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Prep notebook: Area coaches honored in Track and Field, Cross Country and Basketball

Gonzaga Prep coach Mike Arte implores his team to execute the offense correctly in the first quarter against Curtis, Feb. 28, 2015, at Mt. Spokane High School. (DAN PELLE)
Gonzaga Prep coach Mike Arte implores his team to execute the offense correctly in the first quarter against Curtis, Feb. 28, 2015, at Mt. Spokane High School. (DAN PELLE)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

The Washington State Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches associations will induct their latest class in a joint ceremony during their conventions this weekend, and several local coaches will be honored.

Kelly Walters coached track and field at North Central for 32 years, 13 as head coach. He guided teams to the state title in four straight seasons from 2008-11, only one of three school to win four consecutive titles.

Russ Vincent, an assistant track and field coach at Central Valley, coached for 45 years including stints at Winlock, Juanita, North Mason and Mountlake Terrace, where he retired in 2020. As a head coach, Vincent coached 22 individual state titles with six meet and one overall state record.

Jay Martin spent 29 years at Cheney as head cross country coach and seven in track and field. He took 12 boys teams and five girls teams to state, with a boys title in 1989 and girls title in 2011.

Girls basketball

The Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Association will induct five coaches into its fifth class at its Hall of Fame banquet on March 23.

Among the five are local coaches Mike Arte (Gonzaga Prep), Dale Poffenroth (Central Valley) and Jim Redmon (Lewis and Clark, Mt. Spokane).

Arte coached the Bullpups for 34 seasons. He amassed a record of 481-293, including six Greater Spokane League titles, and was named GSL Coach of the Year four times. He took teams to the state tournament six times and brought home State 4A titles in 2014 and 2015.

Redmon coached at LC for 25 years, 17 with the girls program and eight with the boys. He made 13 state appearances with the girls, including 11 in a row, and won four State 4A titles – three consecutive, which had never been done – and 13 straight tournament games from 2005-2009. After a year of retirement, Redmon returned this season to coach Mt. Spokane.

Poffenroth led CV for 17 seasons before moving to Coeur d’Alene for 12 more seasons before retiring. He went 374-103 with the Bears, guiding them to two state titles in four trips to the final four. He coached four more state title teams in CdA and retired with a career record of 607-169 in 29 seasons.