Surprises aplenty in GSL and Basin

What a difference a week makes in Greater Spokane League football.

Shadle Park defeated East Valley two games ago in double overtime. Last week, the Knights beat Lewis and Clark 23-3 and that Shadle lost at Central Valley wasn’t as surpising as the margin of victory.

“I didn’t anticipate it at all,” Bears coach Rick Giampietri said of the 43-7 outcome. “Shadle’s front seven was solid.”

CV quarterback Blake Bledsoe was the key, Giampietri said, completing 12 of 14 passes, with one dropped and another touched.

“Bledsoe had his best day and the receivers were great all day,” Giampietri said. “We got too quick (for the Highlanders), then were able to run the football on them and it all got rolling. I think we played our best defensive and offensive game of the year.”

The defense swarmed, he said, with 6-foot-4 lineman Evander Cobbs “just playing lights out.”

CV scored nearly every conceivable way – by rushing, passing, on a safety, blocked punt and interception return – except by fumble return and field goal. Giampietri was quick to point out that his two kickers, Blaze Vela (who already has seven field goals this year) and Jake Miller, booted 57-yarders in practice with a stiff breeze behind them.

The Bears, who improved to 4-0, have had an ideal schedule in which to develop a line that starts three sophomores. Up next are North Central and a non-league game against Post Falls before the gauntlet of Ferris, Gonzaga Prep and Mead in their final three league games.

“We’re playing them at the right time of the year,” Giampietri said.

As for EV’s win over the Tigers, coach Adam Fisher said: “We felt we had a good game plan going in, but didn’t know if we could hold up with their bodies. They were down some bodies which helped our cause.”

Talk about upsets

If you think there have been some upsets in Greater Spokane League football this year, consider last weekend in the Columbia Basin Big Nine.

Three previously unbeaten teams, including state-ranked Kamiakin, bit the dust. The Braves were shocked 27-6 at previously winless Eastmont. Pasco went down 14-3 to expected contender Moses Lake. Walla Walla, likewise unbeaten, lost 30-20 to 3A Hanford.

“Unbelievable,” Giampietri said. “I don’t know what to think of it.”

Pre-season divisional favorites Southridge (the lone unbeaten at 4-0 overall, 3-0 in its Columbia Division) and Richland (3-1, 3-0 in the Cascade) find themselves in first place.

GSL unbeaten Ferris travels to Eastmont this week. It will make for an interesting comparison.

Warren selects DePaul

Power hitting third baseman Ali Warren, a four-time All-Greater Spokane League athlete from University, has verbally committed to play Division I softball for DePaul University in the Big East Conference.

“When I was younger, I always wanted to go to Oregon, but quickly found out you can’t pick your school, the school has to pick you,” Warren said.

She originally planned on attending the University of Evansville, but a phone call from DePaul and last week’s visit to Chicago convinced her it was the place.

“I absolutely loved it,” Warren said. She dined with assistant coach and Olympic pitcher Cat Osterman, whom she played against when the USA team met the Spokane All-Stars in June.

“I didn’t talk to her here, but mentioned I got to play against her,” Warren said. “She brought her gold and silver medal to dinner.”

A U-Hi senior, her first two years as starting fastpitch third baseman, Warren has a career .539 GSL batting average with 21 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs and 61 RBIs. She also plays slowpitch softball in the fall.

Slowpitch popular

When GSL slowpitch softball began, the intent was to satisfy gender equity.

It has succeeded. University coach Jon Schuh said Monday that several schools, including his, have had so many girls turn out that they have added extra junior varsity teams this year. As it grows in popularity, University continues to succeed.

“We have a lot of girls at U-Hi who play softball,” said Schuh, explaining that success.

Another reason, he said, is his approach toward a game not generally considered on the same level as the GSL’s other 18 sports.

“My biggest thing is it’s an official GSL sport and I don’t feel some treat it that way,” he said. “The fields should be manicured, there should be foul lines and no weeds. If you don’t (do that), people don’t take it seriously.”

The Titans do. Despite graduating several key players and without the power hitting of past seasons, the two-time defending champions entered the week 9-0 with a Thursday showdown looming against Central Valley. The Bears’ only loss came to the Titans in the second game of the season. Last year, U-Hi won a second straight district championship, beating CV in a one-run, nine-inning playoff thriller.

“The purpose is working. We’re getting girls out,” Schuh said of a sport that has grown from five to nine league teams since 2003 with some schools adding extra junior varsity squads. “But let’s treat it like an official sport.”

Soccer showdown

Girls soccer teams at Gonzaga Prep and Mead risk unbeaten records when the GSL leaders square off Wednesday at Mead.

Both are 3-0 in league, the Bullpups (7-0 overall) trailing the Panthers (6-0) by a point by virtue of a shoot-out victory. Mead, which won the league last year, has been led in scoring by Mikayla Anderson and Jill Pecka. Gonzaga Prep, which tied for second place a year ago, has been paced by last year’s scoring leader Megan Lindsay – nine goals overall – and sophomore Ashley Ames.

Stanford Invitational

Jordan Baker finished eighth overall and Mead was eighth as a team during last weekend’s Stanford Invitational cross country meet in California. Baker timed 15:54, 29 seconds behind the winning time.

Jordan Curnutt ran 16:28 for 33rd. Eric Foss timed 16:45 and Steven Kutsch 16:52. Ferris’ Adam Thorne was 65th in 16:50 and the Saxons were 17th as a team. Highest Washington finisher was 3A Seattle Prep, which took fourth.

GNL meets begin: First round of Great Northern League cross country will shake out the contenders today with Cheney hosting West Valley, Pullman and Medical Lake, and Riverside facing Colville and Deer Park.

Last year the Blackhawks, Eagles and Indians shared first place among boys and Cheney’s girls won outright. Early invitationals have been kind to Cheney’s boys and Deer Park’s girls. Last weekend both finished close seconds to Lewis and Clark boys and girls at the Runners Soul Valley Classic hosted by WV.