CV Gymnasts Vow To Keep Winning Ways

Now that the Central Valley gymnastics team is on the top of the Greater Spokane League, young gymnasts on the team are determined to keep the success going.

“I just want to get better the next few years and hopefully win again next year,” said 5-foot-3 sophomore Amy Snyder, who placed third in the all-around competition during Friday’s District 8 4A meet at North Central. “It’s been a lot of fun and a really good experience. I just did my best and had fun while I did it.”

And the Bears are looking to have more fun Saturday when they host the Region IV meet with the Big Nine Conference beginning at 1 p.m.

CV sophomore April Mims won the district all-around title and her team scored a season-high 175.15 points for the team championship. University placed fourth to earn the district’s final regional berth.

CV senior Corrine Gannon won the balance beam Friday.

The rest of CV’s team competing in regionals includes Melissa Alderman, Theresa Gorka, Jenny Hodgson, Annie Hussey, Cassie Mandarino, Amy Nickerson, Karlee Poirier, Emily Roberts, Lacey Varney, Alyssa Wentz and Lindsay Zacher.

For U-Hi, Alisa Brandle is coming off a fifth-place showing in the district all-around competition.

Her Titans teammates joining her at regionals are Meagan Pierce, Kelly Roberts, Maggie Herda, Dani Plante, Ginger Woods, Dana Lukes, Melanie Sauer, Nicole Ton, Megan Sherwin, Marci Hulbert, Jenna Davis, Courtney Spurgeon, Ashley Jones, Kellie Spurgeon, Wally Laurich, ArReal Adams and Andrea Westerman.

Valley wrestlers dominate GSL

After missing out last year, Bryan Lopes wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip by.

He is among the Valley Greater Spokane League wrestlers exiting en masse to this weekend’s Region IV tournament in Kennewick.

A total of 20 Valley athletes, 10 from league and district champion University, eight from East Valley and two from Central Valley are among the 56 GSL regional participants.

The tournament, Friday and Saturday at Southridge High in Kennewick, qualifies four people per weight to state.

Lopes and teammate Mike Devenere, sixth in 3A regionals last year, have overcome injuries to become two of EV’s five district champions this year.

For Lopes it was a knee injury that kept him in the background last year. Devenere broke a collar bone in the semifinals at regionals.

Top-seeded at 130 pounds last weekend, Devenere didn’t disappoint, breezing to victory.

An early season loss after failure to make weight forced him up, said Devenere, “woke me up. It made me think what I was doing.”

poorly and went to a couple of intensive camps. I told myself this is what I can be.”

Teammates John Sommer, 112, Isaiah Hankel, 152 and Dave Musser, 145 won titles as expected and Josh Birt was second.

Placing third were sophomores Josh Moody, 215, and Courtney Howard, 275.

University sent seven of its 10 qualifiers to the finals and could have had more while piling up 258 points.

Fourth-placer Ben Osborn, 160 pounds, was a defending district champion.

Ryan Montang was an upset winner at 103 pounds, beating top seeded Jeff Zappone from Gonzaga Prep, who had lost just once this year.

“It was the best match I’ve wrestled,” said sophomore Montang of his 5-3 win. “I’d wanted to beat him for a long time and went in knowing I could.”

Todd Slatter, 119, and Tom Owen, 125, were other Titan champions. Magellan Laurich, 135, surprising Andrew Smith, 140, Ryan Brewer, 152 and Josh Buege, 275, all placed second.

“I really focused on my second match,” said Smith, who was 3-6 in league, breaking even against 140 pounders. “That built up my confidence and showed me I could actually beat all these wrestlers.”

His win came at the expense of CV’s Kyle Bush who had beaten him the week before.

Other Titan regional qualifiers are Tom Tran, third at 103, and Dave Courchaine, third at 160. CV’s Josh Heuett was beaten by Slatter in the finals and John Daschbach placed third at 130.

Eagles get expected qualifiers

West Valley juniors Adam Aldendorf and Anthony Hernandez, the best Eagle regional wrestling bets, have advanced to this weekend’s tourney in Ellensburg.

Aldendorf pinned his way to the finals at 215 pounds before losing to last year’s third-place state finisher, Kelty Lillquist of Ellensburg, 6-0.

Hernandez lost in overtime to eventual champion Baudelio Campos but bounced back for third with an overtime decision.

Scotties send their pack

Freeman has advanced 10 wrestlers to this weekend’s regional tournament in Moses Lake.

Josh Newton defended his district title at 103 pounds and Matt Reeves won at 140. Also making the finals was Chris Fulkerson at 135 pounds.

Brandon Marchand finished third at 275. Les Wilson, 112 and Tyson Marchand were fourth.

Other Scotties top-seven regional qualifiers are Mark Hildescheim, 119, Brock Reidt, 135, Nathan Parker, 152, and Travis Duncan, 160.

Liberty has eight qualifiers including 119-pound champion James Miller and 125-pound runner-up Jay Zielke. Nate Leitz was fourth at 171.

Others are A.J. Anderson, 112, Meric Powell, 130, Ryan Crockett, 160, Ryan Lind, 189, and Charlie Reichert, 215.