St. George’s, Davenport On Path Toward District Girls Showdown

With each passing day, it seems more likely that St. George’s and Davenport will meet for the District 7-B girls basketball championship for the fourth consecutive year.

The odds are nearly as good that the second-ranked Dragons (20-1) and the third-ranked Gorillas (19-1) will clash in their fourth consecutive State B title game.

“I would rank St. George’s No. 1 until they lose to a B school,” said Davenport coach Jim Stinson.

The lone loss for the Dragons in their last 51 games was to Class A poll leader Cascade (Leavenworth).

Davenport has squashed all of its foes since an early season loss, later avenged, to fourth-ranked St. JohnEndicott.

“When the season began, it just seemed like incredibly long odds that we’d see Davenport again,” said coach Ross Thomas of St. George’s, which defeated the Gorillas for the championship last year after two consecutive title-game losses.

Davenport thrives with seniors Andee Marriott and 6-foot Jennifer Stinson, who is closing in on the alltime Washington high school scoring mark. St. George’s relies on quickness, its press, and all-everything Chrissy Peterson, who at 5-9 is about the tallest player the Dragons offer.

“We’re a little team that presses,” Thomas said. “It’s a particularly ugly death (to other teams).”

By the way, St. George’s just completed its seventh straight undefeated junior varsity season.

Ram tough

Riverside is one day away from a clean sweep in winter sports.

With a win today, the Rams girls would tie for the Northeast A basketball title. Riverside’s boys have already clinched at least a tie.

Riverside also won the NEA wrestling title. Want more? Except for volleyball, the Rams swept NEA fall sports.

Aching

As postseason basketball begins, injuries are sprouting like tulips.

The West Valley girls have lost sophomore Kiesha Sowers with a displaced kneecap. Sowers was leading the Eagles with 10 points per Frontier League game.

Sprague-Harrington’s boys, ranked third in Class B, played their final four Bi-County games without Ray Schmitt. The senior dislocated his left shoulder while reaching for the ball against Davenport. Schmitt, who had surgery on the same shoulder last year, is expected back for the league tournament.

The Liberty girls aren’t as certain that leading rebounder Amy Torguson will return for the Bi-County tourney. Torguson separated her shoulder on Jan. 27 during practice. The senior had averaged 10.6 points per league game.

Columbia’s girls opened Panorama League Tournament play without starter Lisa Dale. The sophomore slipped at home and broke her jaw. She will probably return later in the tourney. The Lions were already playing without junior Delena Schurger, who tore up her knee a month ago.

Needed rest

The Liberty boys, eliminated by Lind from the Bi-County Tournament on Monday, aren’t accustomed to ending their season so quickly.

Liberty coach David Baird probably needs the rest. The same day Torguson tore up her shoulder, Baird’s daughter was born.

A place for B’s

Negotiations continue on the possibility of holding a separate State B wrestling tournament, with Spokane a potential site.

For now, Class B teams compete with Class A teams at district, regional and state tournaments. Successful area B programs - such as Springdale - run into problems against the Northeast A, which is likely the best Class A league in the state.

The WIAA has asked that a few more Class B schools install wrestling programs before the plan is adopted.

Deer Park wrestling coach Dean Largent said next year might be too soon to expect the change.

Despite the handicap, the BiCounty won three district titles last Saturday - Springdale senior Mark Scott at 190, Almira/Coulee-Hartline sophomore Jason Ogle at 101 and ACH senior Severin Walsh at 275.

On top

Spokane’s District 81 has the topranked team in the state alternative school basketball rankings.

The team is hosting a tournament for alternative schools at Jantsch on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. Sunnyside, Everett and Colville will compete against Janstch.

The East Regional tournament is at Ferris Feb. 24-25, with state the first weekend in March at Sunnyside.

The team had a 5-1 record going into a Wednesday game against Wenatchee. Everett is at Jantsch for an 8 p.m. game today.

Coaches for the team are Gary Allen and Bob Crabb.