept four games to win the championship of the Skagit Valley Invitational tournament in Bellingham. The team, made up of University, Ferris and Freeman baseball players, beat Edmonds 6-2, Stilly River 4-2 and the Seattle Knights 12-1, and Everett 9-4 in the title game. Freeman grad Ken Beeler hit safely in all four wins, including a four-hit effort in the opener and home run against Stilly River.

A man whose coaching star is in ascent has been chosen to succeed a legend at Mead High School. Scott Bliss, who has coached Auburn to two state team championships among five top-six finishes, is Mead's new wrestling coach, replacing retiring Hall of Famer Cash Stone.

Valley Electric has moved to the front of Spokane Valley Baseball Giants League standings. After two weeks into the season, the Evergreen Junior High has become the league's only unbeaten team. Included were wins over Spokane County Sheriff's 10-1, Autocraft 15-5 and Perfection Tire 9-5.

Bonny Britton, a recent West Valley grad, will attend Arizona State on a water-skiing scholarship. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Three-even record setter Monica Hilsabeck sparked Centennial to the B championship during the Valley Junior High Vern Fox All League track meet. Hilsabeck set records in the 65 meter hurdles, 100 and 200 dashes during the meet. Centennial broke a three-way dual meet tie in the division with their all-league track win.

A pre-construction "doers" meeting for the Plantes Ferry Park sports complex will begin at 7 p.m. Monday in the University Room of the Ridpath Hotel. "Main purpose of the meeting," said project coordinator Gib Brumback, "is to formalize construction committees and begin the planning process and construction time frame for summer and fall." Brumback asks that committee members bring friends who wish to become involved in the project.

The announcement that Brian Dunn was hired to head football at Lakeside High School brought to a reluctant close the coaching career of Glen Payne. Payne, who doubles as athletic director, wasn't ready to quit coaching football after three straight playoff appearances. The athletic director's job at Lakeside is to become a full-time administrative post, which means the next coach couldn't fill Payne's role.

The unbeaten North Pines Class A boys track team overwhelmed the field of the Valley Junior High Vern Fox All League track meet. Led by twins Dan and Jeff Hayward, the Cubs piled up 162 points to runnerup Evergreen's 75. Dan Hayward set a league record 8.9 in the 65 meter hurdles, won the 100, was second in the 200 and fourth in the pole vault. His brother won the 400 and 200, was second in the 100 and fifth in the pole vault.

Jamie Stone finishes the 3,200 meter race at the State A track meet at Eastern Washington University. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Josh Morse of South Pines No. 1 is thrown out at first in a Pee Wee game. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

A broken ankle last fall had kept Casey Lektorich out of soccer and basketball. It didn't stop the University High sophomore from winning one of four state track championships by Valley athletes. In the Tacoma rain she improved on practically every throw of the javelin, capping it with a school record 133-7 toss. "Last year (as a North Pines Junior High ninth grader) I couldn't play softball," Lektorich said. "I wanted to try this for a year." Two years later the javelin is now her implement of choice.

Rain created a bizarre ending to the State AA softball tournament, but it didn't dampen the sense of humor of coaches from West Valley and East Valley. Both the Eagles and Knights were part of a seven-team tie for third place after shuttling between Tacoma, here and Yakima in order to play the abbreviated event. WV was 2-1 in the tournament. EV finished 1-1-1 following a 12-inning tie with Colville.

1. Cindy Simpson, right (holding eagle), celebrates the state AA basketball title with her teammates. File photo 2. East Valley wrestlers and supporters show off the first-place state trophy. File photo

West Valley's Vinnie Pecht just missed a state record but won the AA discus title. Photo by Karie Hamilton/Special to The Spokesman-Review

State AA track and field Pullman's Ricardo Colon was a footnote to history, finishing second to the fastest sprinter in Washington track annals. Only Colon was too far behind to appreciate JaWarren Hooker's 10.35 100-meter triumph.

League MVPs flanking coach Steve Kent, include, from left, Adetta (Harder) Willey, Peggy (Almquist) Wells, Tanya Palmer, Peggy Palmer and Darcy Sohns. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Pitching in the Region IV B baseball final, Northwest Christian pitcher Jeremy Affeldt cut down opposing batters from Panorama foe Curlew with accustomed regularity. The strapping left-hander, who lives in Medical Lake, struck out 18 batters during the eight-inning 3-2 triumph and drove in the winning run to boot.

Jason Berger cruises to victory in a 100-meter race earlier this spring. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Next up for 37 North Side tracksters is state competition. Mead's boys will try to challenge for a state championship on the legs of distance runners Jason Fayant, Morgan Thompson, Ryan Wiser and long-jumper Chris McCullough. But they need the strong-armed support of discus throwers Joe Collier, Jason DeJong and javelin thrower Chris Callahan to get it done. The most notable loss came in the shot put where Scott McGlocklin fouled on three attempts and was lost, even though he had the best mark this year by 3 feet.

It was, said West Valley coach Jim McLachlan, difficult to comprehend the impact of his track team's state-qualifying effort. "It was a strange year because we were so strong in the field," he said. "I'm used to having kids win races." The Eagles won eight of 17 district championships in qualifying seven athletes in nine events to Star Track in Tacoma this weekend.