Locally

WSU women’s team ‘adopts’ family

The Washington State women’s basketball team has “adopted” a displaced family in Louisiana and undertaken a season-long fund-raising campaign to help the family get back on its feet.

In just three hours Sept. 23, coach Sherri Murrell and her team raised $2,200 in cash and gift cards that will go to Randy and Danel Petry and their children, Jeremy, 30, and Jennifer, 23.

Murrell played at what is now Louisiana-Lafayette, and she and Debi Sterk, wife of WSU athletic director Jim Sterk, have many close friends in Louisiana. Two of them own a bakery where Randy Petry is an employee and told Murrell about the plight of the family, which lived in Kenner, La., west of New Orleans.

Murrell said the team wanted to help in the aftermath of Katrina, “and not just by sending money to charities, but to adopt a specific family in need.”

The Petrys, displaced to a relative’s home in Texas by Katrina, were riding out Hurricane Rita when Murrell called to tell them of the fund-raiser.

Murrell said people can donate to the effort with cash or gift cards from retail outlets that will be used for household items and clothing.

Individuals can also drop off donations at the women’s basketball office at 220 Bohler Athletic Complex or by calling Linda Rubenthaler at (509) 335-0276.

Baseball

Gonzaga University’s annual baseball alumni weekend will be Friday and Saturday.

Events kick off with a golf tournament Friday at The Fairways starting at 9 a.m. Cost is $50, which includes golf, cart and lunch at the course. Register at www.gubaseball.com or with Bob Finn at 323-6100.

The alumni game will take place Saturday at noon at Avista Stadium.

Info: Steve Bennett at bennett@athletics.gonzaga.edu.

Basketball

Former Washington State two-sport athlete Mike Bush has signed a one-year contract with the Bellingham Slam, an expansion team in the minor-league American Basketball Association.

Bush, 26, who played football and basketball at WSU from 1998-2002, played professional basketball last season in Europe for Residence in Luxembourg’s second division, averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds.

After leaving WSU, he tried professional football, signing with the San Francisco 49ers in the spring of 2003, but was released before playing a game.

Bellingham will be coached by Rob Ridnour, a former Spokane resident and father of Seattle Sonics guard Luke Ridnour. Rob Ridnour is a graduate of Shadle Park High School and played at Eastern Washington University.

Bicycling

Two Spokane men, Kevin Bradford Parish, 23, and Mark Cesal, 33, captured gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the semipro division at the U.S. National Mountain Bike Championships Sept. 16 in Mammoth Lake, Calif.

The race drew 50 of the country’s top semipro riders, with 42 finishing the demanding course.

Parish rides for Bicycle Butler. Cesal, considered a “senior” in the bicycle world, came out of retirement and coaching this year to compete. Cesal, who won the Washington Idaho Montana title earlier this year, rides for Spokane Rocket Velo.

College scene

Kimberly Bussiere, a 2002 graduate of Mt. Spokane, a senior defender on the Cornell College women’s soccer team in Mount Vernon, Iowa, is tied for the team scoring lead with 16 points. She has five goals and six assists in eight games. The Rams are 5-3.

Crew

Gonzaga University’s men’s and women’s rowing programs will have an alumni weekend Oct. 21-23.

It will begin with a social at Heroes and Legends Sports Bar in downtown Spokane on Friday at 7 p.m.

Saturday events will begin with the Head of the Spokane Regatta at 10 a.m. on the Spokane River at the GU boathouse. That night will be a social and dedication of the new indoor rowing facility in the McCarthey Athletic Center starting at 6.

The weekend wraps up with the annual Class Day Races and boat dedication Sunday at 10 a.m.

Info and/or RSVP to assistant rowing coach Melissa Flint at flint@athletics.gonzaga.edu or at 323-4032.

Hall of fame

Jeff Branson, a University High School graduate, and his teammates on the 1994 University of Oregon football team will be inducted into the UO Hall of Fame on Oct. 14 in Eugene.

The ‘94 Ducks, considered one of the most storied teams in the program’s 109-year history, were coming off a 5-6 season and started 1-2 before reversing course to win the Pac-10 title and the school’s first Rose Bowl berth in 37 years. The team on which Branson was a freshman linebacker wound up losing to No. 2-ranked and unbeaten Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

Junior bowling

Evan Nash used the top-seeded position to win his first Junior Bowlers Tour title Sept. 18 at North Bowl.

Nash, who rolled an 888 four-game series to claim the No. 1 spot during qualifying, dispatched No. 2 qualifier Josh Schmehl 210-181 for the title. Matt Descoteaux, who started the day with a 921 four-game set, was third, Todd Benner fourth and Brandon Roush fifth.

High game was Cory Plaggerman‘s 269. Krystl Jackson was high for the girls with a 233.

Next JBT will be at Lake Bowl in Moses Lake on Oct. 23.

Soccer

Kiki Lara, whose wife, Ashley, is a senior defender on the Washington State women’s soccer team, has joined the Cougars coaching staff as an assistant coach.

WSU coach Matt Potter said Lara, a United Soccer League Division 1 midfielder with the Minnesota Thunder, will spend his off-season with the Cougars before resuming his professional career at the end of December.

Lara was a three-time All-American at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio before graduating in 2004. He has played two seasons professionally.

Softball

Attention softball players 50 and older, there’s a slowpitch league forming in Spokane just for you for the 2006 season.

“We have several from Spokane who play (in a 50-and-over league) in Coeur d’Alene,” said Morris Clark, one of those spreading the word about the new program. “We don’t mind traveling over there, but we think we have enough right here to put together our own league. We’d like to hear from guys who would like to play in a league in Spokane.”

Clark said the idea has the blessing of Amateur Softball Association commissioner Fuzzy Buckenberger, who called the senior league “a wonderful thing to start.”

Those interested should contact Clark at 327-4527 or Jeff Jordan at 465-9922.

Tennis

Elissa Kinard, an assistant last season at American University, has been named assistant tennis coach at Washington State, Cougars head coach Lisa Hart announced.

Kinard was the Big 12 runner-up at the No. 5 position as a sophomore at Nebraska in 2001 before transferring to Virginia Tech, where she played for Hart. Kinard was the Hokies’ rookie of the year her first year there and was ranked in doubles during her two seasons at Virginia Tech.

Rifle

Brian Morcum of Davenport and Amanda Furrer of Spokane brought home two state titles apiece from the Washington State Outdoor International Rifle Championships Sept. 24 in Tacoma.

Morcum, 18, was the match winner and state champion in the prone competition, where 60 shots are taken from 50 meters. He scored 588. Furrer, 14, shot 580 and was the women’s state champion.

In the three-position match, Furrer was match winner and state champion with a score of 1,128. Morcum shot 1,111 and was the AA state junior champion.

Sarah Upham, 17, of Spokane placed first in D class in both competitions.