Scott Wins Local Pga Title; Three Share Second

Bob Scott of MeadowWood staved off the challengers and there were a handful to win the Inland Empire Chapter of the PGA golf championship Monday at Chewelah.

Scott, who came out of the morning 18 holes in a tie for third, put together a 3-under-par 69 in the afternoon for a 36-hole total of 4-under 140. Six finished within three strokes of the leader.

Mark Gardner of The Creek at Qualchan and Gary Lindeblad of Indian Canyon, who also shot 69s in the afternoon, and Craig Schuh of Deer Park shared second at 141.

Tied at 142 were 1999 champion Clint Wallman of the Wallman-Lindeblad Golf School, who had shared the morning lead with a 69 before shooting 73 in the afternoon, and consistent Dave Christianson of Indian Canyon, who went 72-70.

Hockey

The Tri-City Americans will be under new management when they open their Western Hockey League season Saturday night in Spokane.

The sale of the club to former Canadian newspaperman Wayne Overland, who owns a chain of trailer parks, is expected to be completed this week.

Overland bought the franchise from Ron Toigo for a reported $2 million (U.S.), although sources say the price may be somewhat lower than that.

With the ownership change comes a change in direction.

Milan Dragicevic is no longer Tri-City coach. He is under contract to Toigo, who will operate a WHL expansion team in Vancouver, British Columbia, next season.

Dragicevic, a former Spokane Chiefs player, will scout for the new Vancouver team, an Americans official said. Dragicevic held the Tri-City coaching job for less than a month.

It was not immediately clear if Dragicevic will coach the new club in Vancouver, which opens play in September 2001.

Al Tuer was hired Friday as Tri-City coach and general manager. Tuer, who worked five seasons as coach and GM of the Moose Jaw Warriors, will run hockey operations.

Former general manager Bob Brown is no longer with the team, although he has a position with the Tri-City Coliseum.

Bob Strumm, GM in Spokane in the mid-to-late 1980s, is said to be interested in buying into the Americans as a minority partner. Overland is said to have consulted with Strumm while purchasing the club.

College volleyball

Eastern Washington’s balance and depth proved too much for Texas Pan American as the Eagles rolled to a three-game rout of the Broncs Monday night in Cheney.

Janelle Ruen had a game-high nine kills and eight digs and Jessie Wright had 23 assists and five service aces to lead the Eagles (3-5) to a 15-0, 15-3, 15-1 triumph over the Broncs (2-8).

Twelve Eagles played, and 10 of them contributed kills.

Motor sports

Joe Kopp of Mica continued a late-season hot streak, winning the PACE Flat Track motorcycle race Saturday night at Emerald Downs in Auburn.

Kopp, who two races ago climbed atop the rival AMA Grand National point standings, finished ahead of Chris Carr and Jay Springstein on the mile oval. Kopp is sixth in PACE points. He won both 10-lap segments of the 20-lap feature. In his last six races, he has two wins, two seconds and a third-place finish.

Kopp has a 15-point lead in the AMA standings and closes out the 2000 season Oct. 14 at DuQuoin, Ill.