Clowe Could Repeat Standout CV Running Back Among Candidates For Junior Swabs Awards

Last year’s male athlete of the year Tyree Clowe is among 20 finalists for the Inland Empire Sportswriters and Broadcasters’ junior awards for 1998.

Clowe, the Greater Spokane League’s all-time leading football rusher from Central Valley, is one of 10 finalists for junior male athlete of the year announced by SWABs president Mike Vlahovich of The Spokesman-Review.

There are also 10 female athlete finalists, 10 teams and five coaches.

All will be honored Feb. 10 at the Greater Spokane Sports Association’s Youth Awards Luncheon in the Spokane Ag-Trade Center.

There is no public sale of luncheon tickets. Local businesses underwrite the luncheon, allowing area high school students to attend at reduced cost.

The luncheon precedes the GSSA’s 51st Sports Awards Banquet that evening in the Ag-Trade Center. The SWABs will announce their team, coach and athletes of the year awards.

The junior finalists:

Junior male athlete

Tom Becker, Mt. Spokane HS - Distance runner won State 4A 1,600 in 4:18.22 and was second in 3,200 in 9:11.43 last spring. He finished third in State 4A cross country meet last fall.

Tyree Clowe, Central Valley HS - All-state running back became the GSL’s all-time football rushing and scoring leader with 3,937 yards and 342 points. This year, he had a record 2,315 yards, including a single-game record 355 yards, and scored a record 180 points.

Brent Cummings, Pullman HS - Great Northern League most valuable player averaged 21.5 points and 10 rebounds per game for State 2A basketball tournament-qualifying Greyhounds. The 6-foot-7 athlete was named an all-state.

Casey Hoorelbeke, Coeur d’Alene HS - The 6-6 all-state selection was part of a 1-2 punch that helped the Vikings win the State A-1 basketball championship. He averaged 15.6 points and eight rebounds per game and had blocked 49 shots.

Ian Johnson, University HS - A senior transfer from Monroe, he won the State 4A cross country title with the second-fastest time for all classifications, to help the Titans win their second consecutive state team title.

Mahlon Kerwick, University HS - The senior boxer was a bronze medalist at the United States National Amateur tournament, ranking him third in the nation at 132 pounds in the senior-open category. He earned a berth on the U.S. National Select touring team and finished second at the Tammer Tournament in Finland. He also boxed in the USA vs. Hungary match in Connecticut and USA vs. England match in London.

Jared Lawrence, Sandpoint HS - He completed his four-year wrestling career with a fourth consecutive state title. He also won or placed at several national tournaments. His high school record last season was 39-0 and he was 133-0 for his career in high school competition.

Al Mack, Post Falls HS - Competing at 103 pounds, he completed a 34-0 season to become first Trojans wrestler to win three consecutive state titles, compiling a 109-23 career record.

David Sandberg, North Central HS - The three-sport athlete compiled a 32-2 record to win the 190-pound State 4A wrestling title and in the spring threw the shot put nearly 57 feet to finish second in State 4A track and field meet.

Eric Sandberg, Ferris HS - MVP baseball star in the GSL, he set a record with 11 home runs while batting .523. He also compiled a 7-1 pitching record with a 1.10 earned run average and averaged 10 strikeouts per seven innings.

Junior female athlete

Cheryl Andrizzi, University HS - Pitcher for fifth-place State 4A softball team compiled a 26-3 record and 1.05 ERA. She had two successive 18-0 seasons against GSL opposition, including playoffs, and was unbeaten in 35 straight league outings. She batted .352.

Molly Carlson, Selkirk HS - Multisport athlete averaged 15.8 ppg in basketball and set meet record of 43-2-1/2 while winning the State B shot put in track and field. It was the third-best mark among all classifications.

Crystal Evans, Colville HS - Distance runner won two events at the State 2A track meet to help Indians win state title. She ran the 1,600 in 5:09.0 and 3,200 in 11:30.76.

Melanie Frostad, East Valley HS - With the fastest time in any classification at the state meet, the sophomore won her second cross country state championship last fall in 3A division. Her 18:10 time was 18 seconds faster than her nearest competitor.

Lindsay Herbert, Lake City HS - For the second consecutive year, she was named Idaho Player of the Year in basketball after averaging 15 ppg for fourth-place State A-1 team. She also was Border League MVP.

Brianne Jolley, Lakeside HS (Nine Mile Falls) - State 2A basketball tournament MVP averaged nearly 20 ppg for second consecutive year as Eagles went 25-1 to win state championship. She played on four consecutive state-placing teams.

Rikki Jackson, Central Valley HS Three-year starting point guard was a co-MVP in GSL. She averaged 15.1 ppg for state-qualifying Bears.

Shannon Russel, Ritzville HS - Broncos standout was MVP of unbeaten State B basketball champions, averaging 13.8 ppg during regular season.

Carey Sauer, Newport HS - Great Northern League volleyball MVP for State 2A third-place team and led Grizzlies basketball scoring with a league-high 23.3 ppg.

Laura Widman, Colfax HS - Three-sport star won the State 1A high jump title at 5-4 and long jump at 18-2-1/2. She also placed in the 100 meters and shot put. She was the Northeast A League’s second-leading basketball scorer at 14.5 ppg. In the summer, she won the State Heptathlon competition with 4,659 points, the sixth-best in history.

Junior male team

Central Valley HS wrestling - Bears won the GSL and Region IV wrestling championships and capped their season with their first state wrestling title, the fourth in league history.

Coeur d’Alene HS basketball - The Vikings overcame injuries to several players during the season and compiled a 22-4 record to win the Border League championship, then won the Idaho A-1 regionals and State A-1 tournament.

Ferris HS soccer - The Saxons became the first GSL team - and first in Eastern Washington - to win the State 4A soccer championship. They finished 18-5 overall after winning 16 of their last 17 matches, including four in the playoffs.

Lakeside HS (Nine Mile) cross country - Despite graduation of last year’s individual champion, Eagles easily won their second consecutive State 2A cross country championship. Core of the team lost one dual match in three years.

University HS cross country - For the second consecutive year, the Titans were dominant in winning the State 4A championship. The team, which ended Mead’s nine-year championship streak in 1997, scored 48 points to runner-up Mead’s 116 in 1998 and kept the GSL’s string of state titles intact at 11.

Junior female team

Colville HS track and field - Indians had four individual state champions and three other placers en route to a three-point victory over Woodland to win State 2A championship.

Ritzville HS basketball - For the second consecutive year, the Broncos were the State B champions, this time going 29-0 while running their record to 55-4 during the two-year title run.

Lakeside HS (Nine Mile) basketball - Following an early loss to Idaho A-1 power Lake City of Coeur d’Alene, the Eagles were flawless. They completed a 25-1 season with their first State 2A championship and fifth consecutive state trophy.

Wilbur-Creston HS volleyball - Wildcats won their third State B title in five years, defeating Naselle in title match.

Garfield-Palouse HS track and field - Team scored 43 points, placing in six events, three by April Nelson and two by Katie Coles, to win State B title.

Junior coach

Bob Barbero, University HS cross country - Long-time Titans coach guided his team to its second consecutive State 4A cross country championship. In the spring, his distance runners had a hand in Titans’ State 4A track title.

Larry Bieber, Coeur d’Alene HS basketball, softball - Coached two teams to state championships in 1998. His injury-plagued Vikings boys basketball team went 22-4 to win the Border League, A-1 regional and state tournaments. In the spring, his girls softball team went 24-9, overcoming an opening-day loss to win six consecutive games at state.

Robin Crain, Ferris HS soccer - Successful coach both at North Central and last year at Ferris, took the latter team to the GSL’s first state championship, winning the 4A title in Vancouver.

Lisa Schultz, Lakeside HS (Nine Mile Falls) basketball - The only coach in the Eagles’ nine-year existence, she directed team to 25-1 record and State 2A title. It was Lakeside’s fifth consecutive trip to state during a span that includes four league titles and a 130-24 record.

Chuck Wyborney, Wilbur-Creston HS volleyball - In his 24th and final year, Wyborney guided the Wildcats to their fourth State B title in their 15th state appearance during his tenure.

TICKETS Banquet tickets priced at $50 are available at the GSSA, 801 W. Riverside, or by phoning 456-5812.