Prep Watch: ‘A good day’ for Mead against Titans

(Posted, March 25) Mead’s softball team ended a three-year drought against University, winning 13-12 in a wild makeup game on Monday.

The Panthers last beat U-Hi in March 2005, but ended a string of eight straight losses including league, district and state.

“It looked like we were going to get hammered yesterday,” said coach John Barrington, “but we clawed back into it a bit, the girls came alive and it became contagious.”

All told, each team had 15 hits.

The Panthers utilized small ball and ran the bases to manufacture some of the runs, said Barrington, but also got big hits, including several doubles and a triple.

In the decisive seven-run fifth inning they had five hits in succession.

For Mead, Katie Kine and Stephanie Parker, who had a two-run double, had three each. Second baseman Tiffany Lookabill, a California transfer, hit two doubles.

Barrington said, Lookabill’s “on fire. She’s a sweet-swinging machine right now. She will catch for us and can play outfield. As a new kid she’s been a huge boost.”

U-Hi’s Alyssa Hawley had four hits, two of them doubles, Riki Schiermeister three. Lexi Obenchain‘s three-run double in the seventh brought the Titans to within a run, but Mead held on.

“It was a good day for us,” said Barrington. “It was a great fight by our girls.”

Showdown to Shull

(Posted March 25) It was a Rogers-Central Valley baseball pitching showdown between Jacob Partridge and Trevor Shull, won by CV’s Shull 4-1.

The Bears took advantage of walks and four errors to score three unearned runs. Both pitchers struck out 11, Shull in a route-going effort, Partridge in five innings of one-hit work. He threw 26 pitches in the first inning and 96 overall, trailing 2-1 when he was removed.

“You’ve got to take him out,” said coach Jim Wasem. “It’s early, and it’s cold. It’s too bad, but if you’re thinking of his future, and our future (a game) like today’s doesn’t mean anything. I think he threw 82 the whole game against Shadle.”

Rogers was also without No. 3 hitter and third-baseman Jake Campbell who sprained an ankle Monday playing basketball and was on crutches.

Pitchers rule

(Posted March 19) It is no secret that pitching is expected to be the strength of the Greater Spokane League this year, but Tuesday’s games really brought that fact to light. There was a near-perfect game and a no-hitter among three shutout efforts by college-committed hurlers.

Rogers’ Partridge was one out away from perfection against Shadle Park as he and Central Valley’s Rusty Shellhorn both had 16-strikeout games. Ferris’ Andrew Kittredge threw the no-hitter and helped himself with two-run homer.

Soccer leads charge

(Posted March 20) In my Prep Page column last week in The Spokesman-Review Sports section, I talked once again about the conflict facing some high school athletes because of their participation on club teams. My thesis: (apologies to the Beatles) We can work it out.

Or can we? When a club soccer team prohibits its players from turning out for high school as happened this year it makes you wonder.

I took flak a few weeks ago when I wrote that wisdom doesn’t always come with age. Such unwillingness by adults to bend in this soccer situation reinforces my opinion.

Hoop state honors

(Posted March 18/20) DeAngelo Casto was named by the Seattle Times newspaper it’s high school basketball all-state team.

The 6-foot-8 Ferris post got through a turbulent year that required an eligibility hearing, and averaged nearly 19 points a game in nine postseason contests. He led state in rebounding and set a record for blocked shots.

Saxons’ Don Van Lierop was 4A Coach of the Year and Shawn Stockton and Jared Karstetter were Times 4A all-state second team as was Lewis and Clark’s Brittany Kennedy on the girls team.

Northwest Christian’s Chase Ramey and Ray Ricks were 2B player and coach of the year respectively. Garfield-Palouse’s Elisha Lopez and Steve Swinney were 1B player and coach of the year.

Also, the News-Tribune in Tacoma announced its All-State basketball teams and Ferris athletes were again highly regarded.

Stockton and Casto were named first team, Karstetter was second team and Van Lierop was coach of the year.

Lewis and Clark’s Brittany Kennedy was second-team all-state selection and Jim Redmon was named coach of the year.