Locally: Spokane girl third in world climbing event

Melissa Main of Spokane duplicated her third-place national finish by placing third in the Female Youth A division at the Climbing World Youth Championships at the end of August in Ecuador.

It was the highest world placing for Main, 17, a junior at Lewis and Clark High School, in her third world competition. She was 41st in 2006 after placing sixth in the Female Youth B division in 2005.

In 2004, she was fourth in the North American championships.

Baseball

Ed Cheff of Lewis-Clark State has been named the American Baseball Coaches Association NAIA Region I Coach of the Year for 2007.

Cheff led the Warriors to a 58-5 record and their 15th NAIA World Series national title in 24 years. They were 10-0 in the event.

Cheff, who has a career record of 1,559-403-2 over 31 years, has been the NAIA Coach of the Year seven times and was inducted into the ABCA Hall of Fame in 2006.

Bowling

Brandon Roush and Bobby Ramelow picked off three opponents from their No. 3 qualifying position to win the second annual Junior Bowlers Tour Alumni Tournament Aug. 26 at Valley Bowl.

Roush, who had a 911 series to lead the first four-game qualifying block, and Ramelow defeated top qualifiers Ryan Dahlstrom and Brian Long 389-343 for the title. Dahlstrom and Long had vaulted from 15th to first.

Jeremy Lilly and Alex Lee placed third, Justin Johnson and Thane Mittlestaedt fourth and Kyle Casey and James McCold fifth.

Rousch had top game for the youth, a 268; Long’s 278 led the adults; and Kayla Fencl paced the girls with a 212.

“Nick Schmehl led the showing by local juniors in the Summer Swiss tournament in Seattle in late July.

Schmehl teamed with Todd Benner, Adam Holtman and Mike Federico to place first in A team and paired with Adam Nakosky to win A doubles and with Federico to take second in A doubles.

Kyle Carpenter was second in A singles and Krista Elmore had high girls’ game in the A division, a 225.

“Matt Benner of Spokane, who won the Washington State Pepsi Tournament scratch division, placed 325th out of 1,080 in the national junior event in Buffalo, N.Y., averaging 182.83 for 18 games.

College scene

Corbin Anderson, a Western Washington senior from University High School and punter on the Vikings’ football team, was the North Central Conference co-Special Teams Player of the Week.

Anderson averaged 44.6 yards on five punts in a 28-21 win over UC Davis, including a school-record 79-yarder.

“Western Oregon junior Kayla Mainer (West Valley/North Idaho College), a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, averaged 15 kills and 15 digs to earn a second straight all-tournament selection, this one in the Western Washington Invitational last weekend.

Rowing

Nicole Rasor, who just completed a four-year rowing career at Oregon State, has been hired as an assistant coach for the Gonzaga University women’s team by first-year head coach Melissa Flint.

Rasor, a student intern in the Beavers’ program as well as being an athlete, completes Flint’s staff that also includes Courtney Haase, who was promoted to novice coach.

Rasor is a Level I U.S. Rowing certified coach. She coached the Corvallis Rowing Club this summer.

Triathlon

Joe Byers of Spokane placed 26th in his age division (male, 20-24) in the Triathlon World Championships last weekend in Hamburg, Germany.

Byers, third among the men in the Coeur d’Alene Triathlon a month earlier, was 74th overall and eighth among American men. He was the third American in his age division.

Miscellany

Eastern Washington University will resume its weekly coaches luncheons Wednesday at the Holiday Inn Spokane Airport at noon.

They are open to public and will feature Eagles coaches and athletes. Cost of the buffet lunch is $13.

Info: 359-6208.