Spokane’s LaFond top junior shooter for USA
Spokane’s Elisha LaFond continues to show why she is considered one of the top junior shooters in the country. This time it came at the shooting World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. LaFond made the trip overseas as part of the U.S. Junior Women’s Team, but was able to collect an outstanding individual accomplishment along the way.
LaFond finished 19th in the Air Rifle competition with a score of 392, but was the top U.S. junior shooter. She shot scores of 98, 97, 99, and 98 to finish only seven points behind the winner and world champion Zhang Yi of China.
LaFond’s U.S. Junior Team also had an impressive showing. The team, which includes LaFond, Sandra Fong and Lisa Kunzelmann, scored a total of 1175 points and finished fifth in the Team Air Rifle competition, just eight points behind the winning team.
LaFond trains with the rest of Spokane’s junior shooters at Sharp Shooting Indoor Range in Spokane.
Baseball
Five area American Legion baseball teams made it to the State Tournament, which ended last Thursday.
In the AAA division, the Spokane Northstars started out strong, beating Yakima Valley Pepsi 5-3 to open the tournament. In their second game, the Northstars had only two hits and lost to eventual champion Lakeside Recovery 8-0. In their third and final game, Spokane lost 9-1 to the Centralia Fullers, ending its tournament hopes.
The Northstars’ Travis Fox and Conner Moore both lead the team with .400 batting averages.
In the AA division, University’s championship hopes ended early while Mt. Spokane made it to day five of the tournament. University won its first game 5-3 against the Kennewick Bandits, but then lost two straight. On Sunday, July 30, University lost 16-2 against Bremerton and then was eliminated from the tournament on Monday after a 10-0 loss to Olympia.
Mt. Spokane started off its tournament run with a 4-0 win over Richland on Saturday behind Nic Fowler’s two-hit pitching gem. Mt. Spokane then lost 6-0 to Stanwood. In its third game, Mt. Spokane faced elimination in a loser-out game against Liberty, but won 5-4. On Tuesday, Mt. Spokane beat Pacific Tech 5-3. The next day they were eliminated after losing to Richland 6-4, finishing with a tournament record of 3-2.
In the A division, Gonzaga Prep lost its first game, while Freeman won. On Saturday, Yakima took advantage of four Gonzaga Prep errors, winning 7-2. Then on Monday, Gonzaga Prep was eliminated after mustering only two hits in a 6-0 loss to Snohomish.
On Sunday, Freeman used a key 5-run fourth inning to win its first game over Burlington 8-6. On Monday, Aug. 1, Freeman lost 7-2 to Capitol, and was eliminated the next day after a 10-8 loss to Snohomish.
Basketball
Higher Hoops, a 14-U Spokane boys basketball team, capped off another successful summer by placing in the top four at this year’s Main Event national tournament hosted by Vision Sports in Las Vegas.
Higher Hoops went 3-0 in pool play and advanced into the semifinals with victories over Houston Elite, St. Louis Ballers and the Houston Hoops before falling by four points to eventual champion Playaz Ball Club from New Jersey.
Higher Hoops team roster: Aaron Dunn, Michael Weisner, Ryan Nicholas, Mitch Kayser, Bo Tully, Taylor Petterson, David Nelson, Anthony Maricich and Gary Winston.
Softball
The Spokane Sliders recently sent three softball teams to separate national championships. The Sliders 14-U, 16-U, and 18-U teams each competed at national tourneys, looking to be crowned national champions.
The 18-U team, coached by George Lynn, was in Owensboro, Ky., to compete in the USA/ASA Girls’ Class A 18-Under Fast Pitch National Tournament, which ran from Aug. 1-6. They lost their first game in bracket play of this double-elimination tournament 3-2 to the Pink Piranaz. The Sliders then won three games in a row, beating the California Tornadoes 5-2, the Denton Doom 1-0 and the Florida Power 4-1. The Sliders were then eliminated after losing 2-1 to the Arizona Cats.
The 16-U team was in Seattle to compete in the USA/ASA Girls’ Class A 16-under Fast Pitch National Tournament. They were eliminated early after losing the first two games in bracket play. In the first game, Spokane lost 5-2 to the California Flames. In their second and final game, the Sliders lost 10-6 to the California Grapettes.
The Sliders’ 14-U team competed in the USA/ASA Girls’ Class A 14-under Fast Pitch National Championship in Johnson City, Tenn. The Sliders won their first game in bracket play 11-2 over the Kenosha Cyclones. In their second game, Spokane lost 9-0 to Sorcerer 92. The Sliders then beat the Indiana Force 4-1 before losing to the Georgia Heat 9-2, ending their championship hopes.
“The Coeur d’Alene Crush, a 16-U team, played in Seattle in the same tournament as the 16-U Sliders. They lost their first bracket game 4-0 to the Corona Angels. Coeur d’Alene then bounced back to beat the Cyclones 7-6, before losing to Team Florida 7-0, ending its tournament run.
Track and Field
The Spokane area was well represented at the 2006 USA National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Baltimore, Md., with several members of the Spokane Mercury, Cheney, and Greater Spokane Track Clubs making the trip.
Cheney Track Club member Courtney Hutchinson was the big winner. Hutchinson finished third in the Midget Girls shot put (37-08), 12th in the discus (64-9) and 14th in the javelin throw (88-05). Hutchinson’s teammate Joe Zimmerman finished fifth in the Intermediate boys javelin throw (165-4).
Baylee Mires, running unattached, finished fifth in the Youth Girls 1500 with a time of 4:50.92.
Spokane Mercury club members Latecia Howell and Ashley Stabl also had impressive showings. Howell finished 27th in the Youth Girls long jump (15-4) and Stabl was 31st in the Young Women 400-meter dash with a time of 1:01.67.
Send us your news
Please send us your youth sports news. For youth leagues that are at the varsity level, or for any event that is a state or national event, or an event in which your team/athlete qualified for a state or national event, call 459-5503 during the day or leave a message at 459-5490. You can also e-mail us at sports@spokesman. com or fax at 744-5655.