Unblemished Records On Line As Lakeside, Colfax Girls Meet
Colfax and Lakeside have arrived at 10-0 records through different methods.
Which method produces 11-0 will be determined Friday night in Colfax.
Northeast A League girls have a month remaining in their basketball season, yet Friday’s game should decide who has the best shot at winning the title.
Both teams are 4-0 in league and have been rough on non-league opponents from much larger schools.
What separates the two is their modus operandi.
Colfax boasts six players capable of scoring in double figures, led by senior post Brooke Hansen, junior guard Tracy Tribbett and junior Lindsay Thiele.
Lakeside has its scorers - sophomore forwards Brianne Jolley and Linsey Heebink and senior wing Lora Jolley prominent among them - but it’s the Eagles’ pressure defense that confounds rivals.
“Our hope is that we’ll be able to set the tempo and keep the game out of half-court,” said Lakeside coach Lisa Shultz. “If they’re able to pound it inside, it could be a long night.”
Lakeside beat Colfax two out of three last year but, just like the previous three years, couldn’t win on the road.
Inviting invitational
Because team scoring takes precedence, gymnasts often shy away from novel approaches during Greater Spokane League meets.
That’s why Saturday’s Rogers Invitational proves handy, coming as it does with the GSL season reaching its nadir and postseason approaching.
Under the invitational’s unique format, no team scoring is tabulated and gymnasts are limited to two of the four events. Experimentation, in other words, is encouraged.
“It’s like a jamboree,” said Rogers coach Kathy Harrison. “This is a chance for kids to try out new stunts and new routines.”
Harrison has organized three of the previous seven invitationals at Rogers. She expects most GSL and Big Nine Conference schools to attend, although no list was finalized by the weekend.
Wrestling matchups
GSL wrestling unbeatens square off tonight at 7:30 p.m. when preseason favorite Central Valley travels to Gonzaga Prep.
Gonzaga’s strengths are between 101 through 141 pounds and the Bears are strongest from 148 through 275. A pair of weights down low and again up high hold the key to the outcome.
One of the intriguing matchups is at 108, where Bullpup Chris Montgomery and CV’s John Reese are unbeaten.
The Frontier League wrestling match between East Valley and Cheney, which was won by the Knights 36-34 on a last-match pin, is an indication of what the league can expect this year.
That is about all that separates four teams, including the Knights, Blackhawks, Colville and West Valley, this year.
Tonight, Cheney travels to 2-0 Colville in the next featured clash.
Notable
This week’s Associated Press basketball poll listed Almira/Coulee-Hartline’s boys as No. 1 with an 8-1 record.
From our standpoint, ACH is unbeaten. Its setback, Dec. 30 to a touring Australian team, is considered an exhibition game in our books.
That policy is reflected in our standings for any area team that competed against the Australians.
Mike Roberg, University’s All-GSL tight end, has decided to attend the University of Idaho.
Roberg has a long association with the campus because the Titans attend UI football camps.
“They said they need a tight end who can block and catch balls,” Roberg said. “When I went on my trip … I really liked the campus and coaches so I made the decision early.”
The weeklong signing period begins Feb. 7.
The Ferris-Lewis and Clark Rubber Chicken basketball games, the best of the contrived rivalries, are Friday at the Arena. The girls play at 3:45 p.m. and the boys at 5:30.
The Shadle Park-North Central
Groovy Shoes games and the Central Valley-University Stinky Sneaker games are Feb. 1. The North Side rivalry is at the Arena, the Valley renewal is at CV.
The WV-EV Golden Throne game is Feb. 2 at WV.
, DataTimes