Season comes down to matches next week

When Central Valley hosts East Valley and University back-to-back next week to complete the Greater Spokane League wrestling season, any of three things will happen.

Either the Bears or the Knights (both 8-0) will finish as undisputed champion, or there will be a three-way title tie.

After beating the Titans (7-1) 27-26 on Wednesday in a contest where seemingly every contest had match-altering implications, EV will win its fourth title in six years with victory over the Bears next Wednesday.

CV will win its first title since 1998 by beating first the Knights, then the Titans a night later in the annual Battle of the Bone.

For U-Hi to earn one-third of its sixth GSL championship, the Bears would have to beat the Knights on Wednesday and the Titans would have to beat CV on Thursday.

On paper the matches next week favor Central Valley based partly on more experience and depth. Against University there are several tossup weights in the middle, but CV will be mostly favored down low and in the upper weights.

The Bears have the advantage over EV in the first seven weight classes and, like the Knights, are unbeaten at 189 where EV’s Dan Michalski and CV’s Jake Neumann and 215 which features Knight Jimmy Martin and Bear Tyler Cochran.

Whatever the outcome, East Valley coach Craig Hanson could not have been more pleased with the thrilling win over University.

“From where we started the year, this is tremendous,” he said. “These kids have come miles.”

The Titans’ lower weights advantage propelled them to an early 17-0 lead after four matches. A pair of pivotal victories, by Danny Jordan at 160 and sophomore Zach Lester at 112 over wrestlers previously unbeaten in league, and Sean Mott‘s welcome victory at 103 put the team ahead 26-23 with a match remaining.

“Danny had a great match tonight and I was pleased with Sean’s win,” said coach Don Owen. “We were even there.”

He wasn’t surprised by Lester’s win, even though he’d gone 1-4 in league before dropping down a weight.

“I needed the pin but couldn’t get it,” said Lester of the win over EV senior Kyle Hunter.

But the Knights countered with expected wins by Caleb Alvarado, Billy Cabbage, Clete Hanson, Michalski, Martin and Nick Weyrauch in their strength weights from 145 through 285 pounds.

Weyrauch trailed 2-1 and was getting taken down when he used a throwing move while falling backward for a pin.

“To come off his back and put his opponent on his back was amazing,” said Hanson. “But that’s what Nick does. He pins people.”

Those six team points positioned EV for freshman Sean Biltoft‘s 11-1 decision and one-point team triumph in the night’s final match at 119 pounds. U-Hi was short-handed there because of injury to Anthony Rivera who had moved from East Valley to University this year.

The GSL is young with better years ahead. Biltoft was one of five freshmen in the respective Knights’ and Titans’ lineups. The teams combined to start five sophomores and four juniors as well.

“West Valley (0-3-1) in the Great Northern League tied Colville Thursday on Michael White‘s pin at 119 pounds. Kevin Udell won the match earlier to give the Eagles a chance.

Upset win in hoops

University’s 64-63 upset of visiting Mead on Tuesday enhanced the Titans playoff chances.

Sophomore Mason Johnson remained hot, scoring 25 points and igniting a third-quarter comeback. He scored eight points as the team outscored Mead by nine points in the third quarter and 10 more in the fourth quarter, seven of them when U-Hi’s lead went to 58-47.

The Titans (5-9 prior to Friday night’s games) were sixth behind Central Valley (6-8) in the GSL. Six qualify for district.

GSL boys and girls teams begin the final three weeks of the season on Tuesday with CV at Mead. On Friday the Bears are at Gonzaga Prep, Titans are at Mt. Spokane and East Valley (2-10) hosts Rogers in a spirit game.

Johnson is averaging 17.0 points per game, and Ryan Dixon 11.1 for the Titans. Nick Ambrose leads CV with a 15.5 average, and Kevin Cameron is averaging 11.9. East Valley (2-10) is paced by Danny Marshall at 11.7 and Emerson Fulton, who is averaging 14.3 in four games.

U-Hi’s record-breaking scorer Angie Bjorklund averages 25.8 points per game for the GSL second-place team (12-2). Dara Zack adds 13.6 per outing. Justine Bowman leads CV (4-10) with a 12.3 average and Kelsi Jacobson is scoring 9.3 for EV (4-8).

“West Valley’s boys (9-2, 6-0) and girls (6-6, 4-2) reached the mid-point of the Great Northern League schedule on Friday against Deer Park. Wins would position both for the 2A District playoffs.

Move to the league has benefited the Eagles girls who have erased memories of seasons past with a solid effort.

Three WV boys are averaging in double figures, Bryan Peterson at 16.9 points per game, Jordan Lupfer-Graham at 11.5 and Casey Sherrill at 11.0.

Krystal McCarthy leads the girls with an 11.6 average, with near double-figures efforts from Marissa Alexander, Melissa Mauro and Missy Carey.

Titan gymnasts top Bears

University duplicated its second-place dual GSL gymnastics finish in a high-scoring finale against Central Valley.

The entire league competes next Saturday at Mead in a meet where each place goes toward determining the overall league finish.

U-Hi beat CV 167.725 to 165.375, one of the highest point totals of the season. Mere tenths of points separated the competitors.

Titan Tabitha Ward scored 35.7 all-around to Bear Maria Alderman‘s 34.95, winning the uneven bars in 9.15, balance beam at 9.3, finishing second on vault and third during floor exercise.

Alderman won floor exercise and was third on bars.

Denel Lang scored 33.85 for third and Taylor Vold 33.675 for fourth to help spearhead U-Hi’s victory. Lang finished second on bars and beam.

Courtney Sexton won vault for CV and was fifth all-around a 33.475. Teammate Jennifer Dimmler finished third on balance beam.

Other Titan top-three event finishers were Monica Marmolejo, second during floor exercise and Courtney Gilbert, third on vault.

Freeman teams split

Freeman’s boys basketball team created a three-way first place Northeast A League tie with Wednesday’s 59-39 win over previously unbeaten Colfax.

But the Scotties girls struggled against the Bulldogs.

The Scotties boys (10-4 overall, 3-1) in league bounced back from last week’s overtime loss last week at Kettle Falls to share the NEA lead with Colfax (11-2, 3-1) and Chewelah (8-5, 3-1).

Christian Casto scored 16 points, Scott Ferguson and Andrew Dresback had a dozen points each.

In a game between league unbeatens, Freeman’s girls lost 54-38. The Scotties (11-3, 3-1) are now tied for second with Lakeside behind Colfax (12-2, 4-0) despite 16 points by sophomore Carley Heinen.

Heading into the weekend, Valley Christian’s boys (7-8, 6-5) were fourth in the Bi-County League. The girls (3-12, 3-8) were eighth. Vitaliy Kozubenko is second in Bi-County scoring with a 22.4 average.