Sunday Locals: Consistent Covington wins JBT event

Consistency paid off for Jesse Covington in the Junior Bowlers Tour stop at North Bowl on Nov. 20.

After finishing second behind Nik Gosselin in the first four-game block – 825-807, as they were the only two to solve the difficult lane conditions and average 200 – Covington won all four of his qualifying matches and moved into first place going into the five-person roll-offs.

Gosselin had slipped to fourth, but he wasn’t done. He first beat Bry Tillet (who finished fifth), then Taylor Gamble (fourth) and then Korey Zeller (third) to get a shot at Covington in the finals.

But while Gosselin cooled off, Covington saved his best for last, winning 234-143.

Ryan Gately posted the high game for the boys with a 258. Kolette Fosters’ 201 led the girls.

The next JBT is the doubles tournament Dec. 18 at Lilac Lanes.

College scene

Two former Greater Spokane League athletes at Washington State collected honorable mention accolades on Pac-12 Conference All-Academic teams in cross country.

Senior Courtney Zalud (Mt. Spokane), who has a 3.24 grade-point average in general sciences, was on the women’s team and junior Andrew Kimpel (North Central) was on the men’s with a 3.24 GPA in management information systems.

• Tiara Pittman, a Washington State senior from Mt. Spokane, repeated on the Pac-12 Conference All-Academic first team in women’s soccer with a 3.85 GPA in psychology after being honorable mention as a sophomore.

WSU senior Ali Fenter from Shadle Park (3.55, biological sciences) and sophomore Delaney Zalud from Mt. Spokane (3.59, undeclared major) received honorable mention.

• Christine Deitz, a sophomore outside hitter on the Walla Walla Community College volleyball team from Post Falls, completed her career for the Warriors by receiving an NWAACC Scholar Athlete Award.

Deitz had 45 kills, 179 digs (averaging 2.02 per game) and 37 blocks to run her career totals to 96 kills, 271 digs and 57 blocks. She also had nine service aces and 42 assists.

Soccer

Four players from Spokane, three of them members of Spokane Shadow teams, received invitations to U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Thanksgiving Interregional tournaments.

Jessica Kennedy, who plays for the Shadow girls ’95 U16 Navy team, was at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla., last week.

Noah Bushéy and Brett Helmbrecht, who both play for the Shadow boys ’97 U14 Navy team, and Tyler  Smith, who plays for Washington Crossfire, are in Chula Vista, Calif., at the Olympic Training Center this weekend.

Volleyball

Marissa Verduci, a 5-foot-10 outside/middle hitter from Mt. Spokane, has signed to play for North Idaho College, Cardinals coach Kandice Kelly announced.

Verduci was a second- team All-Greater Spokane League selection this fall, helping lead the Wildcats to a second straight fourth-place finish in the State 3A championships.

She plays club ball for Sideout, which represented the Evergreen Region at the 2011 USA Volleyball Nationals.