EV boys’ track leads GSL National Division

East Valley’s boys track team finds itself in good company two weeks into the Greater Spokane League track season.

The Knights are 3-0 atop the National Division with Thursday’s win over North Central, just ahead of perennial power Mead.

Coupled with last week’s victory over Ferris, it was a big step toward its first appearance in the end-of-season league championship meet.

The top two teams from each division qualify, and EV will be favored to beat Rogers and Clarkston. The Knights and Mead face off in the divisional final on May 5.

East Valley won 10 events, earning a split of the track points, but winning 80-65 by virtue of its throws advantage. The Knights outscored NC in the shot put, javelin and discus. Tyler Jolley won the shot put sweep at 50-feet-1 and the discus in 157-3.

Chris Shearer beat teammate Cody Irby in the javelin at 181-6, and also high jumped a personal best 6-6. Keith Holt won both the 400 and 800 races, and EV swept two relays on the track.

In other meets, Central Valley (2-1) piled up 31 out of 36 points in the 400 through 3,200 races to beat Cheney 78-67. Sean Coyle and Nathan Damiano accounted for 18 of those with first- and second-place finishes in the distances.

The Bears are in a rugged American Division that includes three teams above them in the standings.

University (1-2) won every track race: Justin Cooper the 100, 200 and 300 hurdles and Brandon Blaska the 800 and 1,600, and six of seven in the field, with Micheal Kelley winning shot and discus to rout Clarkston.

West Valley (0-3) came up just short, 78-67 against American leader Shadle Park, although double winner Rashad Toussaint reached 23-8 in the long jump and Kevin Lemieux threw 165-11 in the discus. Curtis Fitzhugh, 800-1,600 and Chris Vennum, in the hurdles, also were double winners.

CV, EV and U-Hi girls are all 1-2 and WV 0-3 in league. The Titans were Thursday’s lone winner, winning 12 of 18 events against Clarkston.

Victoria Benson won a third of them, capturing the 100-meter hurdles and 100 dash back-to-back. She also won the long jump and triple jump, the latter at 33-7. Freshman Dana McClendon, doubled with 36-3 shot put and 113-7 discus victories.

Central Valley sophomore high-jumper Hailey Ficklin cleared 5-4 in the Bears loss to Cheney. East Valley freshman Lori Bourgeous won the 100 hurdles and placed in the 300 hurdles against NC. West Valley’s Emily Sasse threw 37-51/2 in winning the shot put against Shadle Park.

Tennis crossovers begin

The divisional portion of GSL tennis is done and now teams cross over to determine the league’s final standings.

Central Valley’s boys and girls in the National Division and University’s girls in the American, all finished third with 4-2 records. West Valley’s boys and East Valley’s girls placed fourth at 3-3.

All five face the second and first place teams from the opposite divisions next week in positional matches.

West Valley’s girls were fifth with 2-4 record, University’s boys were sixth and East Valley’s boys finished seventh in their respective divisions.

Titan golfers win

University’s golf team, fourth in the GSL, won last week’s Chewelah Invitational tournament by a stroke over North Central.

Bryce Sanman shot 75 to share third, three strokes off the lead, and Chris Ackerman added 78 to place eighth in the 24-team tournament.

League competition resumes Monday after a two-week break.

Windy play at Liberty Lake

On a windy, as usual, day at Liberty Lake Golf Course, the 26 women’s 18-hole club members participated in medal play.

Rosie Jones shot 91 for low gross in A flight. Caroline Arnot shot 100 in B, Jody Cantrell had 102 in C and Myrna Neubauer 109 in D.

Net winners included Billie Etter and Jackie Shea, both at 75 in A flight. Reiko Takamori led B with 80, Donna Ogilvie and Flurry Snyder shared C flight honors with 77 and Sue Meyer had 75 in D.

No rainout this week

Painted Hills Ladies League was rained out a week ago, but not last Monday, where scores were generally good.

Best score was a 48 by Susan Crosby while playing in B flight. Hers was a stroke lower than A flight winner Karen Goyins.

C flight was won by Emma Long with 61 gross, Joan Koch shot 59 in D and Holley Adams had a 54 no-handicap score.

Net leaders were Sherrel Roshdy with 39 in A flight, Joyce Jacobs with 33 in B, Kathy Walker with 40 in C and Lois Ledbetter with 38 in D.

Strauss leads 9-Holers

Liberty Lake Ladies 9-Hole golfers were led once again by Karen Strauss. She was first flight winner with a 52 and Arla Beck netted 35.

Second flight leaders were Janis Smith with 57 and there was a tie for net score by Kathy Camyn and Ethel Rankin at 36.

Frances Martin had third flight low gross of 54 and Sue Matsui shot 36 net.

Trailhead results

Trailhead Ladies Golf Club conducted weekly medal play.

Low gross winners were Joyce Jacobs in A flight, Harriet Carbon in B flight, Sandi Hatcher in C flight and Shirley Rodman in no-handicap.

No scores were reported.

Net winners were Carolyn State in A, Lois Mansur in B and Grace Libby in C.