Ferris Coach Finds Extra Challenge In Contest With Rival Lc

Thu., Jan. 6, 2000

By Janie McCauley janiem@spokesman.com

When it comes to the Rubber Chicken game, Art Rojas just wants it over.

Of course, a win is always nice, too.

Last season, the Ferris High girls basketball coach saw his team give up a lead and lose to Lewis and Clark 37-34 in the annual spirit game between the South Hill rivals.

“It’s a game I’d just like to get through,” said Rojas, whose team earned a key 62-51 win over Central Valley on Tuesday. “I want it to happen and be done. … I like everybody’s enthusiasm and excitement, but it’s a very hard game to coach.

“But it’s also a game when the kids get to play in a playoff setting. There’s chaos and lots of noise, and they have to be able to perform.”

Rojas said his team has more experienced players this season, and they won’t forget last year’s result.

Tipoff for the girls game is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. Friday at the Spokane Arena. The LC girls are 3-5 after losing to Gonzaga Prep 52-29 on Tuesday. The boys game follows at 5:30 p.m.

Ferris won the boys game last season, 61-52, and LC took home Chuck the Chicken for winning the spirit competition.

One thing that’s different about the game this season is that the teams have already played. With the Greater Spokane League’s new format that eliminated non-league games, Ferris and LC met in their season openers.

The Ferris boys and girls both won. But LC’s girls won at Ferris in the district playoffs last season.

“It’s always interesting. It’s always fun,” Rojas said. “(LC coach Jim Redmon) is probably one of my best friends around. That makes me want to beat him even more.”

For the Tiger boys (5-3), who lost 68-54 to Gonzaga Prep on Tuesday, a game with Ferris is big whether it’s Rubber Chicken or not, said coach Terry Reed. The Saxons placed second in the State 4A tournament last season.

LC and Ferris both are at difficult points in their schedules. The Saxons (8-0) defeated Central Valley on Tuesday 60-44 and play Prep (8-0) next Tuesday.

“It’s a big moment here,” Reed said. “We go for about two weeks, and it doesn’t really ease up for the top teams playing each other.”

Reed said his team has felt a lot more comfortable in recent weeks.

He doesn’t talk about last year’s loss to Ferris.

“It doesn’t bother them much to be in that environment,” he said of Rubber Chicken. “It’s harder to communicate with them, but they seem to be OK as long as they are comfortable with what they’re doing on the floor.”

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