Quick hits
GSL gets going
Greater Spokane League football takes center stage on the newly manicured Joe Albi Stadium. If only to see the newly installed Field Turf it will be worth a trip to tonight’s 6:15 game between East Valley and Rogers.
All games will go off at the times originally scheduled since repairs to lighting at Albi were completed in time.
Randy Ryan, District 8 secretary, showered kudos on John Mannix, Spokane Schools executive director of facilities, Greg Brown, Spokane Schools director of capital projects, and Tim Wood, Spokane Schools maintenance manager, for their work in administering the necessary tasks in a short time frame to prepare Albi for the season.
“I doubt we would have survived another season without the major facility upgrades that were made this August,” wrote Ryan in an e-mail.
Mannix and Wood oversaw close to $30,000 of lights, security systems, electrical and plumbing modernization, said Ryan.
Brown was responsible for the project that removed old turf and installed new, despite not getting approval for the project until April 12.
There are two more Albi games Friday, but the games with the biggest league implications are both away from the stadium. Mt. Spokane will see what difference a year makes at preseason favorite Gonzaga Prep.
Lewis and Clark will be out at Central Valley where teams with new quarterbacks and untested lines will find out if they are playoff worthy.
Today
EV vs. Rogers at Albi Stadium, 6:15 p.m.
University at Coeur d’Alene, 7 p.m.
Friday
North Central vs. Ferris at Albi, 5:45 p.m.
Mead vs. Shadle Park at Albi, 8:30 p.m.
Lewis and Clark at Central Valley, 7 p.m.
Mt. Spokane at Gonzaga Prep, 7 p.m.
Don’t forget ASB cards
Although school hasn’t begun for most GSL students, District 8 secretary Randy Ryan reminds them to go to their school to purchase ASB cards to avoid the $4 ticket charge at this week’s games. GSL adult passes are also available for purchase at the schools.
Poll talk
Mike Warchol’s WashingtonPreps.com football rankings have Gonzaga Prep listed fourth in 4A, East Valley eighth in 3A, and Pullman third in 2A (with Colville, Clarkston, Deer Park and West Valley all teams to watch). Lakeside is sixth in 1A (Freeman and Chewelah are teams to watch). Davenport and Reardan are 1-2 in 2B, with Liberty eighth. LaCrosse-Washtucna is first in 1B and Odessa is third. Southeast 1B has four teams among the top 10 and Northeast 1B has two.
Soccer mini-tournament
With the GSL girls soccer schedule down to 10 league matches, Mead got creative in finding ways to get non-league contests in.
The Panthers will host a mini-tournament Friday and Saturday, said activities coordinator Dick Cullen. Ferris is playing University at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by Mead versus Mt. Spokane. Ferris plays Mt. Spokane at 11 a.m. Saturday and Mead plays U-Hi at 1 p.m.
“Lucky for us, people want to play at Mead,” said Cullen. “We haven’t traveled for three or four years, which is OK.”
The GSL soccer coordinator said that there is great interest and probability that some league matches will move to Joe Albi and the new turf.
“My guess is that they will be only on Wednesdays because of football and there will be doubleheaders in the beginning when there’s more daylight,” Cullen said.
Volleyball favorites spar
Volleyball teams get to test the Greater Spokane League waters beginning Tuesday and next Thursday with a series of non-league matches.
Included will be a Sept. 7 meeting between league favorites Lewis and Clark and Mead.
The three-time state champion Panthers may have graduated their entire starting lineup, but they’ve raised the height bar.
They have seven players 5-foot-10 or taller, including California transfer Kady Try, a 6-foot outside hitter. Sisters Emma (6-2) and Alexis Olgard (a 6-4 freshman), the daughters of Mead principal Bruce Olgard, are the tallest.
LC returns seven players from last year’s fifth-place state team.