Schiermeister satisfied with prep career

Many of the players in tonight’s 15th annual Jack Blair Memorial Classic girls all-star basketball game will continue playing in college or are anticipating doing so.

For University’s Riki Schiermeister, this week culminates a standout two-sport, four-year varsity career with the Titans. She gets to play her final basketball game at home, in the 7:30 p.m. game featuring the area’s best players.

Athletics encompassed just one part of Schiermeister’s well-rounded upbringing, with her focus being on academics. Sports were never about gaining a college scholarship or the end-all, be-all of her existence.

“Sports were a fun thing to do and kept me active,” Schiermiester said. “I was passionate while doing it. But there’s a lot to look forward to outside them.”

Tonight’s game at U-Hi pits the Metro All-Stars from Greater Spokane League schools against Region All-Stars from Idaho and Washington. The Metro has won the previous 14 games, most of them comfortably.

Game director Ron Adams said this year’s outcome, “as far as I’m concerned, is a coin toss. One team has the advantage in the first half, the other has the advantage in the second half.”

The Region stars, with four players from Idaho 5A champion Coeur d’Alene and two from Washington 4A runnerup Moses Lake, have the size. The Metro stars, including three players from three-time Washington champion Lewis and Clark, counter with speed.

The left-handed Schiermeister played on Titan teams that finished sixth, third and second in state. This year, she led them in scoring and garnered All-GSL honors.

“It was so fun to go to state and playing in the championship game,” she said. “I’ll always cherish that memory.”

She also started four years in softball as leadoff hitter and first baseman, garnering All-GSL honors three times. Unfortunately, the only year the Titans qualified for state, her freshman year, she tore her ACL in a basketball game and couldn’t play.

“That was probably one of the worst experiences of my life,” she said. “My one chance to go to state (in softball) and I blew it. I was miserable.”

This weekend she’ll join other Spokane athletes in the Senior All-Star Challenge at the University of Washington, a four-team tournament among the top high school fastpitch players in the state.

Her final organized sporting events, Schiermeister said, will be about rekindling AAU friendships and adding to fond memories.

“I’m going to go out and have fun, enjoy the experience and live in the moment,” she said.

Schiermeister is University’s valedictorian and a 4.0 student anticipating the next phase of her life, which will mean college and then a career in the medical field.

“Sports were always secondary for me and I don’t think I’ll be as devastated as some might be,” when it ends, she said. “It was always just fun for me and not my life. There was so much more going on. I will walk away knowing all that we’ve accomplished and I think that’s enough for me.”

Players Angie Bjorklund of Tennessee, Jami Bjorklund of Gonzaga and Katelan Redmon, who has transferred from Washington to Gonzaga, are scheduled to attend.

An autograph session is scheduled from 6:30-7:05 p.m.