Titans take trophy, games

There were plenty of Prince Charmings in this Cinderella story as University swept the Stinky Sneaker trifecta over Central Valley for the second year in a row.

The Titans not only won the Sneaker trophy for spirit with its “Shoerella” takeoff on Cinderella, but also won both the boys’ and girls’ high school basketball games in front of a jam-packed audience in the U-Hi gym.

The line to enter the gym stretched to 32nd Avenue an hour before the game and people had to be turned away.

Coaches on both Titan boys and girls teams were dressed as royalty (assistant Jim Phinney was an ugly stepsister and played a major part in one of U-Hi’s routines, a cross-dressing performance to the disco hit “Hot Stuff”).

U-Hi’s girls warmed up wearing crowns and following their 68-44 win, donned them again and escorted the boys onto the court prior to their 56-35 win over the Bears.

Central Valley was “Finding Shoe-mo” but to little avail despite an entertaining show that included a variety of aquatic songs from “Splish Splash” and “Tiny Bubbles” (lip-synched by principal Mike Hittle) to surf music and the score from the “Little Mermaid.”

CV coach Judy Walters was appropriately attired in a pink and black wetsuit.

“I thought Judy outclassed me a bit,” said U-Hi’s Mark Stinson. “That was awesome.”

On the court, the Titans were dominant, racing to leads of 19-4 and 29-8. The boys game was close, U-Hi leading 30-26 three minutes into the second half, until the host team closed it out with a 26-9 finish.

Next up? The wrestling equivalent of the Sneaker – the 10th annual Battle of the Bone tonight.

Central Valley, which wrestled Mt. Spokane Wednesday for second place in its division of the GSL, hosts University for the bovine femur trophy.

There will be no outside influences for the trophy other than another noisy capacity audience. The spoils belong to the winners on the mat.

How close is it?

Greater Spokane League basketball is so close, that after Tuesday’s games, including West Valley (10-2, 3-2) to co-leader Ferris, just one game separated eight of the league’s 14 teams.

The Eagles were beaten 65-54 to fall out of a five-way tie for first place. Ferris, Gonzaga Prep and Mead are atop the league. WV and University, which beat Clarkston in overtime, are now a game back, along with Shadle Park, Cheney and Mt. Spokane.

The loss by the Eagles was its second straight following its upset in Cheney on a last-ditch basket after turnovers and missed free throws let the Blackhawks hang close.

Mead beat Central Valley (8-4, 2-3) to remain among the leaders.

East Valley (4-8, 1-4) had to forfeit its win over Shadle Park for inadvertently using a player who participated in both junior varsity and varsity games and totaled more than the allotted four quarters.

Freemans lead NEA

Freeman boys and girls basketball teams find themselves alone atop the Northeast A League following wins last weekend against Colfax.

The Scotties boys are 10-2 overall and 2-0 in league. The girls are 9-2 and 2-0.

Ray Flaherty football scholarship winner Dan Sanders rejoined the lineup for the start of league and he has responded with a 10-point average, including 16 against Kettle Falls. He’s one of nine Scotties who have had double-figure games, led by Malcom Soelberg‘s 15.6 average.

Freeman’s girls also hit stride with a nine-player contribution, Jessie DePell leading the way with a 15.6 scoring average.

Panthers challenge Bi-County

Valley Christian’s boys and girls are hanging tough in the Bi-County League 12 games into the season.

The boys (8-4 overall, 7-3 in league) are solidly in fourth place, losing narrowly last weekend to unbeaten Lind-Ritzville. The girls, 3-7 have wins over teams above them in the standings.

Josh Pope and Vitaliy Kozubenko lead boys in scoring with 11.8 and 11.5 averages. Kozubenko scored 25 in the 58-55 loss to league leading Lind-Ritzville.

Senior Emily Oliver, with an 11.8 average, has come into her own this year. Oliver scored 27 in Saturday’s win over Wilbur Creston.

Tourney tough

University and East Valley wrestling programs showed how strong they are during tournaments last weekend. And CV was no slouch.

The Titans won the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic in Missoula for the second time, scoring 256.5 points, by putting six wrestlers in the finals and winning four championships.

EV also had six finalists, added five third places and placed 18 among the top five in finishing second to defending state champion Sedro Woolley 249-221 during the seven-team Kelso Invitational.

The Bears finished fifth in Montana and had two individual champions.

University, which won its second Jug Beck title in four years, is the only non-Montana team to have won the tournament. Its point total was the second highest in meet history and most since Butte scored 294.5 in 1988.

Tourney outstanding wrestler Cory Fish, who won 7-4 over unbeaten Kody Tolliver from Great Falls at 119 pounds, Chase Fish at 112, freshman Brian Owen at 105 and Jeremy Montang at 140 were U-Hi’s titlists.

Mike Malsam (125) and Matt Machala (130) placed second. Other Titan top-six finishers were Trevor Robb (135), Joey Korn (189) and Nick Rose (215) who finished fourth and Nick Zumwalt (160), who was fifth. Both Korn and Zumwalt reached the semifinals of their respective weights.

Central Valley scored 164 points. Lucas Chesher beat Malsam 9-1 for the 125-pound title and Camren Ebat won 152 with a 7-6 victory over a defending champion, Montanan Tom Russell.

Other placers were Tyler Cochran, who pinned Rose for third at 215 pounds, Nick Cambron (98 pounds) and Tanner Teeples (105) who finished fourth, Jeff Croskrey (130), fifth and Garrett McCoy, sixth at 119.

In Kelso, Fred Arnold won the 160-pound championship. Joe Plumb (112), Jared Imes (130), Matt Hanson (135), Bryce Fisher (145) and Tyler Jolley (215) all finished second.

Finishing between third and fifth for the Knights were Shelby Lawson (103), third, Anthony Rivera (112), Eric Eagleburger (119), Bryce Parker (140) over teammate Caleb Alvarado for third and fourth, Clete Hanson, third and Brad Dowd fifth (152), Jordan Jolley (171), Dan Michalski (189) third, Spencer Tuttle (215) and Chris Helm (275), third.