EV, CV boys track compete Thursday for titles

East Valley and Central Valley boys barely lost this year for the titles in their respective divisions in Greater Spokane League track.

But that doesn’t mean that one or the other won’t be the league champion.

Thursday at Mead, the two Spokane Valley schools and Lewis and Clark meet for the title in a meet to determine the overall top four finishers.

The Knights (5-1) lost to the unbeaten Panthers during Thursday’s showdown in Clarkston. EV had a 14-point upper hand in the running events thanks to the sprints, led by Scott Bunkelman, and high hurdles, won by Kyle Bowers in 15.8 seconds, but were outscored 43-17 in the field, winning only the long jump, by Bunkelman, and discus.

Central Valley (5-1) wrapped up second place in the American Division behind LC with a 121-24 romp past Gonzaga Prep. The Bears’ only league loss was by a point to the Tigers in their season opener.

In other boys meets, Kevin Martin won the 200 in 22.9, 110 high hurdles in 15.6 and 300 hurdles in 39.7 to pace University (2-4) past Rogers 95-46. Dan Turner pole vaulted 14-feet, 3-inches to improve four inches on his third-best league effort.

Maurice Swan and Arton Toussaint won horizontal jump events, although West Valley (1-5) lost twice, to Mt. Spokane and Cheney, in its final GSL season.

The two teams will compete in a meet for ninth-through-14th places Thursday at U-Hi.

None of the girls teams are among the top four. EV and CV both finished 3-3, U-Hi was 2-4 and WV 1-5 during divisional meets.

Titan Katie Hawkins set a league record by pole vaulting 11-7, Dana McClendon won shot put, discus and javelin and Renee Messling timed 12.8 and 27.4 in the sprints during a 131-12 victory over Rogers.

Eagle Bri Almy timed a flashy 26.8 in the 200 meters, part of a three win day (100 and long jump), but WV lost to both Mt. Spokane and Cheney.

The Knights split in Clarkston, losing 81-69 to National champion Mead and CV was beaten 89-61 by Gonzaga Prep.

GSL baseball intrigues

Just three games remain in Greater Spokane League baseball, and there’s still plenty of uncertainty concerning the outcome.

“It could be still wide open,” said West Valley coach Don O’Neal, whose Eagles helped alter things on Thursday with their 10-5 win over Mead.

Victory, coupled with Central Valley’s 3-0 shutout over University, turned what had been a three-way tie for first place into a three-way tie for second.

The same teams met again Friday, which changed things again.

Regardless, on Monday when the Eagles play North Central and end the season with home-and-home games against Mt. Spokane; when University hosts Lewis and Clark and finishes home-and-home against Mead, who knows how things will shake out.

Following Thursday’s games Ferris led WV, U-Hi and Mead (all 11-3) by a game. Mt. Spokane was fifth, a game further back. Any could wind up the GSL champion.

More pressing for O’Neal is a win at home over NC (8-6 in sixth) which would assure the Eagles top 3A seed in postseason.

“The first thing is we want enough wins to get the No. 1 spot,” he said.

The Eagles didn’t have a base runner in three of the game’s first four innings against Mead, but scored four times in the third when two errors were followed by a two-run single by Bryan Peterson and run-scoring hit by Mitch Phillips.

Greg Bradley hit a grand-slam home run in the fifth, and the Eagles scored their fifth and sixth unearned runs in the sixth on singles by Mike Hauschild and Peterson that got under the glove of Mead’s right fielder.

That made things easy for pitcher Alex Stanley who allowed four hits and a run in six innings and got through Mead’s four-run seventh.

“I wanted the complete game,” he said. “The last two starts I really struggled.”

O’Neal said going the distance was imperative for his No. 2 starter.

“I think he had a mental block after U-Hi,” — in which the Titans rallied from an 8-0 deficit to win —, said O’Neal. “He really needed to finish.”

While University and West Valley are among five GSL title aspirants, Central Valley (8-8) is one of four other 4A teams scrambling for two remaining district playoff berths.

It made beating the Titans imperative and Jake Swantko was up to the task. He scattered seven hits in pitching the shutout, two each by Adam Smith and Travis Lewis, and the defense bailed him out of two-on, no-out dilemma. Nick Lallier drove in two of CV’s three runs and was 3-for-4 in the game.

The Bears finish league on Monday against Ferris.

East Valley (5-10) plays Rogers and Shadle Park twice to end its season needing wins in all three to keep postseason hopes alive.

Titan girls advance

A pair of 7-0 tennis victories advanced University’s girls in cross-over matches among the GSL’s top teams.

The Titans blanked Central Valley and North Central. Tuesday they play unbeaten Ferris and finish out against Mead to determine the league’s top four teams.

CV lost to Gonzaga Prep 5-2, while East Valley beat Rogres and West Valley beat Clarkston in other matches.

East Valley’s boys beat Rogers and West Valley 6-1, the Eagles beat University 4-3 and the Titans beat Cheney 4-3 in matches among each division’s fifth through seventh place teams.

In the rounds among the division’s top four squads, CV lost 6-1 to Mt. Spokane and Clarkston.

Painted Hills action

It was Jeanne Allemand‘s day during this week’s Painted Hills Ladies League golf action.

Allemand shot low gross 46 for the leading A flight score. Net winner was Theresa Zacher with 37.

Other winners were Marian Decker with low gross 52 in B flight and Melody Chesnut with net 34.

C flight went to Carol Schjodt with 58 and Elaine Lukes with net 38.

D flight was won by Candy Blackmer at 61 and Nancy Moore with net 37. No Handicap low scorer was Lisa Ward with 58.

Chip-ins were recorded by Chesnut on the 15th hole and Penny Lancaster on No. 12.

Three Blind Mice

Liberty Lake Women’s 18-Hole Club golfers played a game called Three Blind Mice.

The idea is to subtract the three worst holes from a player’s net score.

The winners were Jackie Shea with a net 47 in A flight, finishing ahead of Kathy Brown‘s 51 and Billie Etter‘s 53.

In B flight, Debbie West won with 48 and Jean Hatcher was second with 53.

C flight leaders were Louise Newtson with 53 and Alice Shattuck with 60.

And in D flight, Linda Dreher netted 50, Maggie Steffy had 52 and Colleen Wisenor 55.

Trailhead repeat

Trailhead Ladies Golf Club golfer Carolyn State repeated her A flight victory during weekly competition.

State shot 46 for low gross score of the day. Joyce Jacobs recorded a net 32.

In B flight it was Sandi Hatcher with a 52, while Shirley Rodman and Bev Johnson tied with net 31.

Mary Ann Evans won C flight with 61 and Caroline Michielli netted 31.

All three net winners of their respective flights had chip-ins.

No-handicap leaders were Margo Coy and Brenda Miller, each with 56.