Titan volleyball finishes season unbeaten in GSL

University High volleyball player Callie Taylor is a testimony to the power of persistence.

Things didn’t always go the way they were planned for the longtime club volleyball player and middle-school teammate of several of the Titan players. For the previous two years, she had been primarily a role player on junior varsity.

But by sticking with the program and continuing to play club ball in the off-season, Taylor wound up playing an important part in her first varsity season. She became a starting right side hitter for the unbeaten Greater Spokane League champions.

Thursday night she had four kills, three in the deciding game and served four points during the team’s four-game win over Lewis and Clark that capped the perfect year.

“It’s been fun,” said Taylor, following Thursday’s match.

Taylor is one of six seniors on the team. She joined three-year varsity starters Mandy Daniels and Daidre Mendenhall, third-year back row player Jamie Utesch, second-year starter Kristina Kielbon and second-year back row player Alyssa Lanker this year on varsity.

Coach Amanda Velasquez couldn’t say enough about the six following U-Hi’s unprecedented 13-0 league season.

“They showed leadership and really had a team mentality,” she said. “They took everyone under their wings and really pulled the team together.

“Being on the team so long and with all the experience they have, when they see things going awry they help the girls get re-focused. And they do a lot of coaching on the court, which is really nice.”

The Titans begin postseason next Thursday at home on the second day of District 8 4A tournament. Saturday the tourney moves to Mt. Spokane where four of six participants will advance to regionals against four teams from the Columbia Basin League.

Also next Thursday, East Valley and West Valley compete in the four-team 3A District in Cheney. Two teams advance from there to regionals.

Both regional tournaments are here, the 4A at Mead and Mt. Spokane and the 3A in Cheney. Four 4A and two 3A teams qualify for state in Everett.

The Knights defeated the Eagles in their season finale, both teams finishing with 3-10 records. Included were nine straight service points by Rachel Bonertz in the fourth game.

Despite a tough five-game loss to North Central—Central Valley had won the first two games 25-23, 25-23—the Bears had their best season since 1997, finishing with a 5-8 GSL record.

Crunch time for soccer

Just like Friday night’s football game, Central Valley hosted University in an afternoon soccer match with playoff implications for both.

The match was particularly important for the Bears who needed the win for a shot at a top-six GSL finish.

Following Wednesday’s matches, a 7-0 U-Hi victory over Rogers and CV’s 1-0 loss to Mead, the Titans were in fifth place with 22 points, and the Bears were tied for sixth with 18.

Both have tough matches remaining against second-place Ferris.

East Valley evened its record at 5-5 prior to Friday’s match against Lewis and Clark by beating Clarkston 4-0. Kim Bendio scored two goals. Win moved the Knights into eighth place, ahead of all its 3A foes.

They still must play in Cheney Tuesday in the GSL chess match for 3A district seeding. But a top-two finish earns them a spot in the eight-team regional that qualifies two teams to state.

EV win string ends

East Valley’s Thursday night 28-14 football loss to Shadle Park was a setback to a heretofore stingy defense.

It ended the Knights’ GSL win streak at four games, but the team still leads in its quest for a 3A playoff spot.

The Knights and Highlanders traded first-half touchdowns, and the score remained 14-14 after three quarters before Shadle scored twice in the final 12 minutes for the win.

Shadle had 345 yards of offense, much of it behind pass-catch duo Josh Powell and Andy Largent.

The Knights piled up 321 yards. Of that, 247 came on the ground, including 160 on 18 carries by sophomore Ryan Campbell.

EV dropped to 4-2 in the GSL. Barring a Friday upset by West Valley over visiting Clarkston, the Knights lead over the Bantams dropped to a game.

Trailhead golfers still at it

Nice October weather has encouraged Trailhead Ladies Club golfers to keep swinging away. This week, however, they kept the woods in their bags.

During irons-only play Betty Grassl shot 47 to win A flight. Nel Oehrling had low gross in B with 60, and Sandi Hatcher won C with 58.

Net winners were Marcia Rowley with a 30 in A flight, Bev Johnson with 34 in B and Eileen Couper with 29 in C.

Joy Russell, Grace Libby and Marilyn Mackie had chip-ins.