4A regional games should prove interesting

The topic of conversation with Columbia Basin League folk in Tacoma was that of parity – and wild inconsistency – in their boys basketball.

Moses Lake activities coordinator Loren Sandhop said that depending upon which teams were on, any on a given night was capable of winning by 20 points. They also could lose to that same team by as many when they met again.

Thus it is that CBL regular season champion Pasco (16-6) will travel to Shadle Park (16-7) on Tuesday in the first round of the Lamb-Weston regional tournament. The Bulldogs were beaten by Eisenhower, which was just 6-6 in league to finish fourth.

The Cadets (16-7) wound up winning their third straight district title and will host Gonzaga Prep (13-10). Moses Lake (15-8) is at Ferris (22-0) and Wenatchee (14-9) hosts Mead (17-5).

A similar thing happened last year when both Ferris and Gonzaga Prep, who shared the Greater Spokane League title, were forced on the road with first-round district losses. And this year, league runner-up Mead lost its first district game and will travel.

In girls competition, University and Lewis and Clark (20-2) host Wenatchee (13-11) and Walla Walla (16-7), respectively. Shadle Park (15-8) will play in Pasco (21-1) and Mead (18-5) will be at Moses Lake (20-2).

Competition for both concludes Friday and Saturday in Kennewick.

Bjorklund recognized

The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has selected Angie Bjorklund as one of 20 on its 2007 High School All-America team. She is one of three who have signed to play for the University of Tennessee.

Mat Classic notes

There was no jubilation when Wilbur-Creston sophomore Cody Stevens won the Class B 125-pound championship at Mat Classic XIX.

Both Stevens and Wildcat coach Jerry Jones had quivering lips and were fighting back tears after Stevens scored the 4-3 decision with a takedown as time ran out.

The problem was that Stevens’ teammate, senior Deven Thomas, was on the receiving end of the two-point move.

“I don’t want to talk too much, I’ll start crying,” Jones said. “The senior is leaving but to have a returning state champion for two more years is great. But your heart breaks for the senior.”

It wasn’t an upset by any means. The two are practice partners, but didn’t compete against each other until the league meet when Thomas scored a three-point decision. Stevens came back to win by one for the regional title.

The rubber match was a low-scoring affair between two very familiar foes. After a scoreless first period, Johnson got a reversal in the second. Stevens returned the favor in the third but Johnson took the lead by escaping with 30 seconds left.

The referee consulted with his partner and the scoring table before awarding Stevens the takedown.

”(The match) was pretty fun, just like practice,” Stevens said. “(The aftermath) is really hard.”

•On the first day of competition, WIAA Executive Director Mike Colbrese glanced around the Tacoma Dome and mused, “nice crowd.”

Nice, indeed. The two-day competition drew a record attendance of 36,453.