Seniors Agnew, Nelson deliver net gain for CV, U-Hi

By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor

Defined by fast breaks, scrambling defense and quick bolts to the hoop, basketball is rarely referred to as “a waiting game.”

That is unless you happen to be an underclassman on a high school roster stocked with juniors and seniors who occupy most of the playing time.

For Autumn Agnew of Central Valley and Tyler Nelson of University, patiently waiting for their numbers to be called has paid off. The two seniors –who spent their early prep years dealing with reserve minutes as well as the virtual elimination of a sophomore season due to a worldwide pandemic – are now leading their respective teams among the area’s elite.

Agnew was a freshman on a Bears’ squad that won the Greater Spokane League (GSL) title and vaulted to the 201920 state 4A championship, defeating previously undefeated Woodinville. While she didn’t see the court during CV’s playoff run, Agnew said the experience of practicing with teammates like MJ Bruno and Peyton Howard – who would go onto play Division-1 college basketball – proved valuable.

“Competing against them in practice made me so much better,” Agnew said.

As a sophomore, Agnew was part of a roster that got past Mead to win another GSL crown. Despite the abbreviated season and cancellation of the post-season related to the pandemic, Agnew contributed significantly as a sub who stood out on the defensive end.

“The team didn’t really need me offensively,” she said. “I hit some threes but I was mostly a defensive player.”

That changed last season as Agnew averaged nearly 15 points per game, including a career-high 27 against Cheney. While the Bears were eliminated from the district bracket after a .500 campaign, it was clear that Agnew had arrived as one of the GSL’s best.

“From the time she was a freshman, you could see Autumn was dynamic, had great energy and was happy to be in the gym,” said CV Head Coach Felice Orrell.

“She also really understands what Central Valley basketball is all about and the culture we’ve created here.”

This season, the trend has continued with Agnew netting over 17 points a game for a Bears’ team that leads the GSL 4A race after a convincing 65-53 win over Gonzaga Prep on Jan. 20. Agnew led CV with 22 points, including four 3-pointers. The victory advanced the Bears to 6-0 in league play and 11-3 overall.

Agnew is also averaging seven rebounds, two steals and one assist per game.

“She’s such a force on both ends of the court,” said Orrell. “I’ve seen Autumn grow a lot in her mental game and basketball game.”

Agnew, also an accomplished volleyball player, credits a vigorous summer training regimen for her best season yet.

“I think before teams thought I could only drive but I wanted to be accurate from anywhere,” she said. “I also wanted to get stronger and improve my vertical jump.”

Orrell said Agnew and her teammates sent a message early on with the season opener at Kennewick, a 52-48 win in which the senior captain scored 18 points.

“I knew we had something to prove, just letting people know how good our team was and how much we’d improved,” Agnew said.

A holiday tournament in late December gave CV a chance to face the top-ranked 4A team in the state, Woodinville, on a neutral court. A close game at half got away from the Bears after an 11-4 Woodinville run in the third quarter. Despite the 17-point setback, Agnew said the matchup gave CV a litmus test for the postseason.

“We showed we could play with a team like that,” she said. “I think if we were to play them again, it’d be a completely different game.”

Later in the same tournament, Agnew tallied a career-high 30 in a win over Lake Stevens.

Agnew says she stays grounded by two pillars – faith and family, both of which give her perspective beyond basketball.

“My favorite part of the week is Sunday morning because it means going to church and breakfast with my family,” she said. “At the end of the day, I know God is always for me.”

Agnew will continue her pursuit of basketball and academics on scholarship at Corban University, a private Christian college in Salem, Oregon.

See SPORTS STREAM, Page 22

Student of the Month Citizen of the Month

Greeting fellow students at Central Valley High School is just part of the routine for Sarthak Shrestha. The senior serves as ASB president and takes his responsibilities as student ambassador seriously, including morning door greeter. Shrestha maintains a 4.0 grade point average and has taken 10 AP classes. He has competed in Speech and Debate at CV for four years, qualifying for state three times and reaching nationals through Future Business Leaders of America. The Missouri native was team captain for the Bears’ track and field squad last year, participating in the 100 and 200 meters as well as the 4 x 400 relay. He has served as a Congressional intern with the office of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Shrestha has been accepted to the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and will study Economics and International Studies.

Sports Stream

Continued from page 18

“I’m looking forward to Autumn’s next chapter,” Orrell said.

As for the possibility of closing out her prep career with state title bookends, Agnew said to not count the Bears out. CV just recently crept into the state polls at No. 9, a fact not lost on Agnew and her teammates.

“I think this team is playing with a little chip on our shoulder,” she said. “We should be ranked higher. If we play our best game, we have a chance (at state).”

While Agnew and her fellow Bears have the inside track on another GSL championship, Nelson has led the Titans among the league’s best on the boys’ 3A side. U-Hi sits at 12-4 overall, 4-3 in the GSL. The senior guard is averaging 16 points a game on 44 percent shooting while dishing out nearly five assists and pulling down close to four rebounds per contest.

Athlete of the Month

As an athlete, student and servant leader, Bella Mueller is having an impact at Ridgeline High School. The junior maintains a 4.0 grade point average and competes in basketball and cross country. “Bella is an amazing piece of our basketball team,” said RHS Head Coach Clyde Woods. “She always has a smile on her face and is always looking to help others.” The Liberty Lake resident is also part of the Ridgeline Leadership Team and helped start the Green Team last year, a club focused on environmental awareness and sustainability. She is currently taking Spanish 3, PreCalculus and three other AP classes. Mueller also participates in Junior Class Council, Link Crew and Choir. On and off the court, Mueller emphasizes teamwork. “In order to build up a positive mindset, we need to be there for each other,” she said.

“We’re leaning on him with his leadership and experience as a captain,” said University Head Coach Garrick Phillips. “His leadership has grown a lot this year. He puts his team first.”

Last season, Nelson found himself behind seniors Jeremiah Sibley – now playing at North Idaho College – and Will Kennedy – on the roster at Evergreen State. He worked his way into the starting lineup toward the end of the year after injuries to several starters.

“He ended up playing a critical role,” Phillips said. “Tyler has high expectations of himself.”

In the 2022 district playoffs, Nelson stepped up with 12 points against Kennewick and 17 in a win over Hermiston before the Titans were eliminated by Mt. Spokane.

This season, Nelson appears well on his way to achieving a goal of earning All GSL recognition. He had 23 points, eight assists and five rebounds in a 61-42 win over Lewis and Clark on Jan. 3 and followed that up with 20 points in the first half against Gonzaga Prep before the Bullpups employed a box-in-one defense to hold Nelson to four points in the final half.

Karen Toreson has been a kind and generous fixture near the shores of Liberty Lake for over five decades. The Spokane native spent 31 years in education at the elementary school level, teaching at Sunrise and University and serving as principal at Keystone, Broadway and Ponderosa. A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, Toreson is part of the Daughters of Norway and a longtime member of the Sunrise Rotary Club where she currently serves as president. “Karen sees when people need something and always steps up,” said friend Annie Tichy. “She is very community-aware and, as a neighbor, has helped me out through the years.” Karen and her husband Skip celebrated 60 years of marriage last June. They were honored as grand marshals of the 32nd Alpine Shores Fourth of July Parade last year. Karen is a proud mom and grandmother.

Listed at 5’9, Nelson says he is always ready for the challenge of playing against taller opponents.

“I’ve always had to find ways to be better than players bigger than me,” Nelson said.

Phillips points to Nelson’s “athleticism and competitive spirit” as traits that set the guard apart. In the final game of a holiday tournament, the Titans took on Eastmont from Wenatchee and “came out kind of flat,” Phillips recalls.

“Tyler just kind of took over,” Phillips said of an effort that featured 28 points and two goahead free throws in the final seconds, securing a 70-69 U-Hi victory.

Despite putting up impressive numbers on the offensive end, Nelson also makes it a point to emphasize defense. He has taken nine offensive charges this year and compiled a dozen steals and

19 deflections.

“I’ve always taken pride in my defense,” he said. “I’ve always said that defense wins games.”

Nelson hopes to play basketball at the college level, an aspiration that his coach believes is within reach.

“In the right situation, Tyler could definitely play at another level,” he said. “He’s a highly skilled player with great court vision who is also gifted defensively.”

Despite a setback to Ferris on Jan. 20, Nelson and his fellow Titans remain among the favorites to advance beyond the district bracket later this month. A clutch 63-60 victory over North Central on Jan. 24 helped the cause. Nelson had 24 points in the win. The senior says it will take the team playing up to its potential to thrive in the post-season.

“I feel like we can make a very good run,” Nelson said. “We just need to keep playing hard, working in practice and not taking teams lightly.”

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