Quick hits
Crossover Classic
Grandview upset the field to win last year’s Crossover Classic volleyball tournament. The Greyhounds return to defend their title when the 14th edition of the tourney takes place Friday and Saturday.
Second to Selah in State 2A last year, Grandview surprised bigger schools in the Crossover field last year, beating Mead and Wenatchee en route to the crown.
The full field of 64 teams will compete in 16 four-team pools at five locations: Lewis and Clark, Ferris, University, Central Valley and East Valley.
“Grandview is back and, as always, Mead is the team to watch,” said LC coach Julie Yearout, who returns as tournament coordinator. “I think being so late in the season that it is going to be a great preview of what the state tournaments for all classes are going to look like.”
A number of teams in the field are ranked statewide in their respective classifications, including the top three Class 3A teams: Bishop Blanchet, Kamiakin and Auburn Riverside.
Mead, No. 1 and the four-time defending 4A champion, Shadle Park and LC are ranked among the top 10. Last year’s State 1A champion and runner-up, Colfax and Lakeside, are currently first and fourth in state. Grandview is second in 2A and Wilbur-Creston is second in 2B.
Others to watch are Idaho state champion Sandpoint, Eisenhower and Skyview.
Each team plays three matches for seeding, with the pool champions playing at LC in the Buzzie Welch championship tournament. Second-place pool finishers are at Ferris in the Linda Sheridan bracket, third-placers are at EV in the Stacey Ward bracket and fourth-placers are at U-Hi in the Judy Kight bracket.
A handful of matches will be played Friday at 7 p.m. Pool competition goes full bore Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. with the bracket tournaments set to begin at 1 p.m.
Championship matches are scheduled for 6:30.
Brackets are on the Greater Spokane League Web site, www.greaterspokaneleague.org.
New coach at Freeman
Greg Hannan, the C-squad and junior varsity boys basketball coach the last two years at Freeman, has been named interim coach for the Scotties, replacing terminated coach Mike Thacker.
“We decided to promote him and look at it again in the spring,” said Freeman athletic director Brian Parisotto. “We’ll see if he wants to do it or see what else happens.”
Hannan played basketball at Clarkston, in college and in Australia.
We’ve been here before
How many years has a Bi-County football season come down to a meeting between Reardan and Lind-Ritzville for league supremacy? Quite often.
“It’s a big game in our league,” said Broncos coach Greg Whitmore. “It usually is anytime you play Reardan, and it has huge implications on the playoffs.”
The two will go at it again Friday. Both are unbeaten in league and their only losses have been to defending 2B champion Asotin, by nearly identical scores.
Both teams are experienced and have multifaceted rushing attacks. The L-R Broncos (4-1, 3-0) have been led by Isaiah Grant on the ground and Mike Osborn through the air. He had a four-touchdown passing game last week.
The Indians’ Josh Eldred is averaging more than 100 yards per game, but three different backs have scored. Quarterback Adam Collins has incorporated a 6-foot-5 target in Tyler Moos.
“This game is huge for us,” said Reardan coach Eric Nikkola. “I’m not ready to say it’s for the league championship, but it puts whoever wins as the front-runner.”
Football this week
In the GSL: Ferris (6-0, 5-0) at University (4-2, 3-2), 7 p.m., and Gonzaga Prep (4-2, 3-2) vs. Mead (4-2, 3-2), Albi, 8 on Friday – Huge implications for U-Hi, Mead and G-Prep. Also, Lewis and Clark (5-1, 5-1) vs. East Valley (3-3, 3-3), Albi, 5:15 p.m.
Tonight: North Central (1-5, 1-4) vs. Rogers (0-5, 0-5), Albi, 6:15 p.m. and Central Valley (5-1, 4-1) hosts Shadle Park (1-5, 1-4), 7 p.m.
Key games around the area include: Cheney (4-2, 2-1) at West Valley (2-4, 1-2) – do or die for WV’s Eagles in the Great Northern League; Kettle Falls (5-1) at Freeman (3-3) – last Northeast A meeting was decided by a point; Asotin (5-1, 1-0) at DeSales (5-0, 1-0) – Southeast 2B biggie. Columbia (6-0, 5-0) at Odessa (5-0, 5-0) – showdown between Northeast 1B leaders.