Bandits will play in holiday Legion tourney

The league-leading Bandits, with players from Ferris, Lewis and Clark, and Gonzaga Prep, and Cannons will represent the host American Legion Senior League in its annual Fourth of July tournament.

Games begin Saturday and continue through Tuesday’s holiday with championship and consolation final games at Shadle Park’s Al K. Jackson Field.

The tournament has added a 13th team this year but will still be played in two divisions with the champions in each advancing to the title game and second-place finishers to the game for third and fourth places.

Each team is guaranteed five games during the four-day event.

Games will be played beginning at 8 a.m. at both Al K. Jackson and Spokane Falls Community College fields and will feature an 8:30 p.m. game each day at the lighted Shadle Park field.

Others in the field are the Newport Grizzlies, Bud Bay Embroidery, Bethel Huskies, Liberty Cannons and Stillaguamish Tugs, Great Falls Electrics, Kalispell, GK Eagles, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Meridian and Idaho Falls.

This year’s AA tournament has taken on a different look as well. It has increased to 15 teams in three divisions played at Whitworth, North Central and Gonzaga Prep.

Six of the teams are from the local Legion league, including Medical Lake, Ferris and Gonzaga Prep from the South Division, and North Central, Mt. Spokane and Shadle Park from the North.

After teams play their four pool games, seven Tuesday games, beginning at 9 a.m., with the final three at 2:30 p.m., will determine placers.

Kimmel and NC are in a field with the Coeur d’Alene Loggers, Lake Stephens and Bremerton. Mt. Spokane and Medical Lake are in with the Coeur d’Alene Lakers, Olympia and Puyallup.

Gonzaga Prep and Shadle Park are in the pool with Medicine Hat, Lakewood and West Valley-Yakima.