Gatorade football training camp planned

On Monday, West Valley High School football, in conjunction with the Seattle Seahawks, will again host the Gatorade Junior Training Camp.

The football clinic, limited to 300 participants, is free and will run from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Registration is first-come, first-served, said Eagles coach Craig Whitney, and can be made online at Seahawks.com. The sign-up form can be found in a story under promotions/contests news.

“We did it last year and built a good relationship with the Seahawks,” Whitney said. “Participants get a free T-shirt, meet a Seahawk and run through Seattle’s drills.”

This is the 11th year that the Seattle Seahawks will host Gatorade Junior Training Camps throughout Washington.

They combine football instruction and teaching of life skills that focus on self-improvement and motivation.

A parent or guardian must fill out the registration form and submit it on the Seattle Web site. A confirmation reply will be returned.

It will be a busy summer for Whitney and the Eagles, who move into the class 2A Great Northern League next year.

“We had our meeting and it was a little different looking across the table (at the coaches) rather than seeing Lewis and Clark, University and those kinds of guys,” Whitney said. “I feel good. We have a long way to go before we are where we want to be, but week in and week out we’re going to have a chance.”

Whitney, entering his third year, has already attended a coaching clinic put on by the Seattle Seahawks staff.

Fifty Eagles will attend a team camp in Montana. Last year Whitney said he took 29.

Players will also participate in summer-long weekly three-day sessions designed to alleviate conflict with other summer sports.

“If they miss a day they can get caught back up,” Whitney explained. “There will be incentives so that if kids get there a certain number of times they’ll be rewarded.”

Barbero, next generation

The next generation Barbero has inherited University’s boys cross country program.

Mike Barbero, a 1999 Titan graduate, is following his father, Bob, as math teacher and distance coach when he returns to the school next fall.

Bob Barbero, taught math and built U-Hi into a cross country power during 22 years as head coach through the 2000 season. His last five years have been spent as a teacher and coach at Mt. Spokane.

“Obviously we’re excited to have (Mike) back,” said Activities Coordinator Ken VanSickle. “He ran at a time when U-Hi was tops in the state.”

Mike competed when the Titans won three successive state championships. He becomes U-Hi’s third boys cross country coach since Bob left.

Linda Lanker resigned after three years, because the family is moving to Idaho. Mike assisted her in 2004 before getting a teaching job this past school year in Issaquah.

“I’m very excited,” said Mike. “Linda got the numbers high. Hopefully I can get them to work hard and see how it pays off.”

Fast start for U-Hi Legion

Kimmel Athletic Supply (University) is off to a quick American Legion Junior AA baseball start.

The team won four straight for championship of the Memorial Classic tournament, beating East Valley 10-0, West Valley 12-9 and 5-1 and Spokane Athletic Supply (Central Valley) 12-1 in the title game.

Tourney MVP Tyler Olson pitched the win over SAS, and drove in five runs on 3-for-4 hitting, including a three-run home run. Billy Moon was named the tournament’s outstanding pitcher.

Kimmel is 5-0 in the league’s South Division, including sweeps of CV and Ferris. Moon pitched a one-hitter and fanned a dozen in the second win over Spokane Athletic Supply.

West Valley is unbeaten in league, including 5-3 and 4-3 wins over Cheney. U-Hi transfer Tom Peterson pitched the opener and had three hits in the twin bill, including a double and home run.

Spokane Athletic is 2-3 in league with 15-6 and 12-7 wins over Whitman County and Lewis and Clark, Blake Bledsoe with six hits.

East Valley is winless in league to date.

•In Senior AAA ball, the Cannons are 3-2 and co-leaders in a close American Legion League race. They split with the Blue Devils and the North Stars, West Valley’s Greg Bradley and Central Valley’s Dane Knudson pitching the wins. On Tuesday, the Spokane Valley team beat the Bandits (also 3-2) 5-4 in 10 innings, WV’s Matt Peterson with three hits.

Eagles provided a major offensive lift. Mitch Phillips and Bryan Peterson had three hits each in Bradley’s 11-3 win over the Blue Devils. Matt Peterson and Justin Marlow each had two hits each, including doubles, in Knudson’s 8-1 win over the North Stars.

All five of the league-leading Bandits games have been decided by a run. University’s Adam Smith pitched a 1-0 shutout over the North Stars, and Titan teammate Nick Burger lost a 1-0 decision to the Blue Devils.

Another Titan, Danny Jordan, got the win in relief as the Bandits scored four times in the bottom of the seventh for a 7-6 win over the Blue Devils.

And they beat the Pullman Patriots 6-5, a game in which Smith had three hits and Burger two.