Youth notebook: AA baseball grows, reorganizes
American Legion Junior (AA) baseball has expanded to 26 teams this summer and now is divided into four divisions among two leagues.
“We’ve got new teams,” commissioner Mike Padden said. “(Mt. Spokane coach) Alex Schuerman came up with the idea and we couldn’t figure a reason not to do it.”
The newly named American League is now comprised of South (Shadle Park, Riverside, Cheney, North Central, Rogers, Northwest Christian and Lakeside) and North divisions (Mt. Spokane, Mead, Newport, Colville, Chewelah and Trail).
The National League includes the East Division (University, Coeur d’Alene, Central Valley, Freeman, East Valley and West Valley) and West Division (Ferris, Whitman County, Asotin County, Medical Lake, Lewis and Clark, Pullman and Gonzaga Prep).
Padden said that at season’s end the top three teams from each division will qualify for playoffs with a loser-out crossover game among second- and third-placing teams, then the regular tournament that ultimately advances four teams to state.
Spokane is site of the State AA tournament with University and Cheney the hosts and two other teams joining them.
The Senior (AAA) League remains at five teams (Bandits, Blue Devils, Cannons, North Stars and Pullman Patriots), although players from University and West Valley have switched affiliations, U-Hi now with the Cannons and WV with the Bandits.
Postseason is the same as last year with three teams advancing to one of the four regionals throughout the state. Two teams from each regional qualify for state.
There are 15 teams in the A League.
Padden said the annual Fourth of July Tournament continues to grow. There will be 24 teams in the Senior tourney and 31 in the Junior. University also hosts a 10-team 16U event.
Colorado soccer bonanza
When Adams State College added soccer for next year, the Division II school in Alamosa, Colo., dug deeply into the ranks of area standouts.
Nine area players dot the initial roster, including Cole Abramson, Josh Peck, Jordan Selland and Matt Miller from East Valley; Jesse Dunbar and Jay Vela, Central Valley; Travis Green, North Central; Keith Realing, University; and Jesse Retan, Cheney.
Six are transferring from Community Colleges of Spokane. Abramson and Realing are transferring from North Idaho CC and Retan was at Peninsula College. Jonathan Ortiz-Lopez from Eastern Washington and Boone Femrite, who played at NIC, are also headed to Adams State.
Little Dodgers win
A new era of Club Spokane Dodgers baseball is making its mark. The 13U team improved to 24-6 by winning its third tournament, the Spokane Invitational, May 29-31 at Northwood and Mountainside middle schools.
The Dodgers were 5-0 and beat the Missoula FishHawks 12-8 for the title. Earlier titles came at the BPA Kickoff Classic in Wenatchee and Missoula Invitational.
Team members, coached by Derek Simmelink, Shawn Mackin and Tim Rypien, are: Rhett Larson, Matt Hammond, Evan Douglas, Gage Burland, JT Phelan, Drew Rasmussen, Brady Simmelink, Justin Baltner, Kevin Thomas, Brendan McClary, Kane Ulrich, Brett Rypien, Payton Mackin and Scott Davidson.
NECA/IBEW winners
Spring winners of the National Electrical Contractors Association and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (NECA/IBEW) have recognized their spring Greater Spokane League awards winners:
Central Valley – Genasee Aman, softball, and Kyle Brown, track; East Valley – Kelsey Kurtz, softball, and James Dorr, track; Ferris – Michelle Lytle, softball, and Brett Ward, baseball; Gonzaga Prep – Kaylie Pierce, tennis, and Nathan Motsinger, baseball; Lewis and Clark – Tatiana Eldore, softball, and James Reed, baseball; Mead – Annika Westre, tennis, and Erik Hansen, soccer; Mt. Spokane – Katie Karisch, track, and Bruce Graham, baseball; North Central – Amanda Overland and Cameron Gump, both track and field; Rogers – Amy Cowen, track, and Mark Douglas, baseball; Shadle Park – Allie Burger, softball, and Brian Thomas, baseball; University – Jessica Steele, tennis, and Jacob Olsufka, baseball.
The NECA/IBEW recognizes athletes who demonstrate superior balance in academics, athletics and community involvement.