Fast Break
Volleyball
Olgard selected for Jr. national tryout
Mead sophomore Alexis Olgard has been selected as a member of the 2008 USA Volleyball Women’s Junior National Training team.
She is among 19 athletes who will try out this summer for 12 spots on the junior national team that will participate in the World Championships in Saltillo, Mexico, July 22-27. Olgard was chosen following a tryout at Eastern Washington University prior to Pacific Northwest Qualifier tournament in Spokane
“Now that it has happened, it’s amazing,” Olgard said. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up. If I didn’t make it, I didn’t want to be discouraged. But in the back of my head, I thought maybe it was the next step.”
Olgard is a 6-foot-6 middle blocker and regular on the last two State 4A championship teams. She has already been offered volleyball scholarships by numerous Division I schools. Her older sister, Emma, will continue her volleyball career at Montana.
Baseball
Spokane lands Legion World Series
It’s turning out to be a big year for sports in Spokane in 2010.
The American Legion Baseball World Series will be in Spokane in August 2010, joining U.S. Figure Skating Nationals in January and the NCAA men’s basketball subregionals in March.
Avista Stadium will host the eight qualifying high school-age baseball teams from across the country from Aug. 13-17, 2010.
A bid committee comprised of reps from American Legion baseball, Avista Stadium and the Spokane Regional Sports Commission traveled to the American Legion headquarters in Indianapolis.
“This is the second time we have bid for this event, and this time we went in with a better understanding of what they were looking for,” said Chris Frye, the SRSC director of marketing research. “A strong local organizing team, a great venue, proud military history and representation, and a proven track record of successful baseball programs in Spokane.”
Yakima is the other city in Washington to host the American Legion World Series, in 1954, 1978 and 2001.
Arena football
Davila earns Shock QB start
Nick Davila has earned the starting nod at quarterback for Saturday’s home game against Boise, Spokane Shock head coach Adam Shackleford said.
Davila came on in relief of Jason Murrietta in the fourth quarter and helped the Shock (5-0) edge Lubbock 43-41 last Saturday. Murrietta has started the Shock’s first five games. Both are first-year arenafootball2 quarterbacks.
“They’re still pretty even, but we just thought with Nick’s performance last week you certainly can’t ignore that and he deserves an opportunity to start,” Shackleford said. “He had a good week of practice. It wasn’t a thing where Jason didn’t, but we thought Nick did and we also felt it was based on his performance last week.”
Shackleford informed both players of the change Thursday.