Classic on-court rivalries start season

There were no surprises when Valley basketball teams began their seasons last week.

In boys, West Valley continued its long-held mastery over East Valley 61-48 in a nonleague game between the two teams. Central Valley and University had a typical nail-biter in a rivalry where early leads often historically tend to evaporate. The Bears were able to recover in this one, however, and win 36-32.

The Titan girls found offense from other sources in their season-opening 62-51 victory over the Bears, while the Knight girls won easily as expected, 59-28 over WV.

On Tuesday, the teams swapped foes, U-Hi taking on the Eagles, CV facing EV.

West Valley built a 23-point lead over East Valley in the boys game, getting 31 points from its “bigs,” Tyler Hobbs and E.J. Richardson and three 3-point baskets by guard Danny McIntyre en route to a 61-48 victory.

Central Valley and University were offensively challenged in their first meeting. CV led early, fell behind at halftime, took a four-point lead after three quarters and held on.

There were no double-figures scorers and U-Hi got only one basket from its back court. Brad Johnson and Matt Morgan each scored nine points for the Bears. Titan posts Nate Thompson, Clint Moquist and Brent Garves scored all but six of the Titans’ points.

University’s Dara Zack proved her worth as a callow sophomore during last year’s sixth-place state trophy season. With seniors graduated and injury having sidelined scoring leader Angie Bjorklund, Zack has raised her game even further.

She scored 23 points and the Titans had double-figures efforts from three others to ease past their rival.

Tonya Schnibbe‘s 16 points were more than double her career average. Kara Crisp and Janna Erickson combined for 21 points, and Crisp’s three 3-point baskets helped double their halftime lead to 12 after three quarters.

Eleaya Schuerch and Kelsey Hentges combined for 33 points in EV’s win over WV. Vanessa Parvey led Eagles scorers.

Wrestling starts tonight

First Greater Spokane League matches begin tonight and Valley teams are again the likely favorites.

Central Valley and 3A state runner-up East Valley are in the tough American Division. The Bears get tested right out of the chute at Mt. Spokane.

Defending state 4A champion University will again be heavily favored to win the National Division.

On Friday wrestlers from all four Valley teams test themselves in the annual two-day Inland Empire Classic Tournament at CV.

Nineteen teams, including 10 from the GSL, others from the Big Nine, Ellensburg, schools in Idaho, Oregon and Montana fill the field.

Placing matches including the finals begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Certain consolation

East Valley and Freeman’s football seasons ended early in the state playoffs.

They can take some consolation from the fact their conquerors wound up the State 3A and 1A champions last week.

Ferndale beat Prosser 47-12, nearly the same margin of victory as the Golden Eagles 34-0 win over the Knights in the 3A state first round.

Royal won its third 1A title in four years beating Tonasket 34-14. That was almost identical to the Knights’ 35-14 win over the Scotties in the state quarterfinals.

Burkland/Butner winner

Garrett McCoy is this year’s Kristian Burkland/Julie Butner Courage Scholarship recipient.

The $500 memorial scholarship in their name is awarded to a Central Valley football player on behalf of the former Bears athlete and the mother of two CV players and current assistant coaches, who died in 2004.

Burkland, who was in medical school, was killed in an auto accident and Butner died two months later from cancer.

First recipient of the award was Tommy Kadoya, now plays football in California.

Donations to the scholarship can be made to The Butner/Burkland scholarship fund, in care of CVA Foundation, 508 S. Shoreline Drive, Liberty Lake, WA 99019.

Seahawks PPK winners

Four athletes from the Spokane sectional, three of them area athletes, won first place in their age groups during recent Seattle Seahawks Team Championship regional NFL Punt, Pass and Kick team championship competition.

Included was West Valley sophomore Bryan Peterson.

Peterson, who quarterbacked the Eagles in the fall, had a combined distance of 354 feet, 3 inches to win the Boys 14/15 age title. He had totaled 381-6 during sectionals to advance.

Other winners were Rikiyih Carney, age 10/11 girls, from Spokane and Kolby Dehaas, age 8/9 boys, from Coeur d’Alene. They had posted one of the top five age group scores from among 42 sectionals encompassing five Northwest states to earn a regional berth.

Peterson’s dad, Mike, said a record number of Spokane sectional youngsters, seven out of a possible eight age groups, qualified for the regional event, Nov. 27 at Qwest Field when Seattle played the New York Giants.

“I’ve been involved with the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition for many years,” said Peterson. “We usually see one or two kids from our sectional advance. To have four Team Championship winners from one sectional and three from one metropolitan area is rare.”

Each contestant gets one pass, one kick and one punt, which are then measured for distance and accuracy.

Winning scores from the Seahawks Regional are now compared throughout the country and the top four marks per age group advance to national finals during the AFC Championship playoff game in January.