Spokane Native Honored By Judo Association

Spokane native Amy Ehlenfeldt, who now lives in Oklahoma City, was named by the Oklahoma Judo Association that state’s senior female athlete of the decade (1986-95) in judo.

Ehlenfeldt, a 1988 graduate of Lewis and Clark High School, finished third in the U.S. Olympic Trials at 134 pounds in January and is second alternate to the Atlanta Games.

But the eight-time Oklahoma state champion, who has won honors in three different weights since 1989, and twice won NCAA titles, says she’s now semiretired.

“I’ve had to put a lot of things on hold, like school,” said Ehlenfeldt, 25, who has been involved in judo since she was 13.

A chemistry major at the University of Oklahoma, who will graduate in December, she also had two third-place finishes in NCAA championships and one runner-up finish and four thirds in national championship tournaments.

Although she says “I’m old for judo,” don’t expect to see her in a rocking chair anytime soon. If back and knee problems that have plagued her recently clear up, she’s thinking seriously about trying out for the U.S. women’s freestyle wrestling team.

Basketball

One hundred youth teams will converge on Spokane this month in the first stage of qualifying for AAU national tournaments.

More than 40 teams in age ranges from U-10 through U-18 are expected for the Darryl Bean Memorial Girls National Qualifying Tournament March 15-17. More than 50 U-10 through U-19 boys teams expected for the Spokane Regional AAU qualifier March 22-24.

Games will be at nine sites in the Valley.

The U-16 and U-18 girls will be vying for spots in national tournaments that will be held in Spokane in July. As host city, Spokane has one automatic entry in both divisions, with a chance to qualify a second.

The Spokane Stars, with 16 girls teams, including two each in the U-16 and U-18 divisions, will have the largest entry.

Spokane is one of three cities in the Inland Empire holding national-qualifying tournaments. Others are in Yakima and Moscow.

Bowling

Blane Silvey has the hot hand in town. He rolled his third 300 game in the last two seasons, and second within six weeks, a week ago in the Lucky Sunday Couples league at North Bowl.

Silvey’s perfect game capped a 789 series. His other games were 234 and 255.

Kathy Thomas and Renee Johnson earned spots into the state Team USA qualifier by finishing 1-2 in A all-events in the 56th Spokane Women’s Bowling Association tournament last weekend.

Thomas had an 1,896 and Johnson a 1,789. The top two at state qualify for the Team USA nationals Spokane’s Julie Twiss has already qualified - with the ultimate prize a spot on Team USA.

Other women’s city tournament division winners: A team-Dilligaf, 3,247; B team- Roustabouts, 3,458. A doubles-Linda Knoll and Sandy McQueen, 1,373; B doubles- Cheryll Dodd and Karen Hay, 1,463. A singles-Kim Knutson, 769; B singles-Kari Kannady, 785. B all-events-Pensri Falconer, 1,646. Grand Duchess-Marjorie Janes, 539. High series-Knutson, 691. High game-Vickie DeLozier, 279.

Dan Gorman picked up three first-place trophies in the 1996 Spokane Bowling Association men’s tournament last month.

Gorman won the A all-events scratch and handicap titles with a 2,130 and was a member of the winning three-man scratch team, the only repeaters from 1995.

Other men’s city tournament division winners: Five-man team-Unbelievable, 3,325 (handicap); Golf Cars Etc., 3,241 (scratch). Three-man team-CPM No. 1, 2,113 (handicap); Dan Myers, 1,979 (scratch). Doubles-Michael Cable and Terry Friberg, 1,474 (scratch and handicap). Singles-Jerry Vensel, 761 (scratch), 782 (handicap). High game-Jeff Romans, 300.

College scene

Shelly Bartlett of Spokane (University High), a junior gymnast at Nebraska, has the sixth-best all-around NCAA average in the nation this season.

The rankings are based on average after throwing out the high and low scores for the season. Bartlett, who has an all-around score of 38.819, has won three of her six meets this season. She’s ranked seventh nationally in floor exercise and 18th on the balance beam. She’s had high scores of 9.9 on both the bars and floor exercise.

Shawn Barrington of Cheney, a senior left-hander on the University of Arizona baseball team, took a 1-2 record and 5.47 earned-run average into weekend action.

Barrington, whose win was against Washington State, had 10 strikeouts and just four walks in 24-2/3 innings over five games, four of them starts.

Zak Ammirato, UCLA’s senior third baseman from Spokane (University), was the Pacific-10 Conference Southern Division baseball player of the week for Feb. 20-27.

Ammirato batted .462 (6 for 13) with a home run, two doubles and five RBIs in leading the Bruins to three wins. He has reached base in 34 of his last 35 games.

Kim Stiles of Spokane (Mead), a freshman midfielder for NCAA women’s runner-up Portland, has been invited to the U.S. Soccer Federation U-20 national team tryouts this week in San Diego.

Stiles, a member of USSF Region IV teams from 1991-94, is one of 24 invited to the national team camp.

Jen Harrell of Spokane (Gonzaga Prep), a sprinter for the Dickinson College women’s track team, has earned AllCentennial Conference honors.

Harrell ran the third leg on the Carlisle, Pa., school’s victorious 1,600 relay team and the 800 team that was second in the conference indoor championships.

Hockey

Spokane brought home the championship trophy from the first Girls Apple Cup Tournament last weekend in Wenatchee with a 3-0-1 record.

The Spokane team, in just its second year, played to a 6-6 tie with Armstrong, British Columbia, in the championship game, but won the title on points.

Pete Leonetti coaches the Spokane team of 11-17-year-olds.

Soccer

The Northeastern Washington Soccer Referees Association will have its high school rules clinic Thursday, 6:30 p.m., in room 110 at Lewis and Clark High School.

Soccer officials who work District 7 and 8 matches and high school coaches who did not attend the fall clinic must attend. Anyone interested in becoming a certified high school official also should attend.

Info: Cathy Perry, 466-4303.

Softball

Spokane Fastpitch finished second in the 17th Bob Rapp Invitational in Hilo, Hawaii, to earn a berth in the North American Fastpitch World Series in August in Hutchinson, Kan.

Steve Allen drove in four runs and pitcher Smoker Marchaud struck out 12 as Spokane beat Waseda, Japan, 5-4 to go to 4-0 and gain the championship game. But Waseda came through the losers’ bracket and beat Spokane twice, 4-3 and 6-2, for the title.

Spokane pitcher-designated hitter Wade Liberty made the all-tournament team.

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