Abercrombie leaves Cougars
Washington State University redshirt freshman guard Thomas Abercrombie will leave the school and return to New Zealand, where he expects to play professionally, according to men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett.
“Thomas will be missed,” Bennett said Wednesday in a media release. “We are grateful for his two years with us and the contributions he made to our program both as a redshirt and this season.”
The 6-foot-6 Abercrombie redshirted during the 2006-07 season and played in 12 games last season. He averaged 1.2 points and 1.5 rebounds for the 26-9 Cougars.
Abercrombie is the second player to leave the program in the off-season. He follows freshman guard Stephen Sauls, who decided to transfer to a school closer to his Missouri City, Texas, home after a midseason concussion forced him to miss the final three months of last season.
– Vince Grippi
College track and field
Idaho Vandals sophomore Darcy Collins ran a season-best 14.65 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and turned in a high jump of 5 feet, 5 inches on her way to a personal-best first-day score – good for second place – in the heptathlon as the Western Athletic Conference Championships began at Boise.
Collins, who finished fourth last season, has 3,019 points through the first four events. The heptathlon will conclude today with the long jump, javelin throw and 800 run.
Idaho senior Molly Burt is in third with 2,943 points, while teammate Lindsey Goodman is fourth with 2,853.
College baseball
Sean Halton went 4 for 4 and drove in two runs to lead Lewis-Clark State (52-5) to a 4-3 victory over Azusa Pacific (45-9) in the opening game of the West Coast Super Regional three-game series at Lewiston.
Prep softball
Nikki Fry’s two-run homer highlighted a five-run second inning as host Inchelium (8-11) defeated Cusick (10-11) in a loser-out game of the District 7 1B tournament.
The Hornets will play St. Michael’s (15-3) at 12:45 p.m. Saturday at Kettle Falls for a state berth.
Prep track and field
Morgan Baker (300 hurdles, 110 hurdles) and James Lehr (discus, shot put) each won two events to lead Waitsburg-Prescott to the boys team title at Tuesday’s District 9 2B meet at Clarkston.
Jacqulynn Henderson won the discus and shot to help Asotin to the girl team title.
Prep golf
The Freeman Scotties had four players finish in the top 10 on their way to the team title at the District 6/7 1A boys tournament, held Tuesday at Chelan.
Dane de Quilettes of Chelan was the medalist with a score of 70, leading a contingent of 22 individual state qualifiers.
Aaron Filion of Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) was second with a 72, followed by Dylan Maine of Freeman and Ryan England of Lakeside (73 each).
Chelan’s Kelli Bowers shot an 80 to take home girls medalist honors as eight players wrapped up state berths. Chewelah’s Gracie Schory (86) was second.