Local briefs: NC grad Lamanna hired as coach in Ohio

North Central High School graduate (2000) John Lamanna has been hired as the men’s basketball coach at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

“I couldn’t be more pleased about our decision,” athletics director Christopher Ledyard said. “We are embarking on a new phase of athletics here at the university, and John is just the right coach to have on the bus to take us to the next level.”

Coming from a five-year stint as an assistant basketball coach at the UC Davis, Lamanna is ready to bring his coaching approach to Franciscan.

“My program encompasses unity, passion, humility, servanthood and thankfulness,” Lamanna said.

Stepping into a Division III basketball program after serving on Division I courts for 11 years, Lamanna was attracted to the non-scholarship format Division III schools follow.

“I had a desire to coach student-athletes who were committed academically and athletically,” he said.

Lamanna earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Washington State University and was a student assistant at WSU for four years. He was the director of basketball operations at Loyola Marymount before being hired at UC Davis as an assistant.

Horseshoes

Kay Keskinen of Moscow pitched 59 percent ringers to win the A Class at the Kootenai County Horseshoe Pitchers Association nationally sanctioned tournament last Sunday.

Other winners were: Ike Bews of Post Falls (B Class); Cindy Reeves of Spokane (C Class); Nancy Bartee of Coeur d’Alene (D Class); and Dave Ferbee of CdA (E Class).

The next tournament will take place at Winton Park in CdA, Saturday and next Sunday.

Track and field

George Mathews, Coeur d Alene High School throws coach and Hayden Lake resident won the USATF National Masters Throws Pentathlon held this past weekend at Connecticut College in New London, Conn.

Mathews scored 4,047 for the five events, which include the hammer, shot put, discus, javelin and weight throw. His mark was 751 points higher than the nearest competitor. Mathews also won the men’s 65-69 44-pound super weight throw with a mark of 29-8 ¾.

• Seven Eastern Washington University athletes were recognized on the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Track and Field Team: Jordan Arakawa, Kyle King, Brad Wall, Kurt Williams (CC Spokane), Krystal Deyo, Olivia Midles and Emma Murillo.

Softball

North Idaho won the A Division, Morris Clark the B division and Ogopogo 65’s the final division at the Morris Clark Classic senior softball tournament in Spokane last weekend.

The tournament is the largest in senior softball hosted in Spokane, with 17 teams and more than 200 players from around the Northwest.