Fast Break

SWABS

Walker, WSU headline awards

International pole vault champion Brad Walker won his third straight professional athlete of the year award when Inland Northwest Sportswriters and Broadcasters voted for their 2007 athletes, coach and team of the year.

Washington State basketball won a pair of awards, and for the second time in three years, a Spokane high school athlete is the amateur female athlete of the year.

They’ll be recognized Wednesday during the 30th annual Spokane Regional Sports Commission Youth Awards Luncheon at noon in Exhibit Hall A of the new Convention Center.

Walker became the first American to win the World Games pole vault last September in Osaka, Japan. The University High graduate and former University of Washington athlete cleared 19 feet, 2 3/4 inches. He won the World Finals in Germany at 19-4 3/4.

The Cougars, who reached the second round of the NCAA tournament with their best record in 60 years, 26-8, are team of the year. And Tony Bennett, in his first season at the helm, is coach of the year.

Angie Bjorklund, like Rogers’ track athlete Rebekah Noble two years before, becomes amateur female winner for her prep accomplishments. The record- setting Greater Spokane League scorer led University to second in state, was Washington Gatorade Player of the Year, a first-team Parade Magazine All-American and a member of the USA Basketball U19 National Team.

Rounding out the award winners is amateur male Rodney Stuckey, who averaged 24.6 points per game as an Eastern Washington basketball sophomore and earned league and All-American honors before moving into the NBA.

The SWABS junior award winners will be revealed at Wednesday’s luncheon. For ticket information contact Deana McClenny at 742-9379.

NHL

Zednik needed 5 units of blood

Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik lost five units of blood, but doctors never considered his life in jeopardy after the player had his carotid artery nearly severed by a teammate’s skate in a freak and frightening accident Sunday.

Zednik, who played for Portland in the WHL in 1994-96, underwent an hour of surgery to reconnect the artery Sunday night and was in stable condition in the intensive care unit at Buffalo General Hospital on Monday. He was awake and cooperative, staff said.

Attending surgeon Sonya Noor said there were no initial signs of brain damage, which is a fear whenever the coratid artery is clamped. She said clamps were in place for about 15 to 20 minutes during surgery, which she considers a short time.

“So far, he looks very good. He’s awake, oriented,” she said.

Zednik was sliced across the right side of the throat by teammate Olli Jokinen’s skate midway through the third period of Buffalo’s 5-3 victory. Doctors said the skate blade just missed cutting the jugular vein.

The carotid artery supplies blood to the brain, while the jugular vein takes blood from the brain. Blood pressure is much higher in the carotid artery.