Knight Runners In A Pack
The Long Green Line is back.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been nicknamed that,” said East Valley cross country coach Dave McCarty.
The term envisions a green-clad seven-runner Knight varsity, in close proximity, streaming across the finish line of a race.
Low score counts in a cross country meet, and the tighter the pack finishes near the front of a race, the better.
Thursday, the Knights placed a bunch behind Riverside race winner Jon Ashcraft, Clarkston’s Paul Abernathy and third-place Bill Warner of Riverside to win an important early-season Frontier League race.
No other Frontier League team appears to have a line like EV’s.
“We’re going to let Ashcraft go,” McCarty had said prior to the race. “I think we can put our seven runners in front of their five.”
He did better than that. Three Knights placed in front of Riverside’s third finisher and three more EV runners immediately followed.
The Long Green Line of Dustin Sletner, Ryan Skinner, Jim Marlow, Bryan McCarty, Ryan Coordes and Nick Hanson placed between fourth and 10th overall in the three team, 21-runner race, separated by just 59 seconds.
“Our top 10 runners are not far apart,” said McCarty. “That’s the best sign I’ve seen that we’re finally over the hump.”
Unbeaten West Valley is the last team that stands between EV and a Frontier League title. They race Thursday in Cheney.
The Eagles have a one-two punch in Clayton Holmes and Sean McLachlan.
The Knights have the Long Green Line.
Go figure
Two days after a lethargic 1-0 loss to East Valley, revitalized West Valley handed Deer Park/Riverside its first Frontier League girls soccer loss, 3-1.
“Obviously it was mental,” said Eagle coach Dirk Linton. “We played absolutely fabulous.”
It followed a three-year pattern of success against the two-time league champions and equal measure of trouble with the Knights.
Against EV, the Eagles would just boot the ball aimlessly upfield, never mounting any semblence of attack.
“Both teams played terribly and I don’t know why,” said Linton. “It was one of our worst games and I don’t think EV’s performance was up to par. We’re supposed to be rivals and it looked like neither team cared whether it won or lost.”
Amanda Harvey’s goal during a flurry in front of the WV net came 26 minutes into the game. Not much else happened after that.
On Thursday the Eagles got great keeper play from Stacey Roberts.
“She made some nice fingertip catches,” said Linton. “With a shorter keeper we might have been in trouble.”
Dawn Salfer played well at forward, scoring on crosses three times in three minutes spanning the end of the first and beginning of the second halves.
“Our fullbacks did good and midfielders played well,” said Linton. “Maybe being embarrassed by that performance on Tuesday helped a bit on Thursday.”
Tidbits
East Valley’s volleyball team is 7-0 after beating West Valley (1-6) Thursday. Tuesday the Knights host Clarkston and the following week play nearest challengers Pullman and Mead.
Volleyball victories by Shadle Park over Central Valley and University put a crimp in CV’s playoff chances. The Titans are still looking for their first win.
The East Valley girls cross country team did the boys team one better. They swept the first five places against previously unbeaten Riverside. Next Thursday the league’s best individuals, WV’s Jessica Riehle and Cheney’s Jeannette Zimmer face the two-time defending state championship EV team.
Medal play at Painted Hills
The weather’s been gorgeous for ladies club golfers whose season continues well into October.
At Painted Hills last week Margaret Bainter in A flight and Arleen Spragg in B both shot low gross 49s.
Merilyn Lloyd had 56 in C flight and Jan Bernhart 56 in D. Included was a birdie on the fourth hole.
Net leaders were Jane Dashiell in A with 38, Clare Herman in B with 34, Sue Chard in C with 36 and Kathy Taylor in D with 29.
Who needs a putter? Judy Watts had chip-ins to hole out on both the seventh and eighth holes.
Libery Lake mixup
Liberty Lake Ladies 18-hole Golf Club played A B C D Mixup last week.
Winners were Jackie Shea in A flight with 91, Dorothy Womach in B with 96, Ella Leinwebber in C with 107 and Ethel Rankin in D with 108.
Net winners were Yvonne Splan in A with 74, Lily Shiosaki in B with 73, Margie Doyle in C with 74 and Barb Hafner in D with 72.
On Tuesday, because of a college tournament scheduled ahead of them, the ladies group won’t tee off until 10:30 a.m.
Valley View three-club tourney
Valley View Ladies Club players were limited to three clubs, a putter and two others of their choice, during last week’s golf outing.
Marjie Haser won the tournament with a low net 30.
Shattuck medals at Hangman
During medal play for the Hangman Valley Ladies Golf Club, Alice Shattuck was medalist with an A flight score of 90.
Other low gross scores were 98 by Marie Nelson in B flight, 107 by Sue Henley in C and 106 by Joyce Moeller in D.
Net winners were Freda Beckman in A flight with 71, Ellen Boudewyns in B with 75, Marge Harden in C with 74 and Helen LeFrancois in D with 81.
, DataTimes