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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sports in brief: Coaches select Eastern third

Football: Big Sky Conference coaches have picked Eastern Washington University to place third in their annual preseason poll.

The Eagles, who finished 6-5 overall and 5-3 in conference last year under coach Beau Baldwin (above), received one first-place vote and 48 points in the coaches’ poll.

Eastern was selected fourth in the annual media poll, receiving 195 points but no first-place votes.

Montana, which has won or shared the last 11 Big Sky titles, is the No. 1 pick in both polls. The Grizzlies received seven first-place votes and 63 points in the coaches’ poll and 27 first-place votes and 283 points in the media poll.

The rest of the coaches’ poll: Weber State, second; Montana State, fourth; Northern Arizona, fifth; Portland State, sixth; Sacramento State, seventh; Northern Colorado, eighth; and Idaho State, ninth.

Montana State takes Eastern’s place at third in the media poll.

Eastern was placed on probation in February and hit with a postseason ban for 2009. The school is appealing the ban. If it is upheld, the Eagles will be ineligible to win the Big Sky title.

He’s a true ace from both sides

Golf: A man who said he’s not much of a golfer pulled off a feat that not even some of the best players have matched.

Ed Platzer of Bowling Green, Ohio, knocked in a left-handed hole-in-one last month, 15 years after he hit a right-handed hole-in-one.

Platzer said he’s a natural lefty but learned to play right-handed when he couldn’t find any left-handed clubs. He started hitting from the left side four years ago when he finally found the right clubs.

The United States Golf Register tracks holes-in-one. It says it couldn’t find anyone who has matched Platzer’s achievement in its database that covers the past 13 years.

Associated Press

Hall honors local stock company

Rodeo: The Big Bend/Flying 5 Rodeo Company, owned by Don Hutsell of Ritzville and Sonny Riley of Pomeroy, will be inducted into the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame Sept. 3.

The ceremony at Central Washington University will include Hall of Fame bull rider Charles Sampson and clown Butch Lehmkulher.

Dave Trimmer

Native all-stars set for Pullman

Football: Merlin Weaselhead of Lakeside High in Plummer will play in the national Native American High School All-Star game Saturday at Washington State’s Martin Stadium.

Weaselhead, a member of the Colville Tribe, will play wide receiver and defensive back.

Tickets for the 7 p.m. game are $5.