Rogers Coach Isn’t Seeing Trophies Yet
Rogers boys basketball coach Rick Mergenthaler is taking the Pirates’ 3-1 preseason record with a grain of salt.
Particularly in light of Tuesday’s 58-35 Greater Spokane League opening loss to Central Valley.
“The preseason record doesn’t mean much,” he said. “But it’s a place to start.”
Featuring a roster with seven sophomores, the Pirates opened eyes with a 61-53 victory over Eisenhower of Yakima and last weekend beat perennial Frontier League power West Valley 59-49.
Mergenthaler was even encouraged by the way his young team hung tough in the second half during a 70-49 loss to Davis.
“We played hard in the game most of the way,” he said.
Seniors, who understand their roles, and sophomores have been keys to Rogers’ early success, said Mergenthaler. Even those on the bench have provided an infectious enthusiasm.
“The sophomores have been doing a job,” he said. “It’s not always pretty, but they know if they play hard we have a chance to win.”
Tuesday’s loss was a product of youthful jitters.
Key individuals have been returning senior scoring leader De’Andrey Mosby and sophomore point guard Brett Oglesbee.
“If you watch Brett play, there’s no question he has the ability to score,” said Mergenthaler. “But if he helps the team play better, he’s done his job.”
As a freshman, Oglesbee once scored 38 points in a game. Now he’s being asked to distribute the ball and so far has been successful.
Mosby is averaging 21 points per game, but it is his overall improvement that has helped spark the Pirates.
Last year Rogers was 1-19.
“We did a lot of good things and were always competitive,” said Mergenthaler. “As far as the win-loss record, it was a difficult season.”
This year, the Pirates already have three times as many wins.
He wasn’t kidding
Before the season began, Mead wrestling coach Cash Stone said that 275-pound weight class participant Arthur Avalon, was “tremendously improved.”
The Panthers already had a returning regional veteran there in Joe Collier.
“He’s a handful,” said Stone.
He wasn’t kidding. Last weekend in the Inland Empire Wrestling Tournament at Central Valley, the two athletes helped the Panthers to a team championship, 139-129 over CV, last year’s state runner-up.
Both made the finals where the Avalon pinned Collier in 26 seconds.
Mark Denholm at 101, Jon Rugan at 115 pounds and Lyle Beerbohm at 141 also won titles for Mead.
Four other Panthers placed among the meet’s top six.
North Central’s David Sandberg was 190-pound champion, Brian Thatcher at 168 and Brian Burrow at 215 finished second. Also second was Rogers 108 pounder Ben Houk.
Three other Pirates and an Indian finished in the top six.
And a freshman shall lead them
North Central gymnastics, thanks to a favorable early schedule, is off to a 4-2 start.
Having freshman Heidi McCullough on board hasn’t hurt.
McCullough, a state placer in Level 6 club gymnastics, was a top three all-around finisher in NC’s first two meets. She won and took second in her specialty, the uneven bars.
, DataTimes