WSU Reserve Gleans Pac-10 Honors

Kristin Erickson, a sophomore reserve forward at Washington State, is the Pacific-10 Conference women’s basketball Player of the Week.

Erickson had 27 points and nine rebounds in just 33 minutes of playing time as WSU ended seven-game losing streaks to UCLA and Southern Cal by beating the Californians in Pullman.

She was 6-for-6 from the floor in a 15-point effort against UCLA and scored eight of her 11 second-half points in a 4-minute spurt as the Cougars overcame USC.

Thanks to Erickson, WSU’s bench had a 54-17 edge in the two games.

Erickson is the first Cougar to receive the Pac-10’s weekly honor since the 1992-93 season.

Whitworth made another significant move in the NAIA Division II men’s basketball poll.

The Pirates (11-6), who split two Northwest Conference of Independent Colleges road games last weekend, climbed four spots to eighth.

They’re the second-highest ranked team among six from the Northwest in the Top 25. Western Baptist (14-3) is No. 6. Willamette (10-7), which beat the Pirates 72-62 Saturday, is 18th.

After being unranked, the Pirates emerged in the poll at No. 12 last week.

Football: Brian Smith, a defensive end from Sandpoint High School, was presented the first Ray Flaherty Scholar Athlete Award on Monday by the Inland Northwest chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Smith, who received a $500 scholarship, has a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.

He was Inland Empire League defensive player of the year.

Gonzaga Prep linebacker Jim Salters, who also has a 4.0 GPA, received a $250 scholarship as the back of the year.

Skiing: A rush of entries forced Junior Olympic qualifying race organizers on Tuesday to add an extra day to the giant slalom events scheduled at Mission Ridge this weekend.

The Pacific Northwest Ski Association races will run Friday through Sunday to accommodate the 180 teenage entrants from North Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

College wrestling: Bob Presta defeated the nation’s top-rated junior college 142-pounder to lead North Idaho College to a 37-12 dual wrestling win at Yakima Valley Community College.

Presta defeated Brent Rotondo 5-1 as the Cardinals, ranked second in the nation, improved to 13-2 in duals.

NIC’s Seth Kernodle (167) defeated Sam Ortega 4-2. Ortega, rated ahead of Kernodle, advanced to regionals last year.

Kirk Hartzell (118), Rick Moreno (150) and Travis Hughes (190) had pins for NIC.

Prep wrestling: East Valley won the first five matches and defeated Pullman 39-24 to clinch at least a tie for the Frontier League wrestling title.

Kevin Wolls (101 pounds) and Justin Walker (108) started the night with pins as the Knights improved to 4-0 with one league meet remaining - against defending champ Colville (2-1).

In the best match, EV frosh Rusty Ruchert (148) defeated Beef Lyle 12-10. Jason Moody (190) had a pin and Troy Campbell (158) a technical fall for EV, which has won four of the last five league titles.

Kazuo Yoshiura (141), Kyle Ryan (168) and Earl Eastman (275) had Pullman’s pins.

Northeast A wrestling: Dan Kruger (158) and Matt Morin (168) had big wins as host Riverside (5-0-1) put itself in position to win the league title by defeating defending champ Lakeside 34-23.

Lakeside (4-1) meet league-leading Deer Park (5-0) on Thursday. Riverside hosts DP on Saturday.