Injuries Wrack Outstanding CV Wrestling Squad

Rated the No. 1 wrestling team in Washington state, Central Valley High is just thankful to be part of a three-way tie for the Greater Spokane League championship.

Injuries have hurt the team, costing the Bears as many as 50 state tournament points, said coach Dale Ethridge.

Earlier this year state placer Tyree Clowe underwent shoulder surgery and was lost for the season. Then, Loren Kitner moved away.

Last weekend 275-pounder Will Beck injured his back and regional veteran Brad Smith hurt his shoulder. Both are done for the year.

State placer John Reese is nursing an injured collar bone, but is expected to wrestle at districts next weekend.

“It’s crazy,” said Ethridge. “When you look at the injuries and lost tournament our wrestlers have their lowest match totals in years.”

Thursday night the Bears completed a 7-1 season to tie University and Gonzaga Prep for the GSL title. It was CV’s second league championship. The first was an outright title in 1986.

University, which won the title outright in 1995 and shared it in 1996, earned a piece of its third straight crown and fourth overall.

The Titans lost to Gonzaga but beat CV after the Bears beat the Bullpups this year.

“To share the title is an accomplishment considering the way our lineup was hamstrung,” said Ethridge.

And considering the kind of competition there was within the league this season.

Titan gymnasts perfect

University High’s gymnastics performers won their fourth straight GSL championship Thursday night, beating runnerup Ferris 170.9 to 165.05.

The Titans were unbeaten for the third straight year and ran their winning string to 25 quad-duals in a row, 75 straight individual matches.

Central Valley rolled up 166.2 points to finish third.

Next week the teams compete in district with top four, plus individuals, going to regionals.

Lilac City boys gymnasts win

Lilac City Gymnastics boys team won the neighboring Northwest Gymnastics Invitational last weekend. The USA Gymnastics-sanctioned five-team meet included clubs from Idaho and Montana.

Kevin Olson won the class 4 12-over all-around title.

Class 5 gymnasts David Baum and Isaac Olson were first in their age groups.

Class 6 gymnasts Andrew Smith and Justin Parks were second in their age divisions and Yuliy Vagin was fourth.

Runnerup NWGA got a first all-around from Class 2 gymnast Aaron Sheck, who won parallel bars and high bars and was second on horse, vault, floor and rings. Dillon Reeve won pommel horse.

In Class 4, Stuart Renz won age 10-11 all-around. Nick Antich was second in 12-over at 41.8, Steven Dunn, Brian Veltegui was fourth and Matthew Croskrey fifth.

In Class 6 age 10-11, Paul Hannibal won high bar, vault, floor, parallel bars and rings for first overall at 50.4. Lane Morgan won all-around for age 7-9, at 46.7.

Valley trio shares gym wins

The Valley’s three gymnastics clubs, Spokane Elite, Northwest Gymnastics Academy and Lilac City all won portions of a girls meet hosted by SEG.

The host team won levels 6 and 9-10. NWGA won level 8 optionals and Lilac City won level 5 compulsories with SEG finishing second in both.

Results for SEG included Level 10, where Meloney Monaghan won all-around, including beam and bars. The class is one level below Olympic competition.

Karley Poirier tied for first in level 9, age 14-0. Poirier won bars and was second to Emily Roberts on floor exercise. Roberts was second on vault.

In age 8-13, Keegan Fitzgerald, April Mims and Alisa Brandle went one-two-three overall.

Level 8’s Melissa Alderman won beam in the 14-over category. Katie Dinsmore won all-around in 12-13. Casey Dobyns won 8-11 age group, including firsts in floor exercise and beam. Amy Keppler, Amy Snyder and Teresa Gorka placed first through third all-around in level 6 13 and older. Among them they won all four individual events.

Mandy DeFazio won floor exercise, Nicole Sornsin won beam, Rachel Matthews and Jenna Morales tied for first on vault in the 11-12 age group.

Courtney Spear won all-around competition over Kristin Williams in ages 7-10. Spear won beam and vault, Williams won floor exercise.

Level 5 winners were Kelly Norris all-around in 12 and older, Kati Bezdicek all-around in 11s, Nouel Cason all-around in 9s.

Amanda Hollenbeck won level 4 11 year old all-around competition.

, DataTimes