Chasing goals SPECIAL SECTION I THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2022
FALL
Returnees JoeAnna Avila (above) and Lylliana Wise are excited to see more development in the Rogers soccer program this fall. Find their story on page 2.
SHADLEVOLLEYBALLPARKRELOADS
COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
CROSS COUNTRY MT. TROPHYSPOKANE’SQUEST
Titans won state slowpitch championship last year, qualified for tourney in spring season. Will perennial power defend its title in highly contested league? PAGE 6
For the latest scores, highlights and up-to-date schedules from the Northwest’s high school sports scene, go to www.spokesman.com/high-school-sports
U-HISOFTBALLCARRIESMOMENTUM
FOOTBALL MEAD HOPES TO PUT STAMP ON GSL
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Coach Keith Stamps and senior quarterback Colby Danielson hope familiarity with each other will lead to big wins this fall; versatile Diezel Wilkinson is the pride of East Valley. PAGES 2-3
SOCCER SIGHTSGIRLSROGERSSETHIGHER
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PREVIEW
With growing respect around the league for his program, coach Mike Duke believes wins will follow for the Pirates, who are led by seniors Lylliana Wise and JoeAnna Avila. PAGE 2
Having lost four all-league selections to BrookeHighlandersgraduation,coachMeyerwillrelyonyoungbutexperiencedreturners,ledbymiddleAbbeyFlerchinger.
After sixth-place finish at state last year, experienced Wildcats runners want more; East Valley girls paced by standouts Abby Crossley, Logan Hofstee. PAGES 4-5
Building foundationthe
4A Central Valley (11-7-0, 5-4, fifth): Coach Rob Rowe returns for his fifth season at CV and 21st overall. The Bears lost six starters to graduation, including league MVP Zoe Crockett, so Rowe will have to lean on younger returners for leadership. “The goal is to be better by the end of the season and be prepared for districts,” Rowe said. MF Abby Jay is the lone returning senior. Gonzaga Prep (14-3-0, 8-1, first): Johnny Bartich takes over an experienced squad, with 10 seniors, 14 letter winners and eight starters returning for a team that reached state. “This group has a ton of big game experience,” Bartich said. Junior D Kegan Austin was first-team last year and the Bullpups have a pair of senior goalies, Mia Lewis and Peyton Dixon, who will both see action. Lewis and Clark (8-9-2, 4-5, sixth): Mica Lamb is back for his seventh season with the Tigers and has nine letter winners and six starters back. LC will be led by senior forward Faith Shaw, senior D Caeli
Coach Mike Duke focuses on more than wins, losses for the Rogers girls soccer program
By Justin Reed THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW With one win and 16 losses in 2021, it might be reasonable to assume that the Rogers girls soccer team had a down sea son.But for the Pirates, wins and losses take a back seat to overall competitiveness and teamThebuilding.goalisto build a program that at tracts athletes, fosters an engaging envi ronment and, of course, teaches the fun damentals of soccer to mold more creative players.“Theexpectations are always to grow as people and the team, we were not known to win a lot of games,” Rogers coach Mike Duke said. “However last year, by the end of our season, we really started clicking and playing together more as a team.” That didn’t translate to wins on the scoreboard, but Duke said his team built off moral victories as the season pro gressed by scoring goals and not allowing too many balls into the back of their own net.A case in point: In its third game of the season, Rogers was blanked by Pullman 9-0. Then in their final game, the Pirates pushed the Greyhounds, falling just short in a 2-1 result. The team took a photo after that game and Duke said everyone was ecstatic with the final score – not because they lost, but because they fought together as a team, and as a family. “We have a framed photo of us after that game, and there is not one frown,” Duke said. “In the picture, you would have thought they had just won the World Cup. And that’s what I want. I want them to know that as growth.” Duke sees his team as one big family, fighting for each other every day, every game. He thinks he has cultivated a desir able team to play for, which in turn will help turnout as Rogers tries to shake its reputation in the Greater Spokane League. Duke was voted as the league’s girls soc cer coach of the year in the fall and boys soccer coach of the year in the spring. Even though he is in a building process with the school’s programs, Duke doesn’t want his squads to roll over to teams with more“Hetalent.expects us to win, like he wants us to win, but it’s not the end of the world for him,” center back JoeAnna Avila said. “It’s more if we lose, it’s ‘OK, we have each oth er.’Avila” is one of two players Duke has had in his program for an entire four-year stretch. The other is goalkeeper Lylliana Wise.Wise was the only GSL keeper to gar ner postseason honors, securing a sec ond-team all-league award. The postseason honor came as a sur prise. Not for her performance, per se, but that she was thrown between the sticks midseason having no prior goalkeeper ex perience. She said she is still getting used to the nuanced positional intricacies, but she feels at home in net. It helps that she is probably the best athlete on the team, according to Duke. “I think we’re going to do way better this year. We have so many new girls that are so very talented and they’re very ath letic, so I feel like we’ll win more games,” AvilaDukesaid.lists Avila at 5-foot-2, maybe 5-3 with a slight build. Her size belies that she also is one of the best defenders in the league.“When you think of a center back, you think of the biggest person on the field and she is maybe, in some cases, the smallest person on the field,” Duke said. What she lacks in physicality, she makes up with her intelligence and her tenacity. “She is just so smart with how she plays the ball, how she uses her body to get around players. She can take the ball off of anyone’s foot, it is really fun to watch,” Duke said. He also said that he would take the firstteam all-league Avila over any other GSL defender.“Ifyoucame out and looked at her, you’d be like, ‘You gotta be crazy,’ ” Duke said. “There’s five to 10 girls that are signed to play Division I next year, and I’m taking JoeAnna 100 times out of 100.” Avila wants to work on controlling her approach as she advances the ball up the field. Instead of just booting, she wants to try and find the midfield to help them fa cilitate an attack. Duke, who is in his fourth season at the helm, also has that goal for his team as a whole.Instead of “kicking and praying” as Duke said has been Rogers’ fallback for years, he hopes for a bit more control be tween the lines, using his speedy forward Emily Peabody to get on the end of precise passes that cut though the opposing back lines.“We have a lot of young athletes, but not necessarily soccer players, that are still learning the game,” Duke said. After every game, Duke requires his players to tell him what they learned. It doesn’t matter if they’re a club player or if they played their first minutes, Duke wants to hear what they can instill in their next“They’regame. buying into it so far. For lack of a better term, they’re drinking the KoolAid,” Duke said. The team can’t wait to get their season started.“I’mso excited, I love playing soccer for Rogers,” Avila said.
EV football leans heavily on versatile Wilkinson
KATHY PLONKA/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW East Valley junior quarterback Diezel Wilkinson is photographed after practice at the school last week.
GIRLS SOCCER AT A GLANCE
Dornay and junior MF Sofia Alfaro, all of whom earned honors last fall. “This will be the youngest varsity team LC has fielded in some time, perhaps ever,” Lamb said. “The talent and desire are there but competing in the GSL could be a challenge initially as they learn to play at the highest level.”
3A Cheney (10-9-0, 6-3, fourth): Coach Nels Radtke starts his 11th season with the Blackhawks with 12 letter winners and seven starters back, including all-league junior forward Alex Miller. “We lost a key player at each level of the field and strong leadership, but I believe we have players who are ready to step into those positions,” Radtke said. Ferris (5-9-0, 3-6, ninth): The Saxons were hit hard by graduation, losing 12 letter winners. Fifth-year coach Alex Bray is stressing the basics. “We are young and need to work on fundamentals, shape, and speed of play to be effective,” Bray said. Three-year all-league forward Cadence Peroff is back for her senior campaign. Mead (11-7, 6-3, third): Secondyear coach Casey Curtis lost three first-team all-leaguers but has six starters and 13 letter winners back for the Panthers, including second-team pick junior MF Teryn Gardner. “Year one at the helm was a success overall but we didn’t get over that hump and off to state,” Curtis said. “The (players) we lost were very critical to our success last year.” Mt. Spokane (11-5-0, 7-2, second): Defensive MVP Bre Koscielski leads six returning starters for fourth-year coach Shannon Stiles. “We return the core of our back line defense which managed to hold teams to just six goals in the course of (last) season,” Stiles said. “We have some key returners who are healthy and ready for action, in addition to some young players who will be a great addition in our attack.” North Central (3-10-0, 1-8, 10th): Nine starters and 15 letter winners return for ninth-year coach Matt Leonard, including all-league forward senior Emily Todd. “We were a very young team last year, and we are coming into the season with a few injuries,” Leonard said. “That being said, I’m optimistic that we can be competitive and give a great game to anyone we play.”
1A Deer Park (18-1-0, 11-0, first): The Stags cruised through the regular season and marched through the competition at state to come away with a 1-0 decision over Seattle Academy in the title game. Alleverything Livvy Moore graduated, but nine starters are back for coach Sean O’Neal in his 18th year at the school. All-state senior forward Ella Carnahan will lead. Freeman (13-8, 8-4, third): The Scotties boast 10 returning letter winners and seven starters for fifthyear coach Dave Ellis. All-league picks senior MF Makayla Werner, who has committed to Gonzaga, and sophomore forward Aubrey Gregory will lead. Lakeside (11-6, 9-2, second): Wayne Farris brings 35 years of experience to his first season with the Eagles. “We have a lot to learn, but the girls are getting there, and I’m proud of their work thus far,” he said. There are six starters back, including seniors Kaylyn Randazzo (GK), Tavyn Myhren (D) and Jamie Katz (D). Newport (2-9, 2-8, sixth): Third-year coach Laura Verity has nine starters and 11 letter winners back. “We need to improve our movement off the ball and continue to work as a team,” she said.
Diezel Wilkinson is a good enough athlete he could play at any school and any classifica tion he wanted to. And why not? With the state’s fairly lax transfer rules, every year dozens of play ers in the area move from one school district to another looking for playing time or a chance to shine in the postseason. But Wilkinson, the East Val ley junior and reigning Greater Spokane League 2A all-purpose MVP, knows where he grew up. “It is definitely important for me to stay from my roots,” he said after practice last week. “I’ve al ways been in the East Valley dis trict since I was a kid. “These coaches, these teachers – man, they just really appreciate me not only for the player, but for the person I am. Whatever I can do to give back to this team and whatever they can do to get me to the next level is just going to help tremendously.”CoachTom Griggs knows he has a special player – and person – in Wilkinson. His peers seem to gravitate toward him. “That’s the kind of kid he is, the kind of player he is,” Griggs said. “I think that’s another rea son why he has aspirations, why colleges are looking at him. It’s because of that stuff. Those in tangibles that are not just foot ball.“He’s not just charismatic and fun to watch on the football field, but I think that’s why we got a handful of extra kids (turn) out was because of his personality and leadership and (kids) want ing to be around that. I commend him for that more than anything else.”Wilkinson takes pride in his coach’s“Thatsentiment.definitely makes me feel good,” he said. “Me and (Griggs) do a lot of work together just try ing to get kids out, get kids hyped for“Infootball.thepast few years, a lot of people looked at East Valley as kind of just any other old team, but we’re really trying to turn this mentality around that we’re one of the best out there. So, it makes me feel really good that I’m able to get kids out here and just get hyped up to play.” Wilkinson played mostly re ceiver coming up. Midway through last season, Griggs asked him to switch to quarterback in order to increase Wilkinson’s touches. The pupil was hesitant at first, according to Griggs, but came around to the logic of it. “I can play wherever coach needs me to be,” Wilkinson said. “I’m all about the team and play ing wherever it is to help us win. And that’s definitely gonna help at the next level to just being able to jump around from position to position wherever coaches need me.”“He has aspirations to play at the next level at receiver, but I think we sold him last year,” Griggs said. “His freshman year, he caught seven balls in one game. And I said, ‘You can con tinue to be receiver and catch seven or you can have 30-plus snaps a game.’ “By the end of last season, I think he found out where our vi sion was and fit into that real well. I’m proud of him. Everybody can see the athlete he is right now, but as far as a team player and a teammate and a leader and a cap tain he’s come leaps and bounds and I’m proud of him for that.” “It was new to me last year, but I think I’m starting to adapt to it pretty well,” Wilkinson said. “This season should be pretty similar to last season. It shouldn’t be too hard of a transition this year.”Wilkinson’s goal this season is to rush for more than 2,000 yards. He admitted that throw ing the ball isn’t his strong suit, but he also said teams shouldn’t sleep on his arm. “We definitely have some things up our sleeves and I’ve been working a little bit in the offseason, just trying to get it. Get just one more thing in my arse nal.”East Valley had its best season in recent memory last year, go ing 6-4 overall and 3-2 in league – ending the campaign with regular-season wins over West Valley and Clarkston, then beat ing the two again in a three-way tiebreaker to qualify for the post season.Griggs and Wilkinson want to get back there this season, but they also know the Knights won’t be overlooked this year.
winners and five starters back, including senior Alivia Swaney and junior Gemma Martin. “We are excited for our first season together,” Robles said, noting a big freshman class. “The girls are looking to bring back some East Valley dominance.”
Staff reports
standout. “Although we are young, we are hopeful for a successful season,” Sharpe said. 2A Clarkston (13-5, 8-2, second): Six starters and 10 letter winners return for 11th-year coach Ryan Newhouse. “Our strengths will be our versatility with numerous players and our ability move the ball,” he said. “A weakness could be our depth, but many younger players may fill that void.” All-league first-team MF Rebecca Skinner is just a sophomore. Rogers (1-16, 0-10, sixth): Fourth-year coach Mike Duke has six starters back, including all-league D JoeAnna Avila and goalie Lylliana Wise – the first all-league players in Duke’s tenure at Rogers. “The majority of our starters are in their first or second year of competitive soccer,” he said. “We’re going to have to dig deep and outwork our opponents in every minute of every game.” West Valley (17-3, 9-1, first): The Eagles reached the state quarterfinals last fall before bowing to Ridgefield in a 2-0 decision. Delani Walker is now playing in college, but six starters return for fourth-year coach CC Collins, including senior center back Abbie Sicilia, the league defensive MVP last year. “Our defense remains strong with returning upper-class athletes and our junior goalkeeper (Aubrey Lobdell) that pitched many shutouts and won us some key shootouts in our district championship and state games last season,” Collins said. East Valley (5-12, 5-7, fourth): Coach Rik Robles takes over for the Knights with 11 letter
See WILKINSON, 3
Running on Diezel
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FaLL preVIeW
University (6-12-1, 2-7, eighth): Coach Kara Sharpe, in her fifth season, has 13 letter winners and seven starters back, including two with honors – senior D McKinley Ullman and junior F Bell Longo. The Titans qualified for state last season, falling to eventual state champ Seattle Prep in a play-in game. Junior goalie Aubree Carpenter is a
T2 • Thursday • sepTember 8, 2022 Special SecTion
Ridgeline (6-9-0, 3-6, seventh): Second-year coach Tiera Como has 19 letter winners and all 11 starters back, including all-league honorable mention forward Natalie Thompson, who was fifth in scoring as a ninth-grader, and second-team junior forward Preslie Young. “While the rest of the league was surprised we went as far as we did last year, the players were disappointed and feel that with experience on their side this year the goal is to win the GSL and reach state,” Como said.
By Dave Nichols THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Capsules for the 2022 fall girls soccer programs in the Greater Spokane League and across Eastern Washington. In alphabetical order by classification. Records and finish from 2021 season.
Northeast 2B Colfax (5-4, 4-4, fifth): Coach Mike Morgan is back for his 25th season with six starters and 15 letter winners returning, including all-league senior RB/LB Mason Gilchrist and QB/DB Seth Lustig. “The offensive line and defensive line are all returning starters from last fall,” Morgan said.
Shadle Park (6-3, 6-0, first): The reigning GSL 2A champs have 30 letter winners with nine starters back for coach Jim Mace’s ninth season with the Highlanders. First-team all-league senior QB Tre Dickerson will hand to senior Beckett Ensminger and throw to senior WR Jordan Dever again this season, while Kaden Watts leads both lines. “We have many quality returners, and some very promising younger players,” Mace said. “We suited up 13 freshmen in our state first-round game last year.” West Valley (5-4, 2-2, fifth): The Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs in a three-way tiebreaker last season and may have a chip on their shoulders for the upcoming season. Coach Craig Whitney, in his 18th season, returns a whopping 37 letter winners and 17 starters. The offense will be sparked by senior QB Raesean Eaton and junior receiver Grady Walker.
Poised Panthers
Cofer, in his sixth season, has nine starters and 18 letter winners back, including a trio of first-team all-leaguers: senior WR Tanner Barbour, junior HB Terran Page and senior LB Max McCloy. “We will lean on a big, experienced line on both sides of the ball and complement that with explosive backs out of the back field,” Cofer said. Rogers (0-10, 0-7, seventh): Coach Mike Dewey has 24 letter winners returning, including dynamic junior QB Deon Kinsey and junior OL Mekhi Burgess. The Pirates haven’t won the past three seasons, but Dewey thinks they’ll break out this season. “We have great kids who spent a lot of time in the weight room this summer and are trying to get better.”
Staff reports The Washington high school football season is underway. Here’s a preview for the Greater Spokane League 4A, 3A and 2A, plus Northeast A and B teams in the area. Teams in alphabetical order by classifica tion. Records/standing listed from fall 2021. Greater Spokane League 4A/3A Central Valley (7-3, 7-1, second in 4A): The Bears lost as much to graduation as anyone and bring back 10 starters for coach Ryan Butner’s seventh season. Senior Dylan Gravelle takes over at QB and the defense is anchored by senior LBs Brandon Thomas and Zach McMurtrey. “Gravelle made the transition from WR to QB and has had a great offseason,” Butner said. “The O-line is new across the board but is big and ready to make a statement.” Cheney (1-9, 1-8, sixth in 3A): The Blackhawks had a rough go of it last season in their first full season in the 3A ranks, but ninth-year coach Bobby Byrd has 30 letter winners and 13 starters back, led by QB Jakeb Vallance. “Our receiver core and running backs have made strides this offseason along with our offensive line,” Byrd said. MLB Micah RagazaBourassa will be the leader on defense. Ferris (4-6, 3-5, fourth in 3A): Coach Malik Roberson returns for his second season with five starters back. The Saxons will be young but will benefit from solid line play, including senior offensive tackle O’Jay Jones and junior d-linemen Roderick Byrd and Dylan McCain. Junior RB Trevor Morton will have a heavy workload. Gonzaga Prep (11-1, 8-0, first in 4A): The Bullpups lost some significant players to graduation but return a large portion of the team that advanced to the state quarterfinals last season (31 letter winners, 15 starters). Senior JoJo Shortell takes over at QB for all-everything Ryan McKenna, and the defense must replace the leadership of DE Kaz Melzer, DT Ephraim Watkins and LB Lucio Reynolds. Lewis and Clark (4-7, 3-5, third in 4A): The Tigers return one of the most exciting players in the league, first-team all-league RB Gentz Hillburn, who will be asked to do even more in his senior season by third-year coach Joe Ireland. “We’re a senior-heavy team with tremendous experience, a powerful and athletic offensive line, talented running backs and a fast and stingy defense,” he said. 36 letter winners and 14 starters return. Mead (3-6, 3-4, third in 3A): Keith Stamps enters his second season with a full offseason and 14 returning starters, including most skill positions on offense. The Panthers will be led by strong-armed QB Colby Danielson with speed on the outside with transfers Johnny Talarico (Ferris) and Keenan Kuntz (West Valley). Center Jacob Gaitlin is leader for the line. Mt. Spokane (8-3, 6-2, first in 3A): The Wildcats return just one starter from last year’s playoff team, slot Blake Speer. Coach Terry Cloer, in his eighth year at the helm, will be working in a lot of new talent, including transfer RB Matteo Saccomanno (Gonzaga Prep). “We don’t have the size up front that we’ve had the past few years, but our speed and athleticism can make up for the lack of size.” Ridgeline (1-9, 1-6, fifth in 3A): The benefit of being a new school: no graduations from last season for second-year coach David Myers. The Falcons have 22 starters and 45 letter winners back, including dynamic playmaking sophomore WR Brayden Allen – who set the GSL single-game (17) and season record (72) for catches – and all-league honorable mention QB Tanner Smith. “We have some great players at our skill positions, and we have a lot of returning varsity experience,” Myers said. University (4-4, 4-4, second in 3A): The Titans return 22 letter winners and 10 starters for third-year coach Kaleb Madison. The offense has weapons, led by RB Malaki Miller and wideouts Jalen King and Tre Buchanan, while QB Caleb Wolcott will distribute. “As a collective group we have gotten bigger, faster and stronger,” Madison said. “With great leadership of our seniors the Titans will be a force to reckon with.” Greater Spokane League 2A Clarkston (4-4, 4-2, second): The Bantams bring back 25 letter winners and 15 starters, including second-team all-GSL QB junior Carter Steinwand and senior receivers Landon Taylor, a first-team pick, and Christian Howell. OL Sage Lone Bear and WR Mason Brown, both juniors, transferred from Lapwai. East Valley (6-4, 3-2, second): Fifth-year coach Tom Griggs has a burgeoning superstar in his backfield with junior Diezel Wilkinson, the returning GSL 2A all-purpose MVP. The Knights only have four starters back, but seniors Eddie Ary and Alonzo Vargas are anchors on the lines. North Central (2-5, 1-4, sixth): The Wolfpack return nine letter winners and eight starters for first-year coach Aaron Woods. “As a team, we need to embrace the daily challenges at practice and our opponents on a weekly basis,” he said. “We need to focus on the things we can control and go out and compete every play of every quarter through the entire course of the game.” Junior Tommy Elliott, a secondteam all-league DB last year, is the QB and there are experienced, if undersized, offensive linemen.
I Mead quarterbackcoach,morecomfortable,confidentinsecondseasontogether
Newport (4-5, 3-3, fourth): Coach Dave Pomante returns for his sixth season with 10 starters and 23 letter winners back. “We have many returners with two and three years of varsity experience,” he said. Secondteam all-NEA FB Nolan Loosier and QB Bear Smith are senior leaders. Riverside (10-2, 5-1, second): The Rams were state quarterfinalists last season, and seventh-year coach Buddy Wood has 14 starters back, including junior QB Jake Gaffaney and senior linemen Cameron Burnham and Brock Martin, both all-league selections. “We are as good as or better than any team in our league in the battle for the trenches,” Wood said.
“It’s encouraging post-COVID,” he said. “I know a lot of coaches are in that boat, but we were afraid of the numbers. But they are coming back into kind of the ‘nor mal’ range and that’s encouraging. “It’s always a ‘what if’ until cleats hit the grass, but we have them (at practice) and our numbers are solid now going into (the season). We’re looking forward to the possibilities.”Butit’snot just about the players.
WILKINSON Continued from 2 FOOTBALL AT A GLANCE
“I’m definitely ready to get back to it,” Wilkinson said. “It’s what I live for, it’s what I enjoy the most. Definitely excited to get back on the field with my team mates and my coaches and get back to what I do.”
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FaLL preVIeW
September 8, 2022 • thurSday • T3Special SecTion
Northeast A Colville (1-7, 0-5, seventh): The Crimson Hawks bring back nine letter winners and seven starters for third-year coach Greg Mace. Senior Cale Roy takes over at QB and he’ll rely on senior receivers Allan McKeraghan and Colbie McEvoy to do a lot of heavy lifting in their return from injury while the young offensive line gels. Deer Park (3-6, 1-4, fifth): Third-year coach Levi Hogan hopes “to make some noise in a very, very tough league.” Senior QB Remi Scott is one of 20 returning letter winners, along with second-team lineman Andrew Dedicos. Freeman (7-3, 4-2, third): All-league QB Boen Phelps is among 18 starters returning for fourth-year coach Ben Cochran, who counts a talented offensive line as the team strength. “We have a lot of seniors from last year’s team hungry for a great season,” Cochran said. Lakeside (11-1, 6-0, first): The Eagles won a highly competitive league last year with hopes to repeat. Sixth-year coach Devin Bauer has 10 starters back, including league offensive MVP QB Kole Hunsaker and first-team RB Sadahiro Patterson. “We have some tough roles to fill, but guys are eager to step in and do their part,” Bauer said.
“I’m excited about my staff too,” Griggs said. “I didn’t have a full staff through COVID because we lost a couple guys at the end of the season prior to COVID, and then COVID it was like nobody wanted to do“So,anything.getting a full staff back, having a JV team, it’s kind of a perfect storm right now and to have Diezel in the mix, it’s the feather in our cap.”
By Dave Nichols THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Pullman (4-6, 3-3, fifth): Coach David
“We’re gonna do what we do best, and we’ll see where it takes us. Playoffs is a big thing to work forward to, but we got to get there one game at a time.” There’s a tangible enthusiasm around the program – more than 60 players turned out this season, allowing Griggs to field a JV team for the first time since he joined the Knights.
The adage says, “familiarity breeds contempt.” But for Mead football coach Keith Stamps and his Panthers crew, familiarity could bring a finish at or near the top of the Greater Spokane League 3A ranks. Stamps was a late hire last year, so he didn’t get a normal offsea son with his players. In fact, he admits this time last year he was still putting names to faces for much of his squad. “A year ago, we were still get ting to know kids and, honestly, our coaching staff was learning to work together,” he said. “It was a new coaching staff and getting to know the kids and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Now, we’ve had a whole offsea son, seven months, whatever it is. And then a lot of time with our quarterback.”Thatquarterback is all-league honorable mention Colby Dan ielson.“We have three quarterbacks that have been in the system now for a year that we feel good about,” Stamps said. “But Colby is the senior returning starter and does a really nice job. “He’s another year in the sys tem. He’s one of the hardest workers in our program and has great command of the huddle.” Stamps was effusive in his praise for his dual-threat signal caller. At 6-foot-3, when Daniel son drops back he looks the part, with a strong arm and excellent touch on deep throws. When he takes off, either in a run-pass op tion or when a play breaks down, he uses his sprinter-quality speed to outrun everyone on the field. “He has the physical tools and we’re excited to see them,” Stamps said. “I’ve been doing this awhile and he’s by far the fastest quarterback I’ve ever had, which opens some things up offensive ly. It allows us to be creative with some of the stuff we do. “But the big thing is having that senior quarterback, return ing starter, leader in the huddle, and his relationships and timing with all the receivers we have. They’re on the same page and that’s been really nice.” Danielson has been working out with speed coaches over the summer and boasts about his 40yard dash time. “In the summer my fastest 40 was 4.42. So definitely, I’ll be able to help out in the run game,” he said. “But I do have the arm strength too.” The Panthers got better last year – especially on offense – as the season went along. A lot of that had to do with Danielson’s progress from week to week. “You hope that trend and pro gression continues,” Stamps said. “I thought his improvement from Week 1 until the end of the sea son last year was remarkable. Hopefully that’s a testament to us coaching kids up the right way, but more importantly, to his work ethic and commitment to what he’s doing. “One of the strengths to (Dan ielson’s) game is his arm strength and he is comfortable throw ing deep routes. I think the area we’ve seen the most improve ment on in him is the underneath stuff, the shorter stuff. Having that touch and putting the ball on the right shoulder, the receiver or whatever it needs to be. But he’s very comfortable throwing the deep ball and has the arm strength to do it.” “Stamps has done a great job,” Danielson said. “Despite our re cord last year (3-6), it wasn’t the best, but he’s a great dude, great coach. He knows the game.
Lind-Ritzville/Sprague (9-1, 7-0, first): First-year coach Brendan Bermea is in an enviable position, taking over a state caliber squad with 19 starters back. QB/DB Chase Galbreath was all-league both ways, as was TE/DE Hunter Dinkins. Brock Kinch and Brody Boness will both get lots of carries.
TYLER TJOMSLAND/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW Mead quarterback Colby Danielson throws on the run during an August practice at Mead High School. See MEAD, 6
Northwest Christian (6-4, 5-3, fourth): The Crusaders were a playoff team last year and third-year coach Marshall Hart has seven starters returning with hopes to get back there. Senior QB Mike Bauman, senior OL Hunter Lindsey and junior WR/DB Ryan Waters are leaders. Reardan (2-8, 1-7): Matt Clouse takes over a team that went through growing pains last season and returns just six starters. A pair of seniors, Hunter Wyncoop and Jaquiin Stroble, along with junior Aidan Chilson, will all get plenty of reps at RB. Northeast 1B Wilbur-Creston-Keller (8-2, 7-1, tied second): The Wildcats fell to eventual 1B state champ ACH in the quarterfinals last year and have 14 letter winners and nine starters back, including all-league senior QB Dru Becker, junior RB Kalub Dreger and sophomore RB Preston Michel. Northport (2-6, 2-5, ninth): Eighthyear coach Kevin Dionas has a young group, but there’s some experience as nine of the returners had experience as ninth- or 10th-graders. That includes sophomore QB Dawson Baribault, who started all eight games last season. “We are still very young but will be very competitive this season,” Dionas said.
MADISON MCCORD/FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Shadle Park (13-7, 9-1, second): Abbey Flerchinger and Kenzi Johnston will look to lead the Highlanders to state in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 200708, even after the graduation of five starters. West Valley (9-9, 5-5, third): The Eagles return all-league honorable mention Kendall Focht to lead a young group of players following the graduation of several all-league starters. Staff reports Capsules for the 2022 fall boys and girls cross country programs in the Greater Spokane League. In alphabetical order by classification.
T4 • Thursday • sepTember 8, 2022 Special SecTion
Central4A/3AValley:
The boys are in a transition phase with coach Geoff Arte taking a job at Gonzaga Prep, so longtime track coach Chuck Bowden takes over a team that’ll be a year older and has some genuine potential led by senior Giovanni Ferraro and junior Jacob Nicholls.
A “powerful trio of runners,” as coach Doug Pecha puts it, leads the girls team which is hoping to make a spark in 2022. Senior Nicole Bissel highlights the bunch after a career year in both cross country and track and is expected to be one of the best competitors in the GSL this season.
“The girls took so much pride in last season and they worked so hard to get back to state,” Meyer said. “All I heard from the returning kids is that we are go ing back to state. “They got a taste of it last year and it has translated into high work ethic this sum mer with the kids showing up, and now we feel like we are right back where we left off.”Gone from last season’s team that fin ished as Greater Spokane League 2A co-champions at 13-7 overall and 9-1 in league are five starters, including a pair of all-league talents. But that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare for Shadle. The lone returning starter, junior Abbey Flerchinger, brings an imposing 5-foot-11 frame to the middle of the floor to pace the Highlanders’ attack. A first-team all-league selection last year, Flerchinger said she believes the loss of so many starters won’t stop Shadle from contending for another league title. “We’ve talked nonstop about our expec tations and we are going to work as hard as we can to get back to state,” Flerchinger said. “People haven’t looked highly on our program recently, and that makes us the underdogs.”Alongwith Flerchinger, Meyer will lean on the experience of starters like senior outside hitter Kenzi Johnston, one of the few seniors on Shadle’s roster. “We all pick up our own slack and we all want to succeed for each other, which is nice for a team that already has that effort and dedication,” Johnston said. With so many new faces in the rotation for the Highlanders, Johnston said having a talented player like Flerchinger in the middle of the court will be invaluable for the team’s success. “She really challenges everyone on the court both in practice and in the game with her height and skill,” Johnston said. “She can hit pretty much any position and her leadership skills are impeccable. When we are low, she knows better than anyone how to lift us up.” That leadership ability both on and off the court will be key for Shadle this season as it looks to come out on top of a talent ed GSL 2A field. Last year’s co-champion Pullman (12-6, 9-1) returns league MVP Margot Keane along with second-team selections Sophie Armstrong and Lily Mc Nannay.“It’scool that we get to start the season in nonleague play and get games against some of the powerhouses, so by the time we get to league play we are ready for the battles,” Meyer said. “This year is going to be tough. West Valley has a lot back, Pull man is always good and Clarkston has a lot coming back, so it’ll be fun and we are ready.”Ifthis young Shadle team can find a groove through the season that carries it back to the Yakima Valley SunDome in November for state, it will be the first time since the 2007-08 seasons that the Highlanders have played in consecutive tournaments.“Thisisateam that can not only make state, but place highly,” Flerchinger said. “We are coming from different skill levels right now, but we have the bar set really high.“We want to hold up to what we did last year and to the history of this program, so seeing all the success we’ve had in the past is very motivating.”
www.yokesfreshmarkets.com Vince Lombardi HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FaLL preVIeW CROSS COUNTRY AT A GLANCE See CROSS COUNTRY, 5 VOLLEYBALL AT A GLANCE
postseason.Thegirlsare also an older team featuring two seniors and three juniors. Junior Katherine Kovich is the top returner after a 30th-place finish at the district meet. Lewis and Clark: Evan Bruce is at the front of this year’s exciting LC boys squad, coming off an impressive junior campaign where he earned two podium finishes at the state track meet in the 1,600 and 3,200 races, as well as allAmerican honors at the USATF National Junior Olympics in the 1,500 and 3,000 races. For the girls, senior Bridget Burns needs to keep building on her big improvements on the track last spring after finishing 10th at the state meet in the 3,200. Between her and fellow senior Ella Swanson –36th at state cross – it’s a solid duo for the Tigers. Mead: While the reigning 3A state champs lost half of last year’s varsity squad to graduation, the Panthers return a solid trio that are destined to make another run at the state crown. Juniors Charlotte Cullen and Raegan Borg highlight this team as they head into the fall off great track seasons in which they both competed at the state meet. The boys reaching the podium was key in getting back into the state’s top-tier conversation. Losing Brycen Gardner is a big gap to fill, but senior Noah Holden is more than ready to take over that spot after taking big steps in his training. Mt. Spokane: The Wildcats welcome their newest star to the cross country scene in senior Charlotte Pederson. The reigning GSL 3A 1,600 champ will be joined by state participant junior Karley Bowen and incoming freshman Jane Wycoff for what should be a good group head coach Andy Sonneland has put together. North Central: The NC boys have won 17 consecutive state trophies after placing fourth last fall, hoping to continue chasing down Mead’s record of 21. Losing four state participants to graduation hurts, so depth will be needed this season to compete alongside other 3A teams such as Mt. Spokane, Cheney, and Mead.The girls are a young and inexperienced group with just two upperclassmen leading the way – senior Kendall Carter and junior Katie Ries. Carter comes off a junior campaign finishing 29th at 3A state cross country and a 12th-place finish in the 3,200 at state track. Ridgeline: Progress was made by the newest program in the GSL. The boys are a still young group, building on its depth from last year after completing its first season. Junior Nick Goode and sophomore Ollie Bruck are hoping to have breakout performances up front with the rest of the league. The girls also return many athletes, including the school’s first-ever state participant in senior Alivia Bruno, with the goal of continuing to build the program up for years to come.
4A Central Valley (9-11, 4-5, fifth): The Bears will look to build off their first state appearance in six seasons last year, despite losing a pair of collegiate-level talents. Autumn Agnew and sophomore Tatyana Jennings will lead the CV attack from the outside. Gonzaga Prep (13-7, 7-2, third): The Bullpups barely missed out on a state trophy last season, but return four starters including first-team selection Lilli Etter, who is committed to play at Boise State. Kate Palelek and Maddie Finnegan also earned league recognition last year. Lewis and Clark (8-11, 3-6, eighth): The Tigers bring back all six starters from a young 2021 team, which fell short in regionals. Abbey Graves, Alexis Story and Grace Reichard are all over 6-foot and will anchor the LC attack. 3A Cheney (3-13, 1-8, ninth): The Blackhawks bring back all six starters from last season, along with a varsity roster filled with 11 seniors. Middle blocker Navi Islam-Zwart and outside hitter Ryann Robbins are among Cheney’s upperclassman returners. Ferris (5-13, 3-6, seventh): Second-team all-league setter Kira Felchlin and honorable mention outside hitter Kennedy Smith will look to lead a Saxons team that lost only two starters from last season. Mead (20-2, 9-0, first): The defending state champions lost eight players to graduation, but coach Shawn Wilson sees this season as more of a “reload than a rebuild” for the Panthers. All-league selections and Western Washington commits Cassie Moeller and Danikah Johnson will feature heavily in Mead’s plans to repeat. Mt. Spokane (17-3, 8-1, second): Gone is 4A/3A MVP Teila Allen, but the Wildcats bring back a pair of all-league selections in Maggie Degenhart and setter Lani Ama, who missed last season due to injury. The Wildcats are also coming off a fifthplace finish at state last year. North Central (11-6, 5-4, fourth): All-league selections Kelsie Delp and Stephanie Leach are two of four returning starters for the Wolfpack, who are led by reigning GSL 4A/3A Coach of the Year Karrie Delp. Ridgeline (9-8, 4-5, sixth): After missing out on a state berth by five points last season, first-team all-league selection and Central Washington commit Corinne Westby leads a Falcons team that did not lose any starters from last year.
By Madison McCord FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW Brooke Meyer understands the history and legacy associated with Shadle Park volleyball better than most. Entering her 23rd season as the High landers coach, Meyer has led Shadle to four state trophies – including one of the program’s six state titles in 2008. But following decades of dominance in the 1980s and ’90s, success has been hard er to come by in recent years, with just one state appearance between 2009 and 2020. Make that two after last season.
2A Clarkston (6-12, 4-6, fourth): Honorable mention setter Maddie Kaufman and libero Leah Copeland are the only returning starters from a Bantams team that finished second in the district tournament last season. East Valley (5-12, 3-7, fifth): The Knights graduated a pair of allleague performers, but senior setter Liz Flahavin is back after earned honorable mention recognition last year. She is among four returning starters on a young team. Pullman (12-6, 9-1, first): The Greyhounds return a trio of allleague starters, including league MVP Margot Keane. Middle hitter Sophie Armstrong and libero Lily McNannay also offer veteran talent and depth to a team that missed out on the state tournament last season. Rogers (2-13, 0-10, sixth): Middle hitter Lela Smith and opposite Laelin Featherstone lead a group of three returners for the Pirates, who are looking to rebuild after the graduation of six senior starters.
Shadle Park junior middle hitter Abbey Flerchinger sets the ball across the net during a drill Aug. 30 at Shadle Park High School.
Led by junior middle hitter Flerchinger, Shadle volleyball vies to return to state tourney spotlight
Cheney: The boys team finished fifth at the district meet and were just two spots away from clinching a state berth. Sophomore Calvin Hinton comes into the fall off a great track season where he qualified for the state meet in the 3,200 and is expected to lead this young but talented team.The girls look to bounce back from a 1-8 league record with four seniors returning led by Sam Habegger. The addition of soccer players Karlee Pope and Hannah Ward adds more depth to a veteran team. Ferris: It’ll be an interesting year three for Tom Van Winkle and the Ferris boys. With several of his varsity runners not returning this season, senior Shane Johansen will have the opportunity to lead the Saxon in a rebuilding year. First-year girls coach Daniel Henry hopes to build a foundation of connections and lifelong runners with this Saxon group, and it starts with the lone state participant, junior Alayna Ditto, taking on a leadership role.
highHighlanders’expectations
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we perfection,chasewe can catch excellence.”
Gonzaga Prep: Despite graduating its No. 1 runner in first-team all-leaguer Caleb Richardson, the boys return a strong pack of four with varsity experience led by senior Graham Cleveland. If the four make improvements, this could be a good team come
Staff reports Capsules for the 2022 fall volleyball programs in the Greater Spokane League. In alphabetical order by classification. Records and finish from 2021 season.
“I want to see my team on the state start line with me and Abby,” Hofstee said. “I’d like to get myself a state championship and lead our team to at least po dium at state.”
Steady pace
By Keenan Gray THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
That’s when I saw a ton of poten tial in Logan. Then there’s Abby who brings consistent effort and is consistently always bringing down the times all throughout theTheyear.”rise of these two East Val ley runners was a topic of con versation among other Great er Spokane League schools throughout the season. As their personal-best 5K times dropped, not only were they one of the best duos in the league, they also be came one of the best duos across all 2A schools in the state. “We had more consistent coaching,” Crossley said. “We didn’t just have one workout giv en to everybody. My sophomore year, we were told to go run 3 miles, in any direction. When Bergam joined, we actually had specific workouts where we had people running to push their abilities.”Intheir first state meet ap pearances last year, Hofstee and Crossley had the best combined finish of any podium athletes in the 2A race. Hofstee placed sec ond overall and Crossley was not far behind in 11th. The two scored 13 points together. “My motto for running – and anything really – is you get what you put into it,” Crossley said. “You put in the miles, and you put in the hard work, then you’re going to have a good season.
senior Abigail Hulst and junior Alison Hatahway. The boys team is a closeknit group dedicated and driven to bring back another GSL title led by two-time allleague first-teamer junior Leo Hoffman. Rogers: This year’s Pirates girls team hopes to be a competitive bunch with just 10 runners in the program, led by the versatile senior Ellabelle Taylor. The 2A runner-up in the 100 last spring has what it takes to make it to the state meet again this fall. We could also see junior Donalda Brantley and freshman Savannah Taylor – Ellabelle’s younger sister – make some noise this season too. The boys are a much thinner group after losing two state participants to graduation and two more varsity athletes who transferred out of state. Sophomore Daniel Rodriguez is the lone varsity returner. Shadle Park: The boys are a young group but the potential for a big season is there for the taking. Five varsity runners return, including state participants juniors Luke Hammond and Abraham Little. West Valley: A league title and a state berth last season proved that the West Valley boys are heading in the right direction. The Eagles graduated four of its seven runners from the state team, including three first-team all-leaguers, but another first-teamer, junior Tony Belko, returns.Thegirls team is a small, young group hoping to be competitive. Lone senior Roxanne Fredericksen will be seeking her first opportunity to qualify for the state meet after missing last year due to a COVID quarantine.
2A East Valley: First-year head coach Brandon Blize likes what he sees so far from his young team after a great summer of training. With a team made up of mostly juniors and sophomores led by junior Donovan Brown, the Knights feel they will be a competitive bunch in the fall.
Getting on the podium is the ideal scenar io for a team with tons of veteran talent back, but Smith – now the senior leader in this group – knows they want more. “Getting a trophy at state would be an amazing achievement to hit, but I think our true ultimate goal is we want to go to state to win,” Smith said. “After the meet last year, it was that mo ment where you realize this has a chance to go somewhere big. The entire team, other than one senior, was going to be coming back. We knew we had the ability at that point to come back and be better, so that gave us the motivation to keep work ing at “Thisit.”will be the best trained group,” Daratha said. “They finished that state meet and each person thought in their minds as, ‘I really didn’t do everything I could; I didn’t give it 100%.’ What hap pens if we do give it 100%? What can we accomplish by doing that? I think that’s where we kind of got together and made a commitment to do the things you used to see in the old GSL.”
“This group is very rambunc tious, but they have a lot of spir it,” Crossley said. “The hope is to get two people in 20 or 21 (min utes). If we can get three people there, that’ll be enough for us to get out of districts and hopefully straight to state as a team. I think it’s possible, and it’s going to take a lot of work, but this is the most promise this team has shown in a very long time.”
Abby Crossley, Logan Hofstee look to lead East Valley back to state KEENAN GRAY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW Abby Crossley, left, and Logan Hofstee pose recently at East Valley during training.
University: Sophomore state finisher Libby Roberts leads a solid Titans girls team hoping to keep its momentum going after a rebuilding year with lots of improvements. Add some incoming freshmen, who’ve already shown progress, and this becomes a competitive group. On the boys side, returning senior Larry Trefrey, sophomore Braeden Meeks and juniors Diego Mieja and Dylan Lee should present a solid pack. “We should finish in the middle of the pack,” coach Ernie Aguilar said. “I look forward to see how much we can improve as the season progresses. Being the underdog may give our guys something to motivate them.”
CROSS COUNTRY Continued from 4
The winning mindset has always been with Scott Daratha wherever he has gone to Incoach.themid-’90s as an assistant at Mead, he and the legendary Pat Tyson guided the Panthers boys cross country program to numerous state team titles in what was the golden era of high school running in the state of Washington. After 12 years at Mead, Daratha took on his first head coaching duties at Deer Park –a program that at the time hadn’t won a league meet in 23 years. In the 11 years he was there he was able to flip the narrative, turning the Stags boys into a competitive program that brought home back-to-back state titles in 2016 and ‘17. His time was well spent at Deer Park but a part of him missed coaching in the Greater Spokane League. After the 2017 season, an opportunity came knocking on his door to coach at Mt. Spokane. Similar to Deer Park, the Wildcats had not had much recent success when he got there. “When I came here, guys just didn’t quite have the right drive,” he said. Now entering his fifth season, he feels he has the most complete team yet. “This is my fifth year as the head coach and they’re starting to understand why we do what we do,” Daratha said. “They un derstand the concept, they’re willing to put in the miles, they’re willing to do the things they have to do and make the sacri fices necessary to be successful.” After qualifying for the state 3A cross country meet in for the first time in eight years last year, the Wildcats boys team enters the 2022 campaign with plenty of momentum for a group that went above and beyond their own expectations. They finished the 2021 spring season last at the GSL culminating event. “We were kind of thinking it was going to be another building year,” senior Matt Conrad said on the 2021 season. “We did not expect to be taking sixth at state, so it kind of was so euphoric as a team. It was an eye-opening experience. Like, ‘Wow, this is what hard work does for you.’ It was just a great feeling.” It was a tale of two seasons for the Wild cats in the span of three months of com peting. They finished with a below .500 record in the GSL regular season meets but ran their best race of the season at the District 8 championships, finishing third overall to earn the final berth to the state meet.The sixth-place finish at state was the highest finish by a Mt. Spokane group since the 2013 season when it took fourth overall. The top five individuals on the team fin ished within the top 100 competitors, led by then-junior Ben Smith, who placed 31st in a time 16 minutes, 48.3 seconds.
The Mt. Spokane boys open the 2022 season at the Timberlake Farragut Invita tional on Saturday in Athol, Idaho.
“I think they ran well,” Daratha said. “I tell them with my years of experience, the Mead guys never had a bad state meet and we’re going to prepare you and do the same workouts that the best runners in the history of the state were doing…They went in and believed in what was happen ing.”The Wildcats return five of their sev en state competitors, including four 4A/3A all-league performers first-team er Smith, second-teamers Conrad and sophomore Parker Westerman, and hon orable mention senior Hayden O’Neal. Junior Sam Newton rounds out the top five.In addition, senior Ben Sonneland makes his return to the cross country scene for the first time since his sopho more season after taking on football this past fall. In the 2020 COVID season, he was Mt. Spokane’s top cross-country run ner.“During track season, I realized how much I missed running,” Sonneland said. Sonneland comes into the fall after hav ing competed at the 3A state track meet this past spring for the first time where he placed third overall in the 800-meter (1:54.86), 16th in the 1,600 (4:21.98), and was a member of the Wildcats’ 4x400 re lay state champion team. “The satisfaction of doing a good work out or having a good run was a better feel ing than what I got from football,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to come back. It’s fun to win races, but it’s also fun to know the people you are com peting with. With football, I didn’t know anyone.”Sonneland will be a good boost for a team that replaces Luke Zweisler, its lone senior last season. However, one runner who Daratha believes will make the big gest leap this season is sophomore Kade Brownell – an alternate runner on the state team who shares similar character istics to some of the Mead harriers from the“We‘90s.used to say the Mead boys were blue-collared,” Daratha said. “They would grab their lunch boxes, go to work, and give an honest day’s work. Kade’s not afraid to put in the necessary work to be the best. He’s old school.” The goal for the Wildcats is simple this season – build on last year’s successes.
Knights on the rise
The Mt. Spokane boys cross country team features, from left front row, Sam Newton, Parker Westerman, Hayden Oneal and Ben Sonneland. Back: Kade Brownell, Matthew Conrad and Ben Smith.
September 8, 2022 • thurSday • T5Special SecTion Get Your GSL SPORTS PASS TODAY and attend all regular season GETgreaterspokaneleague.orggames!INONALLTHEACTION!SponsoredbyTheSpokesman-Review HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FaLL preVIeW
Pullman: The lack of experience and veteran athletes didn’t stop the Pullman girls from pulling the spoiler card at the end of the year winning the district championship. There’s plenty of excitement for a team that returns quite a few, including two first-team all-leaguers in
By Keenan Gray THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
At the beginning of the 2021 cross country season, then-junior Abby Crossley and then-sopho more Logan Hofstee weren’t on anyone’sCrossleyradar.was coming off her first year in cross country during the COVID season as East Val ley’s No. 1 runner and ran a 5K in 21 minutes, 24.6 seconds – a time ranked 56th in 2A that spring. “I don’t think I was really in the competitive mindset yet,” Crossley said. “We had a lot of fun that year and that was the moral of the year.” Hofstee couldn’t race due to an impact fracture in her knee, keeping her out of the Knights’ fiveTheraces.two didn’t appear to bring enough to the table at first, but throughout the season they began to prove the doubters wrong – so much that by the end of the year they were state podium finishers. “I’m willing to put the work in,” Hofstee said. “I’m not afraid to enter the zone where it’s going to Thehurt.”work began over the summer when newly appointed coach Lauren Bergam, a former EV runner who later went on to compete for Gonzaga Universi ty, was hired after working as an assistant during the track season. She saw the possibilities in the two and started working right away with them. “They were just beginning their potential,” Bergam said. “Before I saw Logan race her first 400 after she had gotten off crutches, she had done maybe two weeks of sprint work and then ran like a 63 for her 400.
Fifth-year coach Scott Daratha confident Mt. Spokane cross country primed for big year KEENAN GRAY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
“I think it helped me become a better athlete running with Lo gan. I didn’t have anyone to run with, so I know Logan pushes me to do Thebetter.”twocontinued to show positives strides during the spring track season as they both qualified for the state meet in their respective events. Hofstee was a top-three finisher in the 1,600 and 3,200, while Crossley earned another podium spot, fin ishing sixth in the 3,200. This past summer, Hofstee stepped away from racing and fo cused on improving her strength –mental and physical – for the upcomingCrossleyseason.raced a few more times with the Valley Flash Club at the USATF National Junior Olympics Championships. In the three races she competed in, she came away with all-American honors in the 1,500, 3,000 and 2,000 steeplechase in the 17-18 age“Idivision.thinkI finally gained my confidence as a runner,” Cross ley said. “I feel a lot stronger and a lot more conditioned. I know that my times are now going to reflect on how I feel I can do this season.”Thetwo runners have set in dividual goals for the upcom ing season – to place top three at state – but they’re hoping to bring along a young Knights team with them to Pasco. The program hasn’t sent a team to state since 2011.This year’s team features three more returning varsity athletes and three incoming freshmen who are all beginning to show what the possibilities that lie ahead could be.
Staff reports
Capsules for fall 2022 slowpitch softball programs in the Greater Spokane League. In alphabetical order. Records and finish listed from 2021.
Central Valley (1210, 7-5, fifth): Coach Joe Stanton is back for his 18th season with eight starters back, including first-team all-league senior outfielders Sierra Fisher and Madison Saty, and second-team senior 1B Malia Ota and junior SS Sofia Morales. “We will be tough defensively with power in our lineup,” Stanton said. “The bottom of our lineup struggled last year and need some contribution this year.”
Cheney (12-6, 9-3, fourth): The Blackhawks lost a trio of all-league picks from last year’s successful campaign. The returning player with honors is pitcher Mia Ashcroft – still just a sophomore. “We have had a major amount of turnover from last year,” third-year coach Gary Blake said. “We will be quite young and probably inconsistent over the first half of the season. We will need to develop those young players to be competitive in the second half.”
“A lot of games last year we kind of ei ther started soft or ended a little soft,” Gatlin said. “If we just play hard the whole game, that’ll help us turn those close games into wins.” One factor that might help Mead close out those games is an infusion of talent –and speed – on the outside. Wideouts Keenan Kuntz (West Valley) and all-league honorable mention Johnny Talarico (Fer ris) were added to the roster this season to complement returners Max Workman and Nolan Braun. “On the outside at the skill spots, we’re night and day from where we were a year ago,” Stamps said. “You add in Keenan (Kuntz) and Johnny (Talarico) and that’s a pretty dynamic group. It’s by far the fast est group of receivers I’ve ever coached.” A midyear transfer last year, Kuntz was No. 1 in the district qualifying meet in the spring in the 100-meter dash but missed the state meet due to injury. “He is ‘fast-fast,’ ” Stamps said. “You know, there’s ‘fast’ and there’s fast-fast.’
MEAD Continued from 3
JESSE TINSLEY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW Pitcher Autumn Hibbs, left, and infielder Maliyah Mann are important parts of the University Titans slowpitch squad.
University crew knows defense will be key to another banner season
“We had a good fall and spring,” allleague pitcher Autumn Hibbs said. “I’m hoping that carries over to this season.”
By Dave Nichols THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
The University softball program had a banner year in the 2021-22 school year. The slowpitch team won the 3A/2A state title in the fall, scoring 64 runs over three games – including a 26-11 win over Kelso in the championship game. Then in the spring, the Titans shared the district title and qualified for the state fastpitch tournament, eventually bowing out in the third-place bracket. With all that success, the Titans are ex cited to be back on the field for slowpitch.
“Colby tried to out throw him – that’s a good little challenge for him. But he’s a legitimate deep threat. He’s picking up the offense. He’s learning offense and defense right now. It’s all new for him. He’s been a great addition and it’s gonna be fun to have that kind of speed.” Everyone associated with the program acknowledges that a fast start would go a long way for the Panthers, but the sched ule points to Week 9, when Mead faces Mt. Spokane in the Battle of the Bell. Now that both schools are in the 3A classification, the game means more than district pride. “If (both schools) can get to that game, and then if it’d be a big one, that’d be pretty cool for this community and the families and players on both sides and schools,” Stamps said. “And I think that’s the per fect time to play that game.” “Ever since I was little, that’s all I dreamed about was playing in that game,” Danielson said. “From elementary school, you know, all the way up. I always went to the games, loud crowd and stuff. And I was like, ‘Man, I can’t wait for that moment to be playing in that game.’ “ SLOWPITCH AT A GLANCE
Defending the crown
There are a lot of returning players, but just a couple of seniors – 1B Emma LaRue and utility Anna Kehoe. Junior SS Mary Johnson is out for her first year of slowpitch after previously just playing fastpitch. “We have players that are coachable, that work hard and that have fun together,” Bushinski said. Gonzaga Prep (3-14. 2-10, 11th): No details reported. Lewis and Clark (910, 6-6, seventh): Jason Wederspahn returns for his second season at the helm with eight letter winners and six starters back. The Tigers are led by all-league senior SS Olivia Boures and junior OF Jillian Hatch. “We should be competitive in this league as we should continue to make a jump based off what our growth over the last two years has shown,” Wederspahn said. Mead (16-2, 11-1, first): League MVP Bailey Wilkins has moved on, so fifth-year coach Tiffany Casedy will lean on her four returning starters, including juniors 1B Campbell Brose (all-GSL) and SS Charlie Stern. “We are starting so new and fresh this year,” Casedy said. “I think that if we come together and find the right lineup/defense, we will have a really good team.” Mt. Spokane (22-3, 11-1, first): The Wildcats were regular season co-champs and third in state last year and bring back seven starters for 10th-year coach Carl Adams. It all starts with senior infielder Jessica Waters, a first-team all-league selection and the league’s home run champion. “We are fortunate to have a strong core returning and have also added a group of young players who like to compete and bring a lot of softball experience,” Adams said. North Central (0-16, 0-12, 13th): Four letter winners and tree starters return for sixth-year coach Chris Lester. Senior utility Mia Sebesta was a second-team all-league pick, while junior catcher Malia Richardson and sophomore utility Amara Boyd provide depth. “The team has many scrappy new freshmen ready to go,” Lester said. “We are developing a squad with lots of promise.” Ridgeline (5-12, 4-8, 10th): Lori Maupin takes over as coach of the Falcons with 10 returning starters. “We’re very excited to start our second year of the slowpitch program,” she said. Key returners including a trio of seniors – 1B Samantha Mowrey, 2B Savannah Smith and pitcher Charley Palm –along with junior SS Emma Meyer. Rogers (6-13, 5-8, ninth): Seven starters return for 19th-year coach Cris Coffield. Despite the numbers, it’s still a young squad, led by junior SS Jamie Olsen, a second-team all-league pick from last season. “Olsen could have an MVP-type of season as a hitter/shortstop,” Coffield said. The Pirates will also count on sophomore 1B Jayaira Lewis. Shadle Park (8-11, 6-6, eighth): Coach Scott Harmon returns for his third season with the Highlanders slowpitch. Several key players graduated, so there’s a little bit of a rebuild in store. “We had a great season last season, and we hope to continue to grow our number of participants for this year,” Harmon said. “We will need to focus on defense to try and stay competitive in this talented league.” University (21-2, 11-1, first): The Titans return eight letter winners and five starters from their GSL and state champion team last year, led by senior pitcher Autumn Hibbs and junior infielders Maliyah Mann and Abby Watkins – all three all-league picks. “We lost three firstteam all-league selections,” fourth-year coach Matt Connor said. “We’ll need a few of our returners to step up and fill those shoes. We’ll start a completely new outfield.” think with all the returners we have great chemistry, and everyone knows him now, everyone’s comfortable with him.” “I would say that for all of our kids, hopefully we’re ahead of where we were last year,” Stamps said. “I felt good about last fall. It’s not the record we want – we want to compete for GSL championships every year, and that’s our No. 1 goal. But I did think from Week 1 to Week 10, we got better every week – learning to compete and do things the right way.” One of the strengths of this Panthers team will be its experienced offensive line, led by center Jacob Gatlin, a first-team allleague selection last season. “We’ve got three seniors on the of fensive line that are returning starters,” Stamps said. “Gatlin is maybe the best football player on our team. It’s just be cause he’s an offensive lineman, you don’t notice“Theit.”expectation of having a good of fense starts up front, which is a big deal,” Gatlin said. “Colby does a good job with that. He’s always encouraging us, buying us food and stuff, eating over at his house. He does a really good job with that. His el ement of speed helps us a lot too because he can correct some of our mistakes with hisThespeed.”group lost their guards to gradua tion but have experienced backups sliding into the starting roles. “Both of the new kids, both of our guards, we know them very well,” Gatlin said. “They played scout team last year, and they’ve hopped in really nice.” The Panthers dropped a couple of onescore games last season. It’s been a point of emphasis for Stamps all offseason. “We’ve talked about that openly with our kids,” he said. “We are now in our mental headspace – are we ready to win one-score games? We dropped three onescore games last year that I think we were all a couple plays away from winning. “Credit the other teams, they made the plays, and we didn’t. Hopefully we’re training and conditioned and mentally in a place where we’re going to make that play in the fourth quarter now.”
East Valley (3-13, 1-12, 12th): “We have a group of girls who are willing to show up every day and work their butts off,” fourth-year coach Ashley Doyle said. “They are willing to learn and take on any challenge we throw their way.” Four starters are back, including seniors Shawnee Munns (utility), Sydney Peterson (infield) and 1B Mckenzie Ervin. Ferris (9-10, 5-7, sixth): Coach Linda Bushinski has led the Saxons program since slowpitch returned in 2002.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FaLL preVIeW
T6 • Thursday • sepTember 8, 2022 Special SecTion
“We’re really excited to get going,” fourth-year coach Matt Connor said. “We have a lot of some new fresh faces that are contributing early which has been a nice surprise for us.” “We’re getting everyone used to things,” Hibbs said. “It’s definitely different. A lit tle challenging to get people to communi cate more and just step out of their com fort zone and talk.” She’s taken more of an active role in leadership.“I’mone of the three seniors this year, so I’ve stepped up pretty much,” she said. Connor believes the Greater Spokane League, and the other leagues across the state that play slowpitch in the fall, are at an advantage to those who don’t. “Coming into the fall season it’s a really great way for the young kids to come in,” he said. “Get familiar with the program, get familiar with what the expectations are here at U-Hi and they get to build re lationships right off the bat. They get to be part of a team. And we find that it real ly helps get kids ingrained in what Titan athletics are about.” The success has a lot to do with the ex pectations.“I’mnot sure how the other schools look at us,” Connor said. “What I want is that we are able to maintain what has been a great tradition here at U-Hi, to have teams that compete and teams that are at towards the top of the standings. “We want to get kids better every day and we want them to embrace competi tion. And we want to have some fun along the“Coachway.” always tells us we have a target on our backs,” Hibbs said. “We just need to go in acting like it’s any other team and not get too ahead of ourselves.” She doesn’t mind playing front-runner. “It’s fun going into a game knowing that people know who you are.” When the GSL brought slowpitch back as a fall sport in 2002, it was the only league in the state to play. The Mid-Co lumbia Conference and a couple others adopted it later, and the game has been spreading across the state ever since. The WIAA sanctioned slowpitch in 2018 and added the state tourney in 2019. “It’s great for the sport,” Connor said. “It’s great for the GSL as more teams get into slowpitch across the state. We’re go ing to see the competition grow, which is great. We always want to play the best and we want to get ourselves ready and continue to make the GSL proud in slow pitch.”Junior infielder Maliyah Mann joins Hibbs as returning all-league players this season.“Autumn does such a great job for us pitching,” Connor said. “She kind of sets the tone for us. She has composure, which is what you want from a pitcher, and she just does a great job. She fields her posi tion well, and she does a really good job at the plate for us putting the ball in play and being successful there. “And then Maliyah is just an offensive threat – any time up she can hit the ball out of the yard. She does a great job for us defensively, but her most intimidating spot is that the plate for sure.” Pitching in slowpitch might not seem as exciting, but it’s not just lobbing the ball up there and letting people put it in play. “I don’t know what other programs do, but we try to locate pitches both short and deep. We try to work in and out,” Connor said. “One thing we don’t do, is we don’t walk people. Autumn makes batters put the ball in play, which really plays into our team because our defense is has been so“You’resolid. not going to get many strike outs in slowpitch. Our defense really car ries the load for us.” It puts a premium on every player being able to field their position. The Titans’ infield is solid across the board.“Ithink our middle (infielders) are re ally, really good,” he said. “Abby Watkins and Natalie Singer are dynamite up the middle. And Katie Travis is just as solid as can be at third base. Our entire infield, I feel, has the potential to be recognized at the end of the season.” Momentum can be a funny thing some times, but Connor thinks the Titans’ suc cess last year will carry over. “It certainly will,” he said. “It just cre ates a good culture. It creates a good at mosphere. Kids set their own expecta tions when they have success. They want to follow that up with another successful season. Absolutely.” Part of that momentum can be mea sured in turnout. U-Hi had 36 players come out for slowpitch this fall. “It’s a really good number from what I’m hearing from other programs,” Con nor said. “I feel like the numbers are com ing back. I feel like kids are bouncing back and wanting to get out and join teams and be more active.” For a decade, U-Hi has faced Central Valley in the “Fall Ball Brawl,” where the schools alternate years hosting a game under portable lights at night. It’s the big gest crowd every year for slowpitch. This year, the league got together to schedule a whole evening of rivalry games under the lights on Sept. 27 at Merkel Sports Complex, with two games are 5:30 p.m and five games at 7. “I’m super excited, especially for our seniors,” Hibbs said of the night games. “Hopefully we’ll go out beating (CV) cause they’re our rival.” “What we’re trying to do is promote our sport in Spokane,” Connor said. “We’ll be able to continue our rivalry game with CV.Mead and Mt. Spokane will play their ‘Battle of the Bats.’ “We’re hoping to get a little media cov erage and promote our sport and promote our girls. They deserve the same recog nition and kudos that a lot of the other fall sports get. Sometimes we tend to fly under the radar. But these kids work just as hard and compete just as hard as any of the other sports in the GSL at the state level.”