CV meets Wenatchee for state berth

Central Valley last went to the State 4A baseball tournament in 1996. Today the upstart Bears are in Wenatchee at 4 p.m. hoping to join what arguably may be the toughest four-team pod in this year’s 16-team event.

The state’s top three ranked teams in Lem Elway’s Washington Baseball Poll – defending state champion Richland, Redmond and University – are in the field.

“There’s a good chance the state champion is going to come from our region,” said U-Hi coach Scott Sutherland after the Titans won their second straight district championship with the best record in school history, 20-2. U-Hi reached the round of eight last year and is making its ninth state trip.

Richland is making its 17th state appearance with three titles, a second place and two thirds. Redmond (19-3) is in its 12th state tournament with three finals appearances and two titles.

If CV (14-10) wins today it will enter state as the outsider. The Bears finished second, then third in the tournament in 1974-75 and have been to five tournaments.

Regardless of the outcome, University will be at Safeco Field May 23-24 for the finals. The Titans will be honored as WIAA 4A baseball academic state champions.

“I’d like to come out of the dugout to receive the plaque,” Sutherland said.

Volleyball ties

Before Alexis Olgard was invited to try out for the USA Volleyball Junior National team, her family discovered ties to another of the invited members, Hayley Stelman from Nevada.

Olgard’s mother, Sandra, had danced professionally with Hayley’s mother, Janet, years before.

“We had not been in contact for years and didn’t know about each other’s daughters,” said Sandra Olgard. “A mutual friend who also danced with us got my e-mail and wrote ‘do you know Janet’s daughter is a volleyball player, too?’ We later ran into each other in a tournament in Reno.”

Sandra, a Ferris graduate, teaches ballet these days. She performed at the MGM in Las Vegas with Stelman and the Lido in Paris.

Now the daughters, like their mothers, could be performing together, in volleyball.

Soccer rubber match

This afternoon’s 6:30 first-round State 4A match at Central Valley between the Bears (12-4) and Mead (14-4) will be the third between the schools this year.

The Panthers won during league, CV for the district title. The Bears last weekend won their first regional title for their third state trip. Mead beat Wenatchee in a shootout for its 17th state appearance. Mead has six top-four state trophies.

The match is one of four first-round contests today. Cheney plays host to Othello at 4 p.m., West Valley is at Grandview at 5, Medical Lake is at Quincy in 2A at 6 and Lakeside, second out of the Bi-District, is home against Seattle Academy at 4.

Believe it or not

During the past three years, defending state 4A softball champion Shadle Park has been a top-four state finisher, twice a finalist and nationally ranked, but been beaten in the District 8 4A finals.

Indeed, the last time the Highlanders were district champs was back in 2001.

Today at 5 p.m. at Whitworth, Shadle’s seniors will seek to change that, finally against a different opponent, Central Valley. For the Bears, it is their second championship appearance, the last coming in 1996.

University, winners of the last three district titles, plays Mead at 3 for third and fourth spots to this weekend’s regional tournament at Franklin Park.

Also today, North Central plays host to Mt. Spokane at 4 p.m. for the 3A district title, West Valley is at Pullman and Clarkston at Colville in the 2A semifinals, and the 2B and 1B District 7 tournaments begin today in Kettle Falls.

B track gets jump

State qualifying for area track athletes gets under way today with the District 7 2B and Regional 1B meets at Spokane Falls Community College at 10 a.m.

Four boys per event and three girls from Bi-County and Panorama League 2B teams advance to state. District 7/9 1B schools advance two boys and two girls in each event to state.

All other state qualifying meets are this weekend.