Family Knows All About Annual Battle

The Stinky Sneaker contest was more than a one-night event in the Hinckley household.

With children at both University and Central Valley high schools it was a week-long topic of conversation.

University High School senior Julie Hinckley plays on the Titan girls basketball team. Her sophomore brother Marc is a member of the Central Valley Bears boys varsity.

“We had some little tensions,” Julie admitted prior to Thursday night’s game.

As it turned out, both brother and sister came away with something. Marc’s team won 40-27 over the U-Hi boys and moved closer to the league playoffs.

Although University lost 62-51 to Julie’s former teammates at CV - she transferred to U-Hi a little over a year ago - there was some consolation. Her adopted high school made off with the Sneaker.

“Now, at least, we can say we won that,” she said.

Her brother was unperturbed.

“It’s kind of fun,” said Marc of the spirit competition between two schools. “But it’s more important we won the game.”

The CV gymnasium was packed to the rafters by students from both schools and was festooned in white, black, red, blue and gold balloons.

Central Valley’s fans wore black T-shirts bearing their theme, “Hammer the Titans.” They waved large pastel pink, orange and lilac plastic inflatable hammers. Cheerleaders gyrated to appropriate M.C. Hammer music.

University’s approach was more eclectic, the students donning “Titan All-Stars” T-shirts and wearing crowns, courtesy of Burger King.

The Titan moms (and one dad), performed at halftime and the cheerleaders’ dance and aerial routine was to a montage of music, from rap to Pink Floyd.

When it was over, CV’s basketball teams may have hammered ‘em, but the Titans were most spirited, winning with 804 points to 786.

CV’s girls basketball team fell behind by nine points at the outset but rallied to lead 33-27 at halftime on Crystal Lee’s 3-point shot in the final five seconds.

At the close of the third quarter, Rikki Jackson made an off-balance three as time ran out to up the ante to 52-35. University closed to within 9 points against CV’s subs.

The boys teams started well enough, each making a pair of 3-point baskets, then became colder than the sub-zero weather outside.

Midway through the second quarter the clocks went out and so did the shooting. Combined, the teams made less than 28 percent of their field goals.

There was also an inordinate amount of traveling, appropriate perhaps since a traveling trophy was at stake.

CV’s inside game by Carson May and Jeff Allen proved more effective. The Bears built a 5-point lead that stood for much of the game.

Treys by Titans Ryan Massey and Kelly Hineman tied the score briefly at 20 in the third quarter.

But the team sent CV to the line down the stretch for 8 of 10 shooting that iced the win.

“We didn’t do tremendously offensively,” said CV coach Terry Irwin, “but we frustrated them defensively in our zone by digging in on (Erik) Carlson and not pressuring the ball.”

With the loss, University’s playoff hopes have begun to slip away. The seventh-place Titans trail CV and Shadle Park by two games with three left to play.

New season for wrestlers

Dual meets that determine team success are a thing of the past. Area wrestlers are out for themselves.

Tournament wrestling is an entirely new season for competitors who are chasing state berths in a series of competition.

Survivors of last night’s 16-wrestler brackets are closing in on regional berths. District semifinals, finals and consolation matches today at Mead for AAA schools, in Pullman for AA and at Ritzville for A and B wrestlers will advance four wrestlers to regionals in each of 14 weight classes.

Among the top seeded wrestlers from Greater Spokane League co-champion University are Gordon Bash at 101, Craig Bishop at 108, Josh Knowles at 122, Andy Roberts at 129 and Jeff Schmedding at 215.

U-Hi also has a good chance of pushing at least three other wrestlers into regionals.

Central Valley’s best bets are John Reese at 108, Shane Cunanan at 115, Rick Giampietri at 158, Shane Yackel at 168, Joe Thiefault at 178 and Bob Perkes at 275.

The team could also advance four or five others.

In the AA district, East Valley and West Valley could advance as many as 20 wrestlers to regionals.

Best bets are Knights Gary Adamson at 108, Justin Walker at 115, Joe Adamson at 122, Matt Eastman at 135, Rusty Ruchert at 148, and Ben Wise at 215.

For the Eagles, the highest seeded wrestlers are Ty Roberts at 101, Quinn Sharpe at 115, Cory Richardson at 122, Jason Miller at 178 and Josh Kelp at 190.

Freeman has two first seeds in the District A/B event. They are Dan Ross at 129 pounds and David Aman at 215.

Other Scotties prospects are Jeff Comstock at 122 and Greg Dahlstrom at 190.

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