Locally: Two area runners 2nd in JO cross country

Two seconds and a fourth-place finish highlighted the showings by 22 area athletes at the 2007 Junior Olympic National Cross Country Championships Dec. 8 in Lawrence, Kan.

Seconds were collected by Justin Rose of Colville, with a time of 16 minutes, 6.90 seconds for 5K, in the Young Men’s (ages 17 and 18) division, and Cody Curtis of North Idaho Track Club, 13:30.21 for 4K in Youth Boys (13 and 14). Meghan Bare of North Idaho was fourth in Bantam Girls (10 and under) with a time of 12:04.87 for 3K.

Other area finishers by division:

Bantam Girls (3K) – Cyra Carlson, Spokane Mercury, 13th; Victory Jones, Mercury, 137th.

Bantam Boys (3K) – Andrew Vandine, Mercury, 61st; Nick Templeton, Mercury, 62nd; Spencer Jones, Mercury, 174th.

Midget Girls (11 and 12, 3K) – Leanne Asper, North Idaho, 25th.

Midget Boys (3K) – Isaac Falls, Spokane, 31st; Kyle Wells, Mercury, 71st; Clyde McCaw, North Idaho, 76th; Austin Middleton, North Idaho, 137th; Tyler Templeton, Mercury, 222nd; Eric Allen, Mercury, 226th; Ryan Wells, Mercury, 234th.

Youth Boys (13 and 14, 4K) – Collin Overbay, Mercury, 97th; Scott Allen, Mercury, 114th.

Intermediate Girls (15 and 16, 5K) – Stevie Gildenhaus, Mercury, 17th; Elizabeth Fall, Spokane, 69th.

Intermediate Boys (5K) – Steven Kutsch, Mercury, 35th.

Young Women (17 and 18, 5K) – Stephanie Inouye, Mercury, 35th.

Baseball

Six high school seniors and a community college transfer have signed national letters of intent with Gonzaga University, Bulldogs coach Mark Machtolf announced.

Tyler Olson, a left-handed pitcher from University who was an all-league selection in California last year where he attended high school before transferring back to U-Hi, is among the high school signers.

The others are Ryan Carpenter, left-handed pitcher, and Nick Carrillo, right-handed pitcher/first baseman, from different high schools in Glendale, Ariz.; Royce Bolinger, right-handed pitcher/outfielder/third baseman, and Ernesto Ortiz, shortstop/second baseman, both from Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Andy Hunter, right-handed pitcher, from Tucson, Ariz.

The transfer is Steve Ames, a right-handed pitcher, from Columbia Basin Community College.

Bowling

Chris Gray and Michael Johnson defeated brothers Nick and Jake Schmehl to win the Junior Bowlers Tour doubles tournament last Sunday at Valley Bowl.

Daniel Seifert and Brandon Roush, who led the scoring after the first four games of qualifying, finished third. Mitch Lukes and Tyler Engstrom were fourth and Mike Federico and Adam Holtman finished fifth.

Lukes had high game of the day, a 245. Mary Baker was high for the girls with a 204.

Next JBT is Dec. 30 at Lilac Lanes.

College scene

Tom McAndrews, Eastern Washington’s senior tight end from Mead, is one of 51 players selected to the 10th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association academic all-star team.

McAndrews, who has completed his requirements toward his bachelor’s degree with a 4.0 grade-point average with a double major in finance and economics, is one of eight finalists for a $5,000 FCS ADA postgraduate scholarship.

“Washington State offensive lineman Micah Hannam, cornerback Chima Nwachukwu and punter Reid Forrest were named to the Sporting News Freshman All-America football team.

Idaho running back Deonte’ Jackson was honorable mention.

“Brandon Gibson, Washington State’s junior wide receiver who set a Cougars single-season record with 1,180 yards, was named to the third team on the Phil Steele’s (magazine) All-America football team.

“Seniors took home the lion’s share of the awards from the Washington State football team’s season-ending banquet last weekend.

Quarterback Alex Brink was named Offensive Most Valuable Player and safety Husain Abdullah was the Defensive MVP. Both are seniors.

Other awards went to: Ropati Pitoitua, Leon Bender Defensive Lineman of the Year; Bobby Byrd, Mike Utley Offensive Lineman of the Year; Greg Trent and Matt Mullennix, co-Tim Petek Strongest Man; Michael Willis, Ozzie Dire Scout Team Player of the Year; and Xavier Hicks, Special Teams Hammer. Trent and Willis are juniors, Hicks a sophomore. The others are seniors.

Special senior awards went to: Chris Baltzer, Laurie Niemi (attitude); Michael Bumpus, Frank Butler (spirit); and Jed Collins, Fred Bohler (inspiration).

“For the second time this season, Mandy Troutt, a senior at Lewis-Clark State College from Pullman, is the Frontier Conference Player of the Week for women’s basketball.

Troutt, a 6-foot-2 post, had 38 points and 14 rebounds as LCSC split two games in the Wells Fargo Invitational in Lewiston and was named to the all-tournament team.

“Jillian McAndrews, a sophomore central defender from Mead, was named the North Idaho College Player of the Year when the Cardinals passed out women’s soccer awards.

McAndrews was a second-team NJCAA All-American and one of eight Cardinals on the All-Region 18 team.

Other awards went to: goalkeeper Alicia Kahler (North Central), most improved and all-region; defender Kirsten Olson, newcomer of the year; central defender Lauren Winterholler, most valuable defensive player and all-region; forward Rachel Lopez (University) and midfielder Megan Wells (Central Valley), co-most valuable offensive player and both all-region; forward McKenzie Favero, NIC Au Coeur Award (heart of the team) and all-region.

Forward Lisa Carter and outside defender Raquel Homan were the other all-region selections.

“The Eastern Washington and Washington State women and Gonzaga men received team academic awards from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

EWU, with a 3.20 team GPA, was honored for an eighth straight year. WSU, with a 3.41 team GPA, was named for the third time in four years.

GU, with a 3.23 team GPA, tied for 21st out of 113 men’s teams honored and was selected a fifth straight year.

Football

The Rogers Pirates were presented with the Inland Empire Football Officials Association Team Sportsmanship Award at the high school’s annual banquet Monday.

Rogers was chosen over area schools from all classifications – B through 4A.

At its own awards banquet, the IEFOA named Eric Crone its Official of the Year.

Other awards went to: Scott Kenoyer, Rookie of the Year; Michael Carr, Apprentice of the Year; Bill Turnquist, Referee of the Year; Scott Cordell, Umpire of the Year; Bob Guerin, Head Linesman of the Year; Jim Warrick, Line Judge of the Year; Tim Davis, Back Judge of the Year; and Tom Reser, Becker/Sale Award for 2007.

Golf

Gonzaga University men’s coach Robert Gray has signed two players to national letters of intent.

Slated to join the Bulldogs next fall are Ross Friehe of Papillion, Neb., who tied for 14th the last two years in the Nebraska State A tournament and was a 2007 USGA Junior Amateur qualifier, and Oliver Grabb of Boulder, Colo., a top-20 placer in the last two state 5A tournaments and third-place finisher in the 2007 Colorado junior boys championship.