Quick hits
Cross country respect
Greater Spokane League cross country has once more been accorded statewide respect, despite the fact that 10 coaches are either in their first or second seasons.
This includes both Mead coaches, Steve Kiesel of the boys, who had coached nine years previously at Rogers, and Panthers girls coach Dori Robertson, who coached before at West Valley and Springdale.
The preseason 4A poll has Mead and Ferris boys ranked first and second, Lewis and Clark and Central Valley sixth and seventh. GSL girls teams from CV, Mead and University are ranked seventh through ninth.
For 3A boys, North Central has been ranked first, Mt. Spokane fourth and East Valley ninth, although likely without the knowledge that last year’s No. 2 EV runner, Tyler Thatcher, is now at CV.
Mt. Spokane’s girls, second in state 4A last year, with all but Megan O’Reilly returned, are picked third in 3A, with NC sixth and EV considered.
Colville’s boys and girls are picked sixth and seventh and West Valley’s boys seventh among 2A schools. Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), second in State 2A boys last year with five runners returned, received no recognition in the 1A poll.
Last year’s top four boys B placers, Reardan, St. George’s, Valley Christian and Odessa, are picked that way again. St. George’s girls are ranked No. 2 and Wilbur-Creston fifth.
Soccer’s new frontier
With their move to 1A, Lakeside and Chewelah are breaking new ground as the first area girls soccer teams to compete at that classification. Lakeside coach Mark Lindsay explained both teams will play regular-season matches in the 2A Great Northern League that will count in regular-season standings. Chewelah and Lakeside then will play a seeding match to determine first and second places for 1A playoff purposes.
Volleyball head start
It’s only non-league, but tonight’s volleyball match between Mead and Lewis and Clark will be a fun one to watch. They will be favored to win the league, which conducts a 10-game GSL schedule beginning Tuesday. Both have tall front lines, so expect the battle to be decided at the net.
GSL game of the week
Lewis and Clark (1-0) vs. Mead (1-0), Friday night at Albi, 8:30 p.m. Both football teams opened the season victorious, but the games left questions unanswered. LC’s offensive and defensive fronts performed well against Central Valley, but sophomore quarterback Taylor Eglet and junior running back Christian Collins will likely face a more experienced and definitely more massive line against Mead. That said, LC’s foe was likely tougher than Shadle Park, which the Panthers played, so the 56 points they put up – including 190 yards rushing by Luke Hattrup and 179 yards receiving by Nick Proen – may have been deceiving. Friday’s game will determine which, or both, of these teams are for real.
Other GSL football games: Tonight, Albi Stadium, 3A foes North Central vs. Mt. Spokane, 4:30; 4A teams CV vs. Rogers, 7:45. Friday, Albi, unbeatens Ferris vs. East Valley, 5:45 p.m.; Shadle at University, 7; and, in non-league, Bellarmine Prep at Gonzaga Prep, 7:30.
Area game of the week
Lakeside (1-0) at Kettle Falls (1-0), Friday, 7 p.m. The Northeast A League this year plays nine straight league games (a double round robin, minus one), then they’ll cross over against the Caribou Trail League in the 10th week of the season. Lakeside, the preseason favorite following its 7-3 Great Northern League season a year ago, travels to play against a team that was outgained 3-to-1 in total offense, gaining just 66 yards, but beat Freeman on Jakobi Bradeen’s fumble return and ensuing two-point conversion. Veteran Lakeside quarterback Travis Corigliano was 10 of 14 for 144 yards and two TDs in a victory over former GNL mate Chewelah. Also, Colfax (1-0) at Chewelah (0-1) will determine where those two teams stand.