Peterson, Cunningham in Junior Olympics

West Valley’s Bryan Peterson and Mt. Spokane’s Jarek Cunningham will participate with the Northwest Baseball Junior Olympic team in the U16 2006 USA Junior Olympic Baseball Championships in Phoenix, Ariz., Friday through July 1.

Thirty-six players will be chosen from the tournament for the USA Baseball National Team trials in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

An 18-member team will be selected there to represent Team USA in the Pan American Championships in Venezuela in early August.

“University pitcher/third baseman Adam Smith was named to the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association All-State 4A baseball team. He and 2A selection Justin Cooper from Pullman were the area’s two first-team selections.

Mead’s Andy Mattingly (4A) and East Valley’s Tanner Hamilton (3A) were second-team selections, and Ferris’ Bud Kittredge and Caleb Rath were 4A honorable mention.

“The Spokane North Stars came up one game short of winning the Bandits Bash 10-team tournament, losing to the Twin City Titans 6-1 in the championship game Sunday night. In the semi-final game against the Tri-City Bandits, the North Stars used a Kip Johnson home run and a Cameron Joslyn two-out, game-winning single in the eighth inning to advance to the championships game.

Johnson, who had three home runs in the tournament, was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player.

Basketball

Spokane’s Higher Hoops U14 boys basketball team won the Adidas Rose City Showcase, June 18 in Portland. The tournament featured some of the top AAU teams in the nation. The team will travel to Las Vegas to compete at the Vision Sports National Championships in late July.

Climbing

Melissa Main and Bryan Brenize continued their climb to the top at the USAC Climbing divisional championships held June 10-11 in Sacramento, Calif.

Main, from Lewis and Clark, placed third in the female youth A category after winning the event at the USA Indoor Climbing regional championships in May.

Brenize, from Gonzaga Prep, took second in the male junior category. He also won his event at the USA Indoor Climbing regional championships.

Both climbers were invited to compete in the National Climbing Championships to be held in Portland, July 7-9.

Football

It’s time for the annual East-West All Star football showdowns, with games to be played over the next two Saturdays.

The first, for Class 2A schools and smaller, is this weekend in Yakima at Eisenhower’s Zaepfel Stadium. The 4A/3A game will be at Everett Memorial Stadium on July 1. Both will be played at 1 p.m.

Jeff Nelson, of B-8 state champion LaCrosse-Washtucna, is East head coach for this weekend’s game.

“It doesn’t change anything at all,” said Nelson of coaching 11-man football. “We’ll be doing our stuff. I’ve surrounded myself with some pretty knowledgeable assistant coaches and some fantastic talent. Physically they look impressive.”

Among the athletes representing four state classification area leagues are three from his four-year unbeaten state champion team – Matt Martin, Jeff Bafus and Michael Martin.

Also on the team are four players from State 2A unbeaten champ Pullman.

“Running backs J.C. Sherritt and Mike Thomas are as big as most linemen, and I know we have fast receivers,” Nelson said in a Monday phone call from Yakima as players prepared for their first practice. “And the big kids up front look physically impressive. I’m walking into a fantastic situation.”

Area players rounding out the East 2A/1A/B squad are Ashton Gant and Jeff Jones from Pullman; Cameron Stroyan, Chewelah; Cody Cantu, Lakeside; Andrew Wilkerson, Freeman; Josh Campbell and Brian Danaher, Colfax; Quinn Anderson, Kettle Falls; Derek MacArthur, Selkirk; Eric Everett, Reardan; Nick Ashley, Lind-Ritzville, and Daniel Templeton, Liberty.

Jim Wood of Freeman and Erik Nikkola of Reardan are assistant coaches.

The East 4A/3A roster for the game in Everett includes eight Greater Spokane League players – running backs Ethen Robinson, Lewis and Clark, Shane Thomas, North Central, Paul Senescall, Mead, and Zach Evans, Central Valley; linemen Tyler Jolley, East Valley, C.E. Kaiser, CV, Clint Moquist, University and Tyler Hobbs, West Valley.

Mead’s coach Sean Carty will be an East assistant.

“Rosters have been set for the Idaho high school all-star football game which will be held July 8 at Centennial High School in Meridian.

The state all-star game includes players from all classifications. The game, which was played regularly more than 20 years ago, was revived last year.

Team Idaho consists of players from Districts 1 (North Idaho), 2,4,5 and 6. Team Treasure Valley features players from District 3 (the Boise area).

Team Treasure Valley won last year, 20-6 at Boise State University’s Bronco Stadium. Eight players from local high schools will be playing in the game.

They are: Nick Vaudreuil, defensive lineman, Lake City; David Bobbitt, linebacker, Lake City; Brad Herrenbruck, defensive lineman, Moscow; Brooks Reynolds, running back, Lewiston; Rosse Steele, offensive lineman, Moscow; Jake Hall, quarterback, Coeur d’Alene; Kevin Ah-Hi, running back, Coeur d’Alene; Beau Blewett, wide receiver/tight end, Lewiston.

Shooting

Joe Witsch was the top finisher with a score of 97 at the Youth Shotgun Sports program at Landt Farms Sporting Clays on June 10. This program was held to benefit the Eastern Washington Youth Outdoor Education Foundation which is the second youth shooting instruction program founded in the United States.

Other top finishers were Tracy Wright, who took first place in class AA with a score of 94, Clint Davis, who won the B class with a score of 88 and Mike Stoltz who won class C with a 96.

Charlie Flager took the E class with an 86 and David Thompson and George Fuget tied for first in class D, with a score of 87.