Shadow Learn Next Open Cup Opponent

The Spokane Shadow are heading to California.

The team learned it will play the Chico Rooks in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup soccer tournament June 16 at Cal State University Chico. The teams met two years ago, with Chico winning 4-1.

“I haven’t had a chance to look at the roster, so I don’t know their changes since then,” Shadow coach Sean Bushey said. “But I know we’ve improved since then.”

The Shadow earned the chance to play in the national tournament by finishing 4-0 in the U.S. Open Cup qualifying round against USL Premier League Northwest Division opponents. Chico, a higher-division D3 Pro League team, also went 4-0 in the qualifying round. Since then, the Rooks have stumbled, starting the league season 1-3. They’ve lost three of their last five matches.

The winner of the June 16 game will advance to play an A-League squad.

The Shadow, meanwhile, will continue league play by traveling to Yakima on Saturday. Spokane opened its Open Cup qualifying season against the Yakima Reds and won in a shootout 2-1.

The Shadow have home games scheduled against the Seattle Sounders Select, the Cascade Surge and an exhibition against the A-League Seattle Sounders before their U.S. Open Cup game with Chico.

Bushey said forwards Brian Ching and Simeon Enemuo will be on the roster Saturday. Both have been out with injuries. Forward Dave Berto will sit out a red-card suspension and midfielder Tim Seely will be out 1-3 weeks more with a knee injury.

College basketball

North Idaho College’s Becki Huddle, a Lewis & Clark High graduate, has signed a letter of intent to play women’s basketball for Vanguard College, formerly known as Southern California College.

Huddle, who can play point or off guard, was NIC’s second-best scorer at 13 points per game. Vanguard plays in the same conference as Azusa Pacific, which recently signed NIC’s Mandy Lindhe. Jen Clark, who played at NIC as a freshman and Community Colleges of Spokane as a sophomore, also has signed with Azusa Pacific.

College softball

Whitworth College has not renewed the contract of softball coach Gary Blake, athletics director Scott McQuilkin announced Thursday.

“We appreciate the effort that Gary has given while transitioning softball from a club sport to varsity sport,” said McQuilkin. “But we feel that a change is necessary at this time.”

Blake coached Whitworth in its first two seasons of varsity competition, posting a record of 19-55.

McQuilkin said the school will search for a new coach immediately.

Crew

The freshman four from Gonzaga won its heat at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta on Cooper River at Camden, N.J., to advance to Saturday’s final. GU’s winning time was 6:42.8 over 2,000 meters.

The GU varsity four was sixth in its heat.