Ferris Standout Will Play Volleyball In Alaska

Janelle Morrisette, a two-time All-Greater Spokane League setter from Ferris High School, has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

“Janelle is a strong setter,” said Seawolves coach Kerry Major. “(And) she has strong blocking skills …”

The 5-foot-9 Morrisette was an All-GSL choice as a junior and senior and an all-state selection her senior year when the Saxons went 41-1 and won the State 4A championship. In her two seasons as a starter the Saxons were 84-4. Morrisette had more than 2,000 assists and 68 aces.

Shannon O’Connor, a 6-foot middle blocker from West Valley High School in Yakima, has signed a national letter of intent to play at Gonzaga University, Bulldogs coach Eva Windlin-Jansen announced.

O’Connor earned first team All-Mid-Valley League honors as a senior - her third year as a starter. During her career, the Rams made two state tournament appearances, placing fifth her sophomore year and eighth her junior year. Her senior year, O’Connor had 302 kills, 97 digs and a .365 hitting percentage.

O’Connor is a three-sport athlete - she also went to state in basketball and track and field - and a member of the National Honor Society with a 3.99 grade-point average.

Kelly Weiss, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Mesa, Ariz., signed a letter of intent to play at University of Idaho.

Weiss started two years at Westwood High School, earning first-team 5A all-state honors her senior season as she led her team to a 34-4 record and a runnerup finish in the state tournament for a second successive year. After her senior year, the Arizona Republic chose her as one of its top 12 prep players in the state.

Weiss, selected to the East Valley Region first team for the second straight year, averaged 3.09 kills, 2.76 digs and .70 blocks per game last season while hitting at a .282 clip. In her last two years, she helped Westwood to a 40-match win streak and national ranking by USA Today and Student Sports Magazine.

Robin Woodall of Ritzville, a 5-8 outside hitter, has transferred to the University of Massachusetts after two years at Boise State.

She was named newcomer of the year in the Big Sky Conference after her freshman season. As a sophomore, she averaged 3.7 kills and hit .206 percent.

“We like the experience she brings to the team,” said UMass coach Bonnie Kenny. “She has good athletic ability,” and will add depth at outside hitter.

Baseball

Jim Lefebvre, a former Spokane Indians player and Seattle Mariners manager, will be in town Feb. 23 to introduce his Performance Baseball program in the Gonzaga Prep gymnasium at 7 p.m.

Performance Baseball is advertised as one week of intense training, similar to that undertaken by major leaguers, designed for the serious younger player age 10-18.

Learn how youngsters can apply to participate in the training. Also, those interested in being a part of the local coaching staff can talk with Lefebvre.

Info: (509) 326-3417.

West Central Community Center (1603 N. Belt) has two youth clinics coming up, stressing fundamentals.

The Feb. 28 session will be for ages 7-9, the other March 21 for ages 10-12. Both will run from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The fee is $7, space is limited.

Info: Rick Harris, (509) 326-9540.

Colville High School will be the setting for the 1998 Northeast Washington Winter Baseball Camp/Clinic for youngsters in grades 1-6 and coaches of all levels.

Cost is $10 for players, $15 for coaches before Friday. It’s $15 and $20 at the door. Registration begins at 8 a.m. The camp, limited to 25, runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Info: Randy Russell, Colville High School, 154 Highway 20 East, Colville, Wash., 99114.

College scene

Tim Heeter of Spokane (Mead High School), a junior midfielder at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Central Region second scholar-athlete team. He has a 3.41 grade-point average.

Eastern Washington defensive end/tight end Steve Mattson is one of 10 NCAA Division I-AA football players named as finalists for National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics postgraduate scholarships.

Mattson, who has a 3.67 grade-point average, was a four-time Big Sky Conference scholar-athlete and a second-team Academic All-American. Thirty-five finalists are in the running for 10 $5,000 scholarships. Winners will receive their awards during NACDA’s 33rd convention June 14-17 in Marco Island, Fla.

Zach Ham of Spokane (Shadle Park), a sophomore forward on the Bowling Green hockey team, collected his first game-winning goal of the season in a 4-3 victory over Lake Superior on Jan. 31.

He has six goals and five assists for the 5-21-2 Falcons.

Figure skating

The 14th annual Skate at the Park figure skating competition will be at the Ice Palace in Riverfront Park on March 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Skaters from British Columbia, Montana and Washington will join those from Spokane in the competition for beginners through novice levels. Admission is free.

The event, sanctioned by the United States Figure Skating Association, is sponsored by the Spokane and Lilac City figure skating clubs.

Info: (509) 326-0922.

Football

James Franklin, who spent last season at James Madison University, will join the Washington State staff as a graduate assistant coach.

WSU coach Mike Price said Franklin will coach tight ends and coordinate the offensive scout team during practice.

Franklin, a four-year letterman quarterback at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University before graduating in 1994, also has had coaching stints at his alma mater, with the Roskilde Kings in the European League and Kutztown (Pa.) University.

He replaces Aaron Price on the WSU staff. The younger Price left to become quarterbacks coach at Missouri Western.

Running

Bill Misner of Spokane has been listed in Who’s Who in Running on Running the Planet’s website.

The list includes the likes of former Olympians Billy Mills and Lorraine Moller.

“I am flattered well beyond my worth,” said Misner. “The Lord has been very good to me.”

Misner’s accomplishments include turning in the most miles run by a male in the Internet’s Million Mile Ultra Race in 1997. During a span of nine years and 52 days from 1988-97 he logged 24,902.5 miles, which the listing says is equal to the distance around the earth.

Softball

The Angels girls 18U fastpitch team is looking for experienced players for the 1998 season.

Info: Roger Williams, (509) 926-7857.

The Quad Park complex at Post Falls will have a general meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Cavanaugh’s Templin’s Resort in Post Falls.

Tournament schedules are available for the 1998 Players Choice series, a statewide program for both adult slowpitch and youth fastpitch.

Info: (360) 794-0655.

Miscellany

The first Inland Northwest Golf and Sport Show will take place Friday-Sunday at the Spokane Convention Center.

Sponsored by ShoWorks Inc. and Vision Marketing, the show will focus on golf, team sports and lifestyle sports, highlighting accessories, equipment and clothing.

Show hours are 4-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $5, with children 12 and under free.

Info: (509) 838-8755.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo