Looking for an eighth consecutive Northwest Conference title, the Whitworth men’s swimming team opened the NWC swimming championships Friday with a 226-180 lead over Puget Sound in Federal Way, Wash. The Pirates did not win an event, but used their depth to pick up team points.

The Whitworth women also lead the pack with 236 thanks in part to placing six swimmers in the championship finals of the 500 freestyle, with Natalie Turner winning the event in a time of 4 minutes, 55.97 seconds.

Men’s basketball

Sophomore Griffon Jones had 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting and added seven rebounds and Community Colleges of Spokane (18-4, 8-2) dumped Blue Mountain CC (3-18, 1-9) 101-69 in a Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges game at Spokane Falls.

•Four players scored in double figures for North Idaho, led by 16 from Michael Hale III and 15 from DeAndre Taylor, and NIC (22-3, 12-3) ran away from Snow College (9-16, 3-12) 88-63 in a Scenic West Athletic Conference game in St. George, Utah.

Softball

Alyssa Hawley collected four hits and scored three runs in North Idaho’s doubleheader sweep of Snow College as the Cardinals (6-10, 3-3 SWAC) won the opener 8-1 and the second 3-2 in St. George, Utah.

Alyssa Erickson pitched a complete-game four-hitter for NIC in the opener.

Hockey

Kyle Bacon scored a hat trick to tally all three of Spokane’s goals as the Braves (28-19-0-2) knocked off Grand Forks (6-41-1-1) 3-1 in Grand Forks, British Columbia. Cash Ulrich earned the win in net for the Braves, collecting 25 saves.

Football

The Spokane Shock added another defensive back into the mix in Chris LeFlore.

The Shock also announced the departure of DB Dahnel Signfield.