Snow lifts her way to a world title

Danna Snow of Spokane, in just her second year back in competition after a three-year break, won a championship at the World Association of Bench Press and Deadlifters World Championships on Nov. 13 in Las Vegas.

Snow, 39, a fitness trainer and massage therapist, lifted 320 pounds to win the world title in the deadlift in the open women 123-pound class. Her career best in the event is 340 pounds. She also was second in the bench press, lifting 165 pounds. Her best is 185.

Snow started competing in 1997, but sat out between 2004 and March 2007.

The event had more than 500 lifters from 10 countries.

Baseball

Eleven high school seniors, six of them first-team all-state selections and one the Washington 4A player of the year, have signed national letters of intent with Washington State, coach Donnie Marbut announced.

The class includes shortstop Brett Jacobs from Richland, the state 4A player of the year.

Others are right-handed pitcher A.J. Carman of Salt Lake City; catcher Paul Clingan, Mountlake Terrace; right-handed pitcher Travis Cook, Cedarcrest; left-handed pitcher Bret DeRooy, Woodinville; catcher Josh Leyland, San Dimas, Calif.; right-handed pitcher Nico Lytle, Boise; right-handed pitcher Kendall Mayer, Salt Lake City; left-handed pitcher Richie Ochoa, Friday Harbor; left-handed pitcher/first baseman James Robbins, Shorecrest; and infielder Brady Steiger, South Kitsap.

College scene

Kiersten Dallstream, a Washington State junior, started for the United States in the opener of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup soccer tournament in Chile. The U.S. beat France 3-0 Wednesday and defeated Argentina 2-0 Saturday to clinch the top spot in Group B.

•Abby Goss, a Puget Sound freshman from University High, completed her first season of soccer when the Loggers (18-2) were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Goss played in all 20 games for the seven-time reigning Northwest Conference champions, starting 16. She had three goals and four assists for 10 points, sixth on the team.

•Jenny McKinsey of George Fox, a junior from Central Valley High, was an All-Northwest Conference selection in women’s soccer for a third time.

McKinsey, a first-team pick as a freshman at Pacific Lutheran before transferring and earning second-team honors last year, led the Bruins in every offensive category. She was second in the NWC in points (31), third in goals (12) and winning goals (five) and fourth in assists (seven).

•Wyatt Evenson, a Puget Sound freshman kicker from Shadle Park High, scored 10 points in the Loggers’ last football game Nov. 15 to finish the season with 40 points.

Evenson hit 25 of 28 extra points and 5 of 9 field goals, with a long of 35 yards. He had seven extra points and the 35-yard FG in a season-ending 58-14 win over Lewis & Clark.

Golf

Genna Dodge of Post Falls, who won regional titles as a freshman and sophomore, is one of two high school seniors to sign letters of intent with Idaho, Vandals coach Brad Rickel announced.

The other is Victoria Fallgren from Lakewood, Calif., who qualified for the USGA Women’s Amateur the last two years.

Dodge, home schooled until attending North Idaho College in a dual enrolling program as a junior, finished sixth in the Idaho State championships as a sophomore and played in the Jr. Worlds in San Diego this past summer.

•Alexandra Thompson of Boise, who has top-three State 5A finishes her first three years at Timberline, has signed a letter of intent with Washington State, Cougars women’s coach Walt Williams announced.

•Tanner Robb of Liberty Lake, who transferred from Central Valley to attend the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C., for his senior year, has signed a letter of intent with Lander University, an NCAA Division II school in Greenwood, S.C., Haney officials announced.

Robb played in the Optimist International Tournament of Champions last weekend, tying for 40th in boys 16-18 with a 28-over-par 172.

•Washington State University’s Palouse Ridge Golf Course has been ranked the ninth-best new course in the world for 2008 by “Travel + Leisure Golf.”

Designed by John Harbottle III, the 7,335-yard, par-72, links-style, 18-hole course opened Aug. 29.

Palouse Ridge is one of six new courses in the Western U.S included in the magazine’s most recent list of top new courses.

A public course as well as the home of the Cougars men’s and women’s teams, it is slated to host the Washington State Men’s Amateur in 2009, the women’s Pac-10 tournament in 2012 and the men’s Pac-10 tournament in 2014.

Last month, it was ranked 15th among the “50 Best New Courses” for 2007 and 2008 by Golf Week magazine.

Running

Bill Misner, 68, of Spokane earned a second masters All-American award for 2008 by timing 21 minutes, 51 seconds with his 30th-place overall finish in the Run for a Safe Haven 5K road race Nov. 8 in Sacramento, Calif.