Freeman On Verge Of Nal Title

Freeman High’s boys basketball team is on the verge of something that coach Mike Thacker is reluctant to publicize.

“I never count my chickens before they’re hatched,” said Thacker. “Especially when you have to go on the road to win a league title.”

There. He said it.

The Scotties, with a win tonight in Kettle Falls, will be the Northeast A League champions.

They’ve done it despite disciplinary action that has sidelined five players, two of them starters, for the last four games.

Three were wins, including last weekend’s sweep of NEA opponents Reardan, 57-34, and Colfax, 57-44, that improved Freeman’s record to 4-0 in league and 13-5 overall.

“They’ve served the couple of weeks they need to, now it’s in my hands whether they come back,” said Thacker. “We’ve had some kids do some nice things which only makes the decision tougher.”

Three sophomores, Preston Carrell, Jeremy Roche and Bill DePell came up from junior varsity and helped.

Starter Matt Miller has scored 20 or more points in each of the four games.

“He’s running the team, no ifs, ands or buts,” said Thacker.

D.J. Goldsmith and Ryan Snyder have provided additional scoring punch.

Freeman’s forte while building a two-game NEA lead with two games remaining has been defense.

“I’m kind of a defensive nut,” said Thacker. “We’ve been getting a lot of deflections during a game and causing a lot of havoc.”

As a result the Scotties limited Reardan, a team they beat by just three points earlier, to no baskets in the second quarter of last weekend’s game. Earlier in the year Kettle Falls scored just one basket in the second quarter, with seven seconds remaining.

Kettle Falls is winless in league and 4-13 overall, but Thacker still respects the team that could prevent an outright league title.

“They’re not very big and if they don’t shoot well it hurts them,” he said. “If they shoot well, they can win.”

Spokane Elite sweeps

Spokane Elite Gymnastics won first place team trophies in five levels of the SEG Classic at University High last weekend.

A total of 275 gymnasts from 12 teams in three states competed.

Lindsay Brandle won Level 10 all-around, including a 9.0 score on uneven bars to outscore teammate Gail Larsen.

Level 9 athletes Katie Dinsmore and April Mims were first and third, Dinsmore winning vault and floor exercise as well as all-around.

Amy Brandle won Level 8 with a 35.35 total, winning beam and bars. Elizabeth Kelley took second at 34.9 after winning vault. Five other SEG teammates finished among the top 10 overall.

The winner was Bailey Scholze during Level 7 action. She scored 35.25 and won vault with a 9.5 effort. Amy Snyder won bars and was second in floor exercise. Amy Keppler won floor exercise.

Level 6 team was led by Nouel Cason who won her 7-10 age group and overall. She won bars and floor exercise.

Alyssa Daly won bars and beams to finish second all around for 11 year olds. Kelly Kinzebach won all around and vault, Valorie Darling won bars and floor exercise for 12 year olds.

Level 5 gymnasts Kaylee Boyd, Ashley deCataldo and Adriana Demakas were all around winners in their age groups. Boyd won beam and floor exercise. DeCataldo won floor exercise and Kelsy Pruitt won beam.

Sara Reed won vault, bars, floor exercsie and all around in Level 4. Alexa Smith won vault.

Softball, volleyball registration

Registation is underway for Spokane County Parks and Recreation spring volleyball and summer softball programs.

Volleyball begins March 6 and teams will be accepted through Feb. 23.

Softball registration continues through March 27.

Both are for six week seasons. Information can be obtained at 456-4730.

Clarification

A quote in a Jan. 29 Voice story on East Valley wrestling was incorrectly attributed.

It was Nate Kappen, not Mike Manuel who said, “for me, it’s being part of the big group here. If we quit we’d get hell from the other guys.”

We regret the mistake.

, DataTimes