Pullman topples WV for GNL title

A senior started the scoring and a freshman finished it. When all was said and done, the Pullman Greyhounds earned the Great Northern League girls soccer championship and a first-round bye into the state playoffs.

Senior Kendra Heim scored from 25 yards out at the 11-minute mark and freshman Allie Druffel eased the ball into the net at the far post at 22 minutes to give the Greyhounds a 2-0 victory over the West Valley Eagles Thursday at Pullman.

Both teams entered play with 12-1 league records. WV (13-2 overall) held a 12-9 shots advantage but couldn’t find the net, including one shot off the post in the first half. Emily Van Orden earned the shutout victory for Pullman (40 points) with nine saves. Pullman is 14-2 overall.

WV (34 points) ends up as the No. 3 seed and will play the league’s No. 6 team, yet to be determined.

Elsewhere, Kellie Zakrzewski scored four goals and the visiting Cheney Blackhawks (12-4, 11-3 and 34 points) clinched the second seed and a first-round bye to district with a 6-1 victory over the Medical Lake Cardinals (7-9, 6-8). The Cardinals will be the No. 5 seed. … At Colville, Nikole Ball scored on a breakaway in overtime to give the Deer Park Stags (9-7, 8-6) a 1-0 win over the Indians (1-14, 1-12). Deer Park will be the No. 4 seed and will host Medical Lake in the first round of district Tuesday. … Amanda Suhr scored two goals and Taylor Hansen dished out two assists to lead the Riverside Rams to a 4-0 win over the Clarkston Bantams at Riverside. Riverside remains alive for the sixth seed to districts but needs help from Colville on Saturday. The Indians will play at Clarkston. If Colville wins, Riverside, Clarkston and Colville would be tied for the final district berth. If Clarkston wins, it wins the sixth seed outright.

Volleyball

GNL: The Pullman Greyhounds and West Valley Eagles will share the regular-season title and receive first-round byes to the District 7 2A tournament. That much is known. West Valley used Bailey Wold’s seven kills and four service aces to sweep past visiting Deer Park (2-12) 25-14, 25-21, 25-11. … Meanwhile, Pullman matched WV’s 13-1 league record with a 25-15, 25-16, 24-26, 25-15 victory over visiting Cheney (6-8, fifth seed). Shelby Cheslek had 12 kills and three blocks for the Greyhounds. … Riverside and Colville tied for third place and will face a coin toss to determine 3-4 seeding to district. … Riverside (8-6) beat visiting No. 6 Clarkston (4-10) 27-25, 25-17, 25-20 behind Hilary McCann-Smith’s nine kills and 13 digs. … Colville (8-6) got 11 kills from Makayla Carr in a 25-20, 25-18, 25-14 win over visiting Medical Lake (2-12).

Bi-County tournament: Reardan and Northwest Christian earned first-round victories. … Reardan defeated host Lind-Ritzville 25-22, 18-25, 12-25, 25-20, 15-13 behind Sara Wilke’s 10 kills, 10 digs and five blocks. … Christina Webb had 16 kills and five blocks to lead NWC past visiting Valley Christian. Hannah Descateaux added 25 assists for the Crusaders. Sidney Eggleston led the Panthers with nine kills and three blocks. … Tournament play resumes on Saturday at Davenport. L-R will play a loser-out game at 1 p.m. Reardan plays at 2:30.

Boys cross country

Class 1A regional: Josh Alexander covered the 3-mile Walla Walla Point Park course in 15 minutes, 50.61 seconds to win the championship and help send his Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) Eagles team to the State 1A meet. The Nine Mile Falls school finished with 36 points, nearly half the total of second-place Chelan (68). Cashmere earned the final team spot to state with 87 points. Lakeside’s Paul Lewis was sixth overall (16:38.36), Austin Stuchell seventh (16:46.46), Colton Berry ninth (16:47.55), and Ryan Rajeski 13th (17:14.55).

District 9B: The St. John-Endicott Eagles had five of the top eight finishers and won the meet hosted by Pomeroy. Nick Lumetta of Tri-Cities Prep won the individual title in 17:59.9, followed by a SJE’s Cody Siegel (18:15.8) and Warren Miller (18:36.6). The Eagles’ Ben Salzman was fifth (18:59.6).