Sohns Stingy As Eagles Improve Fastpitch Stature

A state power when the Frontier League played slowpitch softball, it took West Valley until now to arrive as a fastpitch force.

“This is the fourth time in five years we’ve been there (to state in fastpitch),” said coach Steve Kent. “This is the first time, I think, that we really belonged.”

Last weekend the Eagles shared fifth place in state with Colville, a team they beat three times in league.

Over the course of four games, pitcher and Frontier League Most Valuable Player Darcy Sohns allowed one earned run in 25 innings, pitching two shutouts.

Unfortunately, the junior athlete tore her anterior cruciate ligament in the first inning of a 4-1 loss to two-time defending state champion and eventual third-place finisher Capital on Saturday.

Sohns most likely will undergo surgery and sit out volleyball next fall.

Kent has been coach through West Valley’s entire softball evolution, from the hard knocks of competing in the Greater Spokane League to its triumphant Frontier League debut.

The Eagles finished second in state slowpitch in 1985 and made five subsequent state appearances over the next six seasons, usually as a top-eight placer.

Since switching to fastpitch, the Eagles made early exits from the tournament until winning three of five games last weekend.

Except for uncharacteristic defensive lapses in one inning against Lindbergh, the Eagles could have been in the semifinals, he said.

Lindbergh won the game 7-5 after scoring four runs on mistakes. At that, the Eagles had 10 hits and scored four times in the fifth inning to take a brief lead. Included was Jennifer Robinson’s two-run triple, followed a couple batters later by a triple from Andrea Green.

“Jennifer had taken two called third strikes with runners in scoring position and things were getting a little tense,” said Kent. “She takes the count to one ball, two strikes with runners on first and second and then clears them off.”

Lindbergh, however, scored three late runs for the victory.

West Valley stayed alive with a 2-1 victory over Mount Si, a team which had eliminated the Eagles from state the previous two years.

“It looked like we were going to lose 1-0 and go out again,” said Kent.

But Rachelle Watson delivered a sixth-inning two-run hit to win it.

Another player who had a good offensive tournament after hitting just .125 in league, said Kent, was Kate Waldron. Included was a double and home run on Saturday.

Only three seniors graduate from the 24-4 Eagles, who lost only one league game for the third year.

“The kids did a really good job. You can never replace seniors but we have a real good corps back,” said Kent.

“Our challenge is to get out of league and district. We have two top-six finishers and a total of three teams who can compete nicely at the state level.”

Evergreen, North Pines split track

Evergreen and North Pines boys track teams divided the spoils during last week’s season-ending Vern Fox Junior High All-League meet.

The Class A Grizzlies completed an undefeated season with the Cubs moving past Mountain View to finish second.

North Pines upset the Class B field to win the title. Three teams, Evergreen, East Valley and Mountain View tied for second.

Evergreen’s Cameron Summers won three events,the long jump, high jump and 200 meters. Mountain View’s Chad Hansen won the 1,600 and 800 after setting a meet record during preliminaries in the latter.

In Class B, North Pines’ Jay Edwards won the shot put, 100 and 200 meter races. East Valley’s Jesse Morris won an arduous triple, the 400, 800 and 1,600 meter runs. Mountain View’s Brad Perry was a two-event winner and Evergreen’s Tyson Fitterer tied the high jump record at 5-foot-5.

Mountain View girls break tie

Evergreen’s Class A and Mountain View’s Class B girls track teams won spirited Vern Fox Junior High All-League competition last week.

In Class A, Evergreen slipped past unbeaten regular season leader Horizon 91-88 to end up league champion by a point.

Mountain View broke a regular season tie with Centennial 103 to 94-1/2. Centennial had beaten the Lancers in their dual meet.

Individually, East Valley’s Ashley Likely beat North Pines’ Heather Harding by three inches with a 33-4 shot put, both bettering the old record by more than two feet.

Evergreen’s Melissa Loss in the long jump and hurdles and Mountain View’s Crystal Gerky in the 800 and 1,600 were double winners.

Bowdish’s Karly Overman at 26-5-1/2 in the shot put and Mountain View’s Jesse Armstrong at 4-8-1/4 in the high jump set Class B records.

Centennial’s Monica Hilsabeck and Evergreen’s Amanda Nickerson were two event winners. Each finished second to the other in a third race.

President’s Cup decided

Overall winner was decided in the Liberty Lake Ladies 18-Hole Golf Club President’s Cup.

Betty Blackburn with a three-round low net total of 217 claimed the Cup for 1996.

Other low net winners were Louise Newtson in first flight, Carol Alboucq in second flight, Jean Fulks in third flight and Jane MacKelvie in fourth flight.

Low gross leaders were Billie Etter, Freda Beckman, Lily Shiosaki and Cathy Whitley.

Beckman won putting competition with 93 in three rounds.

Valley View golfers gather

During last week’s medal play at Valley View Golf Course, Tina Marie Reger led the way with an A flight score of 45.

Net winner in the division was Lorraine Martin at 29. Included was a birdie on the eighth hole.

In B flight Pat Thompson shot 54 and Kay Pritzl netted 29. Emma Long shot 61 in C flight and Melba Farrar netted 34.

No-handicap winner was Deanna Hauser with 50.

Two rounds done in handicap event

Golfers cling to leads following two rounds of the Hangman Valley Ladies Club handicap tournament.

Etter has a 36-hole total of 182 in flight one, Alice Hamilton 200 in flight two and Joyce Mohler 239 in flight three.

Respective net leaders are Beckman with 151, Dorothy Womach with 156 and Marge Harden with 171.

, DataTimes