Bears Point At Defending Title
Central Valley gymnastics coach Kim Brunelle admits that shocked is the right word for what her team did to University last year in the District 8 4A meet.
CV edged the favored Titans 162.15 to 161.65 for its first district title in more than a decade. The Bears were the first Greater Spokane League team to beat U-Hi in any gymnastics competition since 1993.
Yet, if fourth-ranked CV repeats its title at Friday’s 5:45 p.m. district meet at North Central, it won’t be as much of a shock. But the Bears will have to get by league champion and third-ranked Ferris.
The Saxons and Bears met three times in league, with Ferris winning twice.
But Ferris could be a little down, said coach Bill Christianson.
“We are very beat up,” he said, not naming any specific injuries but saying it’s affected most of his team. “We are very happy to have this be districts and not regionals.”
All nine GSL gymnastics teams will compete and each team can enter six athletes per event. The top four teams, top three individuals in the all-around competition and the next seven individuals who didn’t qualify with their team will advance to next Saturday’s regional meet with the Big Nine Conference at University.
“It’s big in the fact that we need to continue our momentum,” Brunelle said of district. “We’re right on schedule for peaking in two weeks and having ultimate performances at state.”
Shadle’s Etter wins award
Michelle Etter of Shadle Park has been selected as the Gatorade Circle of Champions Washington high school volleyball player of the year.
The award program, in its 14th year, is administered by Scholastic Coach magazine. It honors prep athletes in 10 sports for athletic and academic excellence.
Etter led the Highlanders to third place at last November’s State 4A Tournament. Committed to play at Eastern Washington University, she has a 3.5 grade-point average.
Tigers’ tale
Odessa’s drive toward the Bi-County League boys basketball title was slowed slightly by an injury to 6-foot-6 junior post Michael Jeske.
Jeske (11 points per game) suffered a leg injury against Sprague-Harrington four weeks ago. He returned to the Tigers’ lineup last weekend and scored three points in a loss to Almira/Coulee-Hartline.
Odessa (12-3 league) is at home Friday night against first-place Valley Christian (13-1). Both teams have lost to third-place ACH (10-4).
Colton ends drought
The Colton boys’ 53-49 victory over Garfield-Palouse last Saturday was their first against the Vikings since Jan. 20, 1984.
Whitman County League stats guru David Maley said Gar-Pal had defeated the Wildcats in 28 consecutive regular-season games. The teams hadn’t met in postseason during that stretch.
Maley said Tekoa-Oakesdale’s girls have defeated Rosalia in 30 consecutive meetings, regular season and postseason.
Tri to imagine
Many of the most successful basketball teams in District 1-2-3 are aiming to qualify for what may be their final Class B tournaments.
Boys and girls teams from La Conner, Darrington, Summit, Orcas Island, Cascade Christian and Chief Leschi are set to join 1A leagues next year. All report enrollments in grades 10-12 at higher than 150.
Chief Leschi’s boys advanced out of the Tri-District last season and won the state title.
COACHING NEWS Welch plans to be back Lewis and Clark volleyball coach Buzzie Welch said he plans to return to coach the Tigers for a 10th season. That’s if he can work after retirement. Welch, 52, is a technology facilitator at LC and said he believes the school could use help as it makes the transition to temporary quarters in the Holley Mason building in the fall. Welch directed the Tigers to State AAA titles in 1992 and 1994. The decision on retirement has been giving him fits. He plans to write a book on his family’s history. That will take him to the Ukraine, South America, Scotland and Germany. His goal is to begin traveling in February 2000. “What makes it tougher is that any way you leave, it’s not going to be happy,” Welch said. “It’s going to be sad. I’ve come to the conclusion that I can’t change that.” He hasn’t ruled out the 2000 season but says “it will depend how I feel.”