Quick hits
LOOKING AHEAD
A winter sports season that seems as if it began only yesterday is hurtling to its inevitable conclusion. Much, however, is yet to be decided over the next few weeks.
Wrestling enters its second season with individuals testing themselves in district, regional and state competitions. District is first, with four individuals per weight from the 4A meet this weekend at Mt. Spokane and five individuals from 3A subregionals at East Valley advancing to regionals in their quest for a trip to Mat Classic in Tacoma, Feb. 18-19.
District gymnasts also begin the march to state, the same weekend in Tacoma, with the district meet Friday at Mead.
Four games remain of the 20-game basketball season for Greater Spokane League schools and for the girls it’s a countdown to the anticipated season-ending showdown between unbeatens University and Lewis and Clark, both ranked among the state’s top three.
The U-Hi, Ferris and Gonzaga Prep boys hold a two-game lead over four other 4A schools. In the girls, two games separate five teams seeking the final four district playoff berths.
West Valley’s boys have a game lead over Clarkston in 3A. They finish the season against each other. North Central lurks not far behind. East Valley’s girls are in Clarkston tonight with a chance to lay claim as top 3A district seed.
Basketball
GSL games
Tonight
Girls at 3:45 p.m., boys at 5:30: Groovy Shoes at the Arena between NC and Shadle
Park. Girls games at 5:45, boys games at 7:30: Lewis and Clark at Central Valley, Cheney at Mead, West Valley at Rogers. Boys at 5:45, girls at 7:30: East Valley at Clarkston. Boys at 6:15, girls at 8: Mt. Spokane at Gonzaga Prep.
Tuesday
Boys games at 5:45, girls games at 7:30: Mt. Spokane at Central Valley, West Valley at Gonzaga Prep, Clarkston at Lewis and Clark, University at Shadle Park. Girls games at 5:45, boys games at 7:30: Cheney at East Valley, Mead at Ferris, Rogers at North Central.
Wrestling
District 8 4A, 4 p.m. (Fri.) and 10 a.m. (Sat.): Nine Greater Spokane League schools – University, Central Valley, Mead,
Mt. Spokane, Ferris, Lewis and Clark, Gonzaga Prep, Shadle Park and Rogers – are at Mt. Spokane. Top four individuals per weight advance to regionals at U-Hi, Feb. 11-12.
3A subregional, 3:30 p.m. (Fri.) and 10 a.m. (Sat): Five GSL teams – East Valley, Clarkston, North Central, Cheney and West Valley – join the Mid-Valley League at East Valley. Top five individuals per weight advance to regionals in Ellensburg, Feb. 11-12.
Gymnastics
Friday, 5:45 p.m.
District 8 Championships at Mead.
LOOKING AROUND
Laef Barnes evidently has put his injury problems behind. The Mead senior outraced a field of elite runners last Saturday to win the high school invitational mile at the Reebok Boston Indoor games.
Barnes surprised the field with his patented closing sprint to win in 4 minutes, 13.61 seconds, nearly a second faster than Scotland’s Ross Toole. It wasn’t Barnes’ fastest race, but it was a satisfying win.
“I had a good race, I’m not going to lie,” said Barnes, back in school Tuesday after racing in Boston then making the three-hour drive to visit the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Barnes laid back in the pack in the eight-lap race while others, including Toole and Foot Locker national cross country champion Ken Cormier, jockeyed at the front of the race.
“They were wasting energy from what I could tell,” he said. “I didn’t think they ran a smart race.”
During a photo sequence of laps on the DyeState.com high school track Internet site, all you get of Barnes is an occasional glimpse of his flopping hair until the final shot of him obliterating the field.
Barnes said he received a gift case of gear, signed autographs and got to rub elbows with some of the world’s fastest runners and best throwers.
“It was cool, but just to have the chance to prove myself was even better,” Barnes said. “It’s not every day you get out and race the best, not only in the United States, but Canada, England and Scotland.”