Zags sign 3 for volleyball

Two players from the Spokane area, including Kelli Tikker from Lakeside in Nine Mile Falls, are among three volleyball players who signed national letters of intent with Gonzaga University.

Coach Kip Yoshimura announced that Kaprina Goodwin, a 6-foot middle blocker from Northport, and Denise Van de Mortel, a 5-10 setter from Murrieta, Calif., also will join the Bulldogs in the fall of 2008.

Tikker, a 5-9 outside hitter, led Lakeside to the State 1A tournament her junior and senior years. The Eagles placed second in 2006 and seventh in 2007. Tikker was the Northeast A League Most Valuable Player as both a junior and senior and was Co-MVP of State 1A as a junior.

Goodwin led Northport in most statistical categories while leading it to a second straight fifth-place State 1B finish.

Van de Mortel helped Murrieta Valley High to a 26-5 record as a senior. She was a three-time all-league selection, once on the first team, twice on the second.

Arenafootball2

Wide receiver Davin Dennis, a 2005 Kansas State graduate who spent part of last season on the practice squad of the AFL ArenaBowl champion San Jose SaberCats, has been assigned to the Spokane Shock.

The Shock also announced that OL Harrison Nikolao (Eastern Washington), who signed with them Nov. 9, has signed with the Philadelphia Soul of the AFL.

High school basketball

Springdale put three players in double figures – Sara Taulaki (12) and Shelbea and Chelsea Rainbolt (10 each) – in a 55-26 Panorama 1B girls win over Columbia at Hunters. Chelsea Rainbolt hit three 3-pointers. Erin Dashiell had 10 rebounds for Columbia.

In the boys game between the schools, Joel Kohlstedt and Ryan Presho scored 13 apiece to lead Springdale to a 71-42 win. Jason Dennison led Columbia with 12.