18 area wrestlers heading to Mat Classic in Tacoma

Following a thoroughly dominating district wrestling performance two weekends ago, University’s Mike Malsam was asked to comment on his proclivity pinning his opponents with a cradle.

“It’s the only thing I practice,” Malsam said. “That and trying to get the first takedown.”

Once he did that, opponent beware. Malsam won his first district championship after settling for second twice, and last weekend added his first regional 119-pound title with an equally dominant effort.

Two of his three wins were by pin, the third, in the semifinals, was a 16-0 technical fall.

“He’s solid,” said Titans coach Don Owen. “He’s dominated his weight class for quite a while.”

Senior Malsam and sophomore 112-pounder Brian Owen, who won his second straight regional title, head a contingent of 18 Spokane Valley area wrestlers to this weekend’s Mat Classic XVIII state wrestling tournaments in Tacoma.

That’s about half the numbers of last year when U-Hi finished first in state in 4A and East Valley was second in 3A.

The Titans, second as a team at regional, have five state qualifiers, regional 275-pound finalist Dono Totten among them.

Central Valley advances three to state, including 160-pound runner-up Camren Ebat.

In 3A, East Valley defended its regional championship and qualified six to state. The Knights had three champions, sophomore Anthony Rivera (112 pounds), junior Bryce Fisher (145) and senior Tyler Jolley (275).

They had two other finalists, Foster Orton (160) and Clete Hanson (171) and nearly advanced three others to state.

Dan Michalski at 189 and Jimmy Martin at 215 each lost in the consolation semifinals by a point.

Freeman’s Danny Mathews, champion at 112, and Jake Gunn, a finalist at 160, also qualified for state.

Tournament begins Friday in the Tacoma Dome at 10 a.m. and concludes Saturday with finals beginning at 5 p.m.

U-Hi gymnasts second

University gymnasts finished second in regional and qualified their entire team to state this weekend in Tacoma.

Central Valley, third in the region, qualified four individuals to state.

Competition, also in the Tacoma Dome, begins Friday with CV in the individual rotations at 2:30 p.m. Team rotations follow for U-Hi at 7 p.m.

U-Hi scored 168.7 to finish two points behind regional champ Mead. Titan Kayla McGahey scored 36.85 for the all-around title.

She won uneven bars, second on vault, third on beam and fourth during floor exercise. All her routines topped 9 points out of a possible 10.

CV’s Maya Morgan finished fifth all-around at 35.323 and Courtney Sexton was ninth at 34.1. They both qualified for state in all four individual events.

Sexton finished third during floor exercise. Morgan had to five places on uneven bars, floor exercise and vault.

CV scored 164.55 overall.

Seeding game for Eagles

West Valley didn’t realize a Greater Spokane League boys basketball championship dream, but tonight, 8:30 p.m. at Mt. Spokane, can salve the hurt.

The Eagles play North Central for the District 8 3A championship and top seed to next week’s regional tournament.

Both WV and NC are already assured a regional berth. At stake in tonight’s game is a regional home game against the Mid-Valley No. 2 seeded team. A win in that game would secure one of the region’s three state berths.

The Eagles (16-4, 10-3) completed the league season in fourth place Tuesday night with a 68-43 in Clarkston.

Tyler Hobbs, who over the final four games of the season averaged 28 points per game, became the GSL scoring champion.

East Valley’s girls (8-12, 4-9), like WV’s boys, are the GSL’s No. 2 seed for 3A district purposes. They play Clarkston in tonight’s Mt. Spokane opener at 6:30 for top regional seed.

Fourth-seeded East Valley boys (4-16, 1-12) are at Cheney Friday in a game for the third spot. WV (3-17, 2-11) and NC girls played Wednesday night for the league’s fourth district seed and Friday game at Cheney to determine the league’s third regional berth.

District tournament concludes Saturday at Mt. Spokane to determine regional seeding for the GSL’s No. 2 and 3 teams.

Titans control destiny

University’s girls basketball team controls its own destiny. As coach Mark Stinson pointed out last week, the Titans will finish first or fourth for district seeding purposes depending upon the outcome of tonight’s game at Lewis and Clark.

U-Hi versus LC will be viewed with interest by a number of teams, not the least of them Central Valley.

If the Titans (17-2, 11-1) win they earn an automatic berth to regional as the district’s top seed, leaving Gonzaga Prep No. 2 and the Tigers No. 3. Their first district game would be next Thursday, 7:45 p.m. at Central Valley.

If they lose, the Bullpups are No. 1 and the Tigers No. 2. U-Hi will tie with Mead for third, but lost to the Panthers in regular season.

As fourth seed, they’d host the fifth-place Bears, 5:45 Tuesday in a loser-out district game.

CV (13-7, 9-4) completed its regular season Tuesday with a 72-55 victory over North Central.

The Bears boys (15-5, 9-4) stunned North Central 66-61 on Tuesday, denying the Indians a share of first place in the GSL.

CV is seeded fourth to district and will host Mead Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.

University’s boys (6-15, 3-10) completed their season with a 64-60 loss to Lewis and Clark.