Ferris Facing Challenge After Losing To Gsl Champion G-Prep
The Ferris boys basketball team had to move on quickly after Tuesday night’s 56-52 Greater Spokane League loss to Gonzaga Prep at Spokane Falls Community College.
The sixth-ranked Saxons (16-3) play Shadle Park (16-3) at 7:15 p.m. today in another important league game that will determine the league’s second-place team. It’s the final league game of the season, and the district tournament begins Tuesday. No. 4-ranked Prep (18-1) clinched the league title and swept Ferris this season. Shadle defeated Prep last week.
“They played really well and hit some big shots at the end,” Ferris senior Jake Pounds said of the Bullpups. “We know we can hang with them.
“We came back in the second half. If we play better in the first half, we can beat them.”
Pounds said he was going to try to get his teammates back on track during Wednesday’s practice.
“The problem is we’ll be down,” Pounds said. “But we’ve got to get ready for another big game Thursday.”
Competition tougher for 3A wrestlers
Frontier League wrestlers thought they were granted a favor when three districts, including District 7, agreed to a state-qualifying tournament.
But it wasn’t a favor for everyone.
The tri-district featured 19 returning state placers, 13 from the west side of the state. A returning state champion from Lakes High near Tacoma was eliminated in two straight matches.
“It was definitely a lot tougher competition than in years past,” said Cheney coach Aaron Mason.
“My 130-pounder is a tough kid and finished fifth. Anywhere else and he’d have qualified for state.”
The loss of Ryan Gray was disappointing, but Cheney did qualify five wrestlers. The Frontier as a whole qualified 13, and the eastern regional advanced 30 in all to the State 3A Tournament.
Included for the Blackhawks were 275-pound champion Blake Falor, 145-pound winner David Courchaine, second-placer Steve Rasmussen at 140, third-place sophomore and 103-pounder Paul Kimball, and fourth-place senior and 215-pounder Joe Wulczynski.
“Overall I was satisfied,” Mason said. “We get five, and my two big guns win.”
The experience will make the athletes even more ready when they take on the rest of the state this weekend at Mat Classic XII.
“I tell the kids everyone’s zero-zero at a tournament,” said Mason.
“No one cares what the record is. It’s a brand new day.”
Ferris is tourney tough
A year ago, Ferris finished fifth at the State 4A wrestling tournament.
With a four-wrestler Mat Classic contingent, the Saxons have the wherewithal to chase that spot again.
Returners include Aaron Sedler, fourth in state last year at 215 pounds; Doug Baker, second at 101 and now wrestling at 112; Daryl Gardner, eighth in state at 135 and now wrestling at 140; and Blake Yonago, a state veteran at 108 last year now wrestling at 119.
Both Sedler and Gardner easily won their weight classes during regional wrestling last weekend.
Baker, now in a weight class with two other former state finalists, was third. And Yonago survived a weight class filled with state veterans to place fourth.
Four Bullpups advance
Gonzaga Prep advanced four, including 189-pound champion Travis Pascoe, third-place Greg Healy, 135, and fourth-placers Brett Roberts, 125, and Danny Pearson, 152.
Medical Lake sends six
Medical Lake rose to the occasion during District 7 2A state wrestling qualifying.
The Cardinals finished second as a team in the meet to advance six wrestlers to state, four of them as champions.
“Our young kids were a nice surprise,” said coach Sam Petersen. “We upset two number ones.”
In a dramatic 189-pound final, second-seeded Andy Denson broke a 7-7 tie against Riverside’s Spencer Murphy with a front cradle and pin with four seconds remaining.
Another second seed, Aaron Gomez at 125 pounds, worked over state-placer Seth Weatherman of Chewelah 16-8 for his title.
Also winning was league and tournament most valuable wrestler Jonny Varona at 215 pounds. Josh Cruger repeated at 152 pounds, hanging on for a 6-4 win after building a 6-0 lead.
Taking second were Aaron Nelson at 171 pounds, and Dustin Haynes, following a wrestleback match victory at 160.
Liberty sends three
Three Liberty wrestlers will compete in the 1A/B portion of Mat Classic in the Tacoma Dome.
They include sophomore James Miller, first at 119 pounds; sophomore Jay Zielke, 125; and senior Meric Powell, 130.
The feeling is back
The Ferris gymnastics team knew it had the ability to qualify for the State 4A meet again this season. The Saxons placed second in state last year.
But Ferris has battled injury and sickness in recent weeks, and practices hadn’t been going well, said sophomore Alix Herr.
The Saxons used a stellar effort on the floor exercise in the final round of Saturday’s Region IV 4A meet at Central Valley to earn the second team berth to state, which is Friday and Saturday in the Tacoma Dome. They were in fourth after two rotations. The Ferris gymnasts huddled together with their arms entwined as they waited to hear the team results.
They screamed when they realized they were going back to state.
“We’re so geared up and really excited,” said Herr, who scored a 9.15 on the floor along with teammate Jennifer Miller to tie for second place. “The whole feeling of last year is coming back.”
Freshman Heather Malott placed sixth in the all-around competition with a 34.35. She was fourth on the uneven bars and tied for fifth on floor.
Lewis and Clark advanced three gymnasts to state: freshman Valorie Darling on the bars, sophomore Liz Ransford on the balance beam and vault, and freshman Kolbie Pearsall on floor and vault.