Quick hits

Rehkow steps down as East Valley coach

Freddie Rehkow accomplished something this year no other East Valley girls basketball coach had, guiding the Knights to the State 3A tournament.

And yet, after completing what should have been his most satisfying accomplishment in five years with the program, Rehkow said he felt unfulfilled. He has stepped down as the Knights head coach.

“It was a decision that is best for the program, my family and definitely best for me at this point,” Rehkow said, despite his team finishing a basket away from a trophy in Seattle in March.

“I put my heart and soul in it for five years and accomplished all I wanted to,” he said. “We earned respect as a class act. But when we got there (to state), I felt it seemed like it never was good enough.”

He said he wanted people to be happy and didn’t have the feeling that they were.

Rehkow’s teams went 45-72 overall in the rugged 4A/3A combined Greater Spokane League, and qualified for regional each of the past three seasons.

This year’s team finished 11-16 overall, but won district and qualified for state, going 1-2 by beating Kennedy 48-47 before losing to 2006 runner-up Issaquah by the identical score.

Rehkow said that, after returning, he dropped his son off at soccer practice when the decision to resign hit him. He asked his family what they thought.

“People say you know when it’s time,” he said. “When my 8-year-old son asked me what I’d do and I told him we’d go camping and have more time to hang out he said, ‘Sounds good to me, let’s do it.’ That sealed the deal for me.”

Double-figure efforts

Angie Bjorklund scored 13 and 11 points during two national all-star basketball game appearances.

The three-time Parade All-American from University scored 13 during a 105-76 loss in the McDonald’s All-American game in Louisville.

She had 11 points and seven rebounds during the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American game in Cleveland, won by the Red team over her White team 98-85.

Baseball showdown

Greater Spokane League leaders and district rivals Mt. Spokane and Mead will play each other in baseball next week. The Panthers (7-1) will host the Wildcats (9-1) on Tuesday and the pair completes the season series on Thursday at Mt. Spokane.

Other series of note will be Ferris (6-2) vs. North Central (4-4) and Central Valley (4-5) vs. Rogers (4-4)

Both games are at 4 p.m.