Simplicity Key For Saxon Gymnasts
The Ferris High gymnastics team takes a simple approach into every meet.
Don’t be fancy.
“We don’t do anything special,” said senior Filicity Frederick. “We do what we do in practice - nice, clean routines.
“We don’t go out and throw stuff that we haven’t thrown in practice.”
Whatever the third-ranked Saxons are doing, it seems to be working.
They defeated fourth-ranked Central Valley 173.70 to 172.575 on Friday in the District 8 4A meet at North Central and will be the Greater Spokane League’s top representative at Saturday’s 1 p.m. regional meet at University.
Coach Bill Christianson was pleased with his team’s practices on Monday and Thursday before the district meet.
The Saxons gymnasts often design their own practices, he said. He likes it that way.
“All I have to do is stand back and clap,” he said, half-joking.
Input from senior Gail Larsen, who won the district all-around competition, has helped Ferris improve its balance beam routines, Christianson said.
Now, Frederick said, Ferris needs to improve on the vault.
Prep boys bounce back
The Gonzaga Prep boys basketball team went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs in 48 hours.
Judging by the way the Bullpups handled it, they could have a lot more highs than lows down the stretch of the Greater Spokane League season.
Last Tuesday, the Bullpups dropped a 55-54 decision to sixth-place Shadle Park, eliminating virtually all hopes of sharing the GSL title.
Two days later, they rebounded to knock off second-ranked and undefeated Central Valley 51-50 at CV.
“It was hard (coming back),” said junior point guard Greg Johnson, who scored the game-winner against CV at the buzzer. “Now it’s all about pride.
“We want to go into the playoffs playing good basketball.”
Prep lost to Ferris twice, and Ferris lost to CV twice.
Due to a quirk in the schedule, the Bullpups play CV twice in nine days. A sweep would have- or at least could have - thrown the standings into a three-way tie.
That was before the Shadle game.
“I guess you could say we were looking ahead,” Johnson said. “Shadle played a great game, and we weren’t ready for that.”
Prep coach Mike Haugen was pleased with the way his team recovered.
“It was huge,” he said of the loss.
The pride drive continues Friday night when Central Valley visits Prep.
Prep built a 16-point halftime lead against CV, leading 30-14. CV cut the gap to 10 entering the fourth quarter, caught Prep at 48, and after an Adam Frankovic free throw with 59 seconds left, took its first lead since 7-6, with eight seconds left.
That set up Johnson’s heroics. He threw the ball inbounds - after both teams had used a timeout - and took a quick return pass. He dribbled up the left sideline, then worked his way toward the basket before kissing a 12-footer off the backboard at the buzzer.
Cheney wrestlers confident
Cheney senior 215-pounder Seth Morris likes how things are coming together for the Blackhawks wrestling team.
Cheney finished third behind East Valley and Moses Lake at Saturday’s 3A subregional meet, which it hosted.
“We really came together as a team,” Morris said. “For the end of the season we’re really pulling together, and I’m feeling good about it.”
He’s also feeling good about his win in the subregional finals over J.J. Honorof of East Valley. Morris lost a 10-4 decision to Honorof in a dual meet this season.
This time it was all Morris - 7-1.
“That was the match I had been looking forward to all season,” he said.
Cheney advanced eight to regionals, which begin Friday and go through Saturday in Ellensburg.
Included in that group are sophomore 135-pounder Dave Courchaine, who finished second at subregionals, and sophomore 115-pounder Mike Traher, third.
The two are excited about the future of Cheney wrestling.
“In two years we should be in the top three or five at state,” Courchaine said. “Maybe even next year.”
4A wrestling
Ferris wrestlers began and ended last weekend’s District 8 4A tournament championship matches the same way - with victories.
Doug Baker rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win the 101-pound championship.
Dan Durham won a thrilling 275-pound final 4-3 with a point in sudden-death overtime.
They were among five Saxon regional qualifiers and one from Lewis and Clark for this weekend’s Region IV event at Central Valley.
Baker took command of his match in the second period by scoring eight points en route to a 13-6 triumph. Durham led 3-2 on a first-period takedown and third-period escape.
But he was docked a stalling point that resulted in overtime.
After a scoreless first extra period, he was awarded the winning point when his opponent locked hands while Durham was attempting to escape.
Saxon 215-pounder Aaron Sedler lost for just the second time this year, also in sudden-death overtime. Blake Yonago, 108, who lost a thriller 10-8 in the semifinals, and Daryl Gardner, 135, placed third.
LC 148-pounder Brian Greene also was third after losing a trying 7-6 semifinal match. There were a couple instances when he could have been awarded points but wasn’t.
Gonzaga Prep won the district tournament for the third straight year, sending eight wrestlers to the finals and advancing a dozen to regionals.
“It feels good,” said 129-pounder Rudy Cavasier, who was one of two individual champions. “It means we have to work harder for regionals.”
Travis Pascoe, 190, was the other winner.
Gonzaga’s second-place finishers were Evan Volk, 115, Brett Roberts, 122, James Diedesch, 141, Sean Malone, 148, Mike Bradley, 168, and Kyle Gleason, 178.
Jeff Zappone, 101, and Greg Healy, 129, were third. Peter Carlin, 108, and Bruce Hart, 158, were fourth.
“When we had Doug O’Coyne (a returning district placer who was injured in practice), I figured we’d get 11,” said Bullpups coach Phil McLean.
“We got 12. We competed well.”
Staff writers Dave Trimmer and Mike Vlahovich contributed to this story.