Frontier League Forced To Mix It Up

The first card has been played as area schools prepare for the major changes - or havoc - reclassification will deliver next year.

East Valley, now a Frontier League AA school that will be 3A under the new plan, indicated it would probably opt to join 4A with the Greater Spokane League schools.

Many area schools attended a meeting last week to break the ice and heard what some of the schools with options are thinking.

Pullman sent word to the gathering the Greyhounds would be staying at the 2A level.

Now everyone knows the Frontier League is history. With Riverside indicating it would probably be 2A when enrollment figures are set, that leaves Clarkston, West Valley, Cheney and Colville as far-flung and lonely Frontier members.

According to Mike Colbrese, Washington Interscholastic Activities Association executive director, it takes three schools to get consideration for playoff allocations.

The remaining FL schools, together or independently, seem to have three choices: a combination 4A-3A league with the GSL schools; a combination 3A-2A league with the larger members of the current Northeast A; or joining forces with North Idaho, which has the most schools of a similar size.

Other schools that could be facing isolation, according to District 7 secretary Russ Brown, are Republic, expected to be 2A with Omak as the nearest competition, and Kettle Falls, which is going to be 1A with no one close.

Shedding light

Newport’s Northeast A League volleyball match at Lakeside (Nine Mile) was postponed last Thursday night after the gymnasium lights went out during the fourth game.

The teams waited 1 hour, but to no avail. Newport led 2-1 at the time. Lights willing, the teams will try again Sept. 28.

The same night Nine Mile lacked light, there was too much light in Pomeroy. The Pirates’ non-league football opener against the Lewiston JV was canceled in the second quarter because of lightning.

Inviting invite

Labeled the oldest meet of its kind in the state, the Highlander Invitational arrives Saturday with 30 top-notch teams at Shadle Park.

Mead’s boys have won the last six Highlanders, but won’t compete with any of their top seven because of a commitment to Monday’s Eugene (Ore.) Invitational.

The Eisenhower girls, who knocked off top-ranked Snohomish at last weekend’s Shoreline Invitational, are back to defend their title. The third-ranked University girls, runner-up last year, are also back.

WV senior Jessica Riehle won the senior girls division last year.

Switchin’ Christians

Former Northwest Christian activities coordinator Steve Altmeyer has been hired at Valley Christian, replacing Dan Ferguson. Esther Collin replaced Altmeyer. Also gone from NWC are boys basketball coach Danny Beard and girls basketball coach Bill Smithpeters.

, DataTimes