Quick hits
Wrestling coach must sit
University wrestling coach Don Owen must sit out the Titans’ first Greater Spokane League match next year following disclosure of two WIAA violations last winter.
It was confirmed after various parties received an anonymous e-mail, U-Hi activities coordinator Ken VanSickle explained, that a middle school wrestler, whose season was ended, competed in an exhibition match during the school’s Pacific Northwest Classic invitational tournament.
That violated two WIAA rules, he said. First was for coaching out of season and the other was for illegal participation by a non-team member.
Titans assistant Casey Stookey, who was in the wrestler’s corner, cannot participate in a couple of practices.
Owen took responsibility, saying it stemmed from the effort to provide exhibition matches for wrestlers here with visiting teams, but who were not entered in the tournament. Inadvertently the youngster, in attendance at the tournament, was paired up with one.
“I try to do things by the book and rules,” Owen said. “It was a circumstance and I should have realized it. I’ve never done it before and it’s the last, I assure you.”
Banner track year
No matter what happens at the 4A/3A State track championships at Pasco’s Edgar Brown Stadium this weekend it has already been a banner year for Greater Spokane League athletes.
Still combing through the season results – and with improvements expected against state competition – there were at least 28 school records set this spring among the 11 GSL schools.
There were a couple of league records, District 8 records and regional records as well, plus three all-time Spokane bests.
Topping the charts are Ferris high jumper Kelly McNamee (5-9), Mt. Spokane pole vaulter Jordan Roskelley (12-8) and Shadle Park’s 1,600 relay team of Amy Before, Jordan Guske, Brianne Brown and Jordan Carlson (3:51.70).
Tennis domination
Last weekend’s regional effort by Greater Spokane League 4A tennis players was the best of this decade when they earned 11 of 14 spots to this weekend’s state tournament.
That hasn’t happened in the 14-year history of regional competition with the Columbia Basin League. The closest was 2002 when the GSL claimed nine state berths. Typically, the numbers have been six or seven.
Unprecedented was the fact that GSL girls swept all six spots allotted this year. The boys duplicated 2005 when they advanced five of eight.