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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mt. Spokane mapped out perfect ending

Less than 5 seconds remained and Mt. Spokane trailed by one point against University in Tuesday night’s Greater Spokane League girls basketball game.

“We had to go coast to coast,” Mt. Spokane coach Juli Kistler said. “We had one timeout left. I said this is what we need to look at – this option and this option – and, depending upon the defense, have to adjust. They ran it to a ‘T.’ ”

Taryn Russell, a transfer from Northwest Christian, threw a long in-bounds pass to sophomore Megan Nelson, who got the ball to Katie Karisch. She dribbled twice, found speedy Averi Hallman open on the back side, and got her the ball for the winning layup and 43-42 victory – Mt. Spokane’s first this year. It came against a team that had upset third-place Shadle Park earlier in the season.

“It was perfect,” Kistler said. “The layin went in when the buzzer went off.”

It was only the second win in school history by Mt. Spokane (1-3) over U-Hi (2-3). The first came during the 2002-03 season.

“Getting wins like this over a great program and good coach gives us a big lift,” Kistler said. “The GSL is tough to play in and we’re trying to get the kids to believe they can win.”

•Speaking of Shadle, the Highlanders (4-1) are at Lewis and Clark (4-0) in a 2:45 p.m. girls game Saturday between teams picked to finish atop the league. The game comes on the heels of the Tigers’ contest at Central Valley (3-1). Shadle hosts CV at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday. All are part of a four-team race led by Mead (5-0), which got past fifth-place East Valley (3-2) by four points on Tuesday.

Plenty of boys hoops

There are still three sets of boys games to play in the GSL as teams jockey in the next five days for position before winter break signals completion of a third of the season.

Gonzaga Prep sits perfect atop the boys league, while six other teams are separated roughly by a game. No surprise there, as that’s what coaches figured.

Every game of the 15 has meaning. Some of interest are LC (2-2) at CV (1-3) and Rogers (2-3) at Mt. Spokane (2-2) at 5:30 p.m. Friday; North Central at Ferris and Mt. Spokane at CV, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday; and LC at Mt. Spokane and Mead at North Central, at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Stags the real deal

That defending Great Northern League and State 2A wrestling champion Deer Park defeated defending 1A titlist Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) on Tuesday wasn’t as surprising as the ease in which it occurred.

The Stags won 11 of 14 matches, three by pin and two by major decision during a 47-13 triumph.

DP’s wins included Sean Burton’s 3-1 victory at 285 over Ben Fuson in a match between state-placing wrestlers, and Blake Adams’ 4-2 win over Mike Baumgarden at 112. Burton finished sixth as a freshman and Fuson was second as a sophomore. Adams, a junior, was third in state last year and Baumgarden, a sophomore, placed second.

Both wrestle in this weekend’s Tri-State Tournament.

DP has already defeated Clarkston in GNL competition. Clarkston edged Riverside 37-36 on Tuesday. Riverside figures to contend for league honors and last weekend finished second in the 30-team Battle at the Border tournament in Blaine, Wash.

Riverside scored 170 points to the hosts’ 191.5, with seven top-six placers. Jake DesRoches lost in the 160-pound final to Jimmy Belleville, a defending state champion from Black Hills. Brenton Beard (125) and Chase Florez (145) were third; Justin Hodge (135), Nick DesRoches (189) and Hunter Orgill (215) were fourth.

“That’s probably one of the toughest tournaments in Washington,” Riverside coach Randy Miller said. “I don’t know how many have 30 teams. There were a lot of kids.”

Miller said that depth is the strength of Riverside’s team. Of the 16 who wrestled last weekend, several were doubled up in weights.

“I feel good right now,” he said. “We have to keep it intact.”