Sports notebook: Bears face hurdles before playoffs

Central Valley, which has won four out of five of its Greater Spokane League football games, faces two final hurdles in its next quest for a playoff berth.

The Bears, providing they avoid a stumble next week at home against Shadle Park, finish the season against first-place Ferris on Oct. 18, then at University the following week.

Likewise, the Titans host Ferris on Friday in the second of four straight home games and finish against the Bears, also with playoff aspirations at stake. The league finale between district rivals looms large.

CV’s only league loss came against Lewis and Clark, which scored to win with five seconds left in their season opener.

“I wish we could play that game one more time,” said coach Rick Giampietri.

The Bears have not lost since (Friday night they were in Coeur d’Alene against top-ranked Lake City in a nonleague game) in league thanks to improved play on both sides of the ball over last year.

“We’ve got our offensive line put together now and can run the football, which is huge,” said Giampietri. (Quarterback Blake) Bledsoe has the ability to throw and run, (tight end-defensive end) Patrick Mealy is so much better on both sides of the ball than a year ago and transfers (back) Taylor Price and (lineman) Jeff Greenlund are playing well.”

Third-year two-way starter Tyler Cochran is quicker at fullback, leading the team in rushing, and had 10 tackles last week.

He said that the ends Mealey and Jake Neumann (“as good as there are in league”), and linemen Nick Boucher and Tyler Staples provide speed and relentlessness up front on the improved defense.

The Titans (3-2 overall, 2-2 in the GSL) have twice been hard-luck losers, including last week in double overtime to Mead.

The Titans have put up solid offensive numbers, Tyler Carlson leads GSL rushing with 568 yards, quarterback Danny Jordan is third in passing with 655 yards and receivers Dalton Puyear and Travis Clark are among the league’s best. The defense is among league leaders, Codee Allen and Tyler Clifton among a host of GSL linebacker standouts.

East Valley (2-3, 2-3), which lost 40-0 to CV last week, needed a win Friday over Mt. Spokane to sweep its fellow 3A foes in its bid for a state berth.

West Valley (1-4, 0-2) lost last week to Colville and faces the prospect of winning at least four games if it is to reach postseason.

WV runners closing in

West Valley’s boys cross country team is one step closer to its second straight Great Northern League championship.

The Eagles (3-0) beat Cheney (3-1) 22-33 and nearly swept Deer Park (2-2) in a meet among the GNL’s three unbeaten teams.

WV had three of the top four finishers – Richard Keroack the winner in 16:40 and Joey Hartmeier second in 16:53 – during what was, despite the final score, a taut race between the Eagles (3-0) and Blackhawks.

Both teams placed their five scorers among the top 10 and within scant seconds of each other. The fifth through 10th place finishers were separated by a mere seven seconds.

Cheney beat WV earlier this year 25-45 during the Blackhawk Invitational. The Eagles later returned the favor 47-58-72 during its Spokane Valley/Runner’s Soul Invite at Plantes Ferry Park. Two meetings, district and state, await.

The Eagles girls (2-1) were involved in a pair of one-point decisions. They lost to unbeaten Cheney 27-28 and beat Deer Park by the same score. Krystal Hughes was individual winner in 19:32 and Rachel Rubright placed fifth.

Knights defeated

East Valley was thwarted in its volleyball bid to move two games ahead of the 3A field in the race for a regional berth.

The Knights (5-2) lost 25-21, 25-18, 25-19 to Mt. Spokane (6-2) on Thursday, shifting the edge to the Wildcats. Kelsey Kurtz had 19 assists and 14 digs in the match.

University, meanwhile, improved its 4A district position in the GSL with a 25-23, 21-25, 25-17, 25-19 victory over North Central. The Titans (4-3) are fourth and virtual lock among teams vying for six playoff teams.

Diana Drury had 16 kills and Kasey Jurich 17 digs in the match.

CV (3-4), which had a bye, is a game behind in fifth.

“West Valley (7-1) remains locked in a three-way first-place Great Northern League battle with Pullman and Colville.

The teams will sort it out when the Eagles play the once-beaten foes Oct. 18 and 23.

Alyssa Wold has 218 assists in WV’s eight matches, nearly 100 more than the next best setter in league. She also has a league-high 31 service aces.

Melissa Mauro and Bailey Wold are third and fourth in the league in kills, and Brittany Anderson is third in defensive digs.

Softball showdown

Final three GSL slowpitch softball games are next week, including the season-ending first-place showdown between Central Valley and University.

The two Valley teams remain tied with 10-1 records and moved two games ahead of Lewis and Clark by each beating the Tigers last week.

On Tuesday, U-Hi won 9-3, out hitting LC 18-5 as sisters Ali Warren and winning pitcher Breann Warren had three hits each. Breann pitched a five hitter. Three other Titans had two hits apiece, including Traci Trotter, who doubled.

The Bears won on Thursday 5-0, pitcher Brooke Ford scattering six hits in the shutout and getting three base hits herself. Four other players had two hits each, including Brietta Beuchler, who doubled.

East Valley remained winless, losing 8-7 to Ferris despite a dozen hits, three by Vanessa Purcell, who also doubled.

Soccer at mid-point

The Greater Spokane League soccer season entered its second half on Friday, with all three Valley high schools victorious at least once last week.

East Valley made the biggest move with a shootout victory over previously unbeaten Lewis and Clark last Friday following scoreless regulation and overtime.

It was one of two wins for the Knights, who improved to 3-2 in league. Five players scored in the shootout, one better than the Tigers. They backed that with a 6-0 win over Rogers. Six different players scored, including Mallory Mott, Rachael Killingsworth and Morgan Manchester, who made penalty kicks in the shootout.

Central Valley (3-3) and University (2-3) were fifth and sixth among 4A schools.

Still playing golf

Trailhead Ladies Club golfers are still playing into October, and Sharron Collins led the way.

Collins shot a low gross 51 in A flight for the best score of the day. Joy Russell shot 53 in B flight and Peg Nadvornick had 65 in C.

Net winners were Mary Anne Evans with 32 in A flight, Bev Johnson had 27 in B and Marilyn Collins netted 29 in C. Leta Klutz had a chip-in.