Stinky Sneaker Saturday at U-Hi
In the spirit of the basketball season, Friday is the annual Stinky Sneaker game when University hosts Central Valley.
Along with the distraction for the four teams playing amid the sold-out bedlam of the high school spirit competition and trophy chase, much is at stake for them during plain old Greater Spokane League basketball games.
The Bears boys are 8-2 overall after losing Tuesday’s to Ferris and dropped into a tie for second place in the league with Gonzaga Prep.
University (6-4 overall) is a game back of the teams in league following its loss at the unbeaten Eagles.
U-Hi (10-0) and Central Valley girls (8-2 following Tuesday’s victory over Ferris) are among four GSL unbeatens.
CV’s boys and U-Hi’s girls were victorious at CV in the nonleague games earlier this season at CV.
Titans roll during PNW
University wrestlers flexed their muscles in their home gym during last weekend’s Pacific Northwest Classic tournament.
The Titans won the tourney with 216 points to edge Montana power Flathead, which scored 197. And its second team, the “Pigdogs” scored 63 more to finish three points ahead of a watered-down East Valley team.
Central Valley finished sixth with 125 points.
Among them, the Valley teams won six titles and had 25 top six placers in the 16-team tourney.
University medalists included champions Brian Owen (103 pounds), Cory Fish (119), Trevor Robb (135) and Jeremy Montang (140). Nick Zumwalt (160) and August Pope (representing the Pigdogs at 171), finished second.
Pope is No. 2 in the weight class behind his friend, Jon Sahlberg, who finished among the top eight in the tournament.
“He has more years on the mat than me,” said Pope, a tourney winner earlier this year.
U-Hi coach Don Owen, however, doesn’t sell Pope short.
“I thought he was going all the way,” said Owen of his wrestler’s early 5-0 lead. “He’s a cradling machine on top.”
Owen said he was pleased with the efforts of all his champions, including his unbeaten freshman nephew, tourney outstanding wrestler Fish and Robb.
“Trevor being behind 6-1 and coming back and beating that kid was a pretty impressive effort,” he said. “And Cory (who beat a two-time state champion 6-2) wrestled a great match.”
Luke Chesher (130) and Camren Ebat (152) won titles for Central Valley, and freshman Tyler Cochran (215) was second. It was Chesher’s first title in an invitational tournament despite a successful career to date.
“I’ve had a few more seconds than I’d hoped,” Chesher said, after taking a ribbing from his coach, John Owen. “It’s been a long time so this feels really good.”
University also had third places from Chase Fish at 112 pounds, Matt Machala (130) and Nick Rose (275). Tyler Goss was fourth at 152. Placing fifth were Mike Malsam (119) and Elliot Nay (130). Joey Korn (189) was sixth.
Korn lost 1-0 to EV’s Dan Michalski, who had lost to Korn earlier in the tourney, 2-1.
Bryce Parker, like Michalski one of a handful of Knights varsity regulars, was third at 135 as was Spencer Tuttle at 215. Clete Hanson was sixth at 152.
Other CV placers were Tanner Teeples (103) and Joe Alderman (145) both fifth. Garrett McCoy (119), Geoff Palachuk (140) and Justin Farwell (160) were sixth.
U-Hi gymnasts stun CV
It’s been a few years since the once-dominant University gymnastics program had defeated its district rival Central Valley.
But last week the Titans turned back the Bears 166.875 to 163.1.
Kayla McGahey won all-around at 37.25 and captured uneven bars and vault. Teammates Brittany Morgan, third all-around, and Janelle Hoffmeister, the beam winner over McGahey, helped carry U-Hi to victory.
Central Valley’s Maria Alderman won floor exercise and Maya Morgan was second all-around.