Youth notebook: Spokane-based Pixies fare well at nationals

Youth roller derby is a growing sport, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

It’s gained considerable traction in Spokane.

The Pixies, a junior girls team with youths aged 12 to 17, recently captured third in the all-female division at a national tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska.

They entered the tournament ranked third in the nation and finished according to seed. The Pixies went 2-1, falling to two-time national champ Galaxy Girls of Seattle.

The Pixies were sixth last year in their first trip to nationals.

“It’s the best showing so far,” Inland Northwest Derby League president Pat Pedersen said. “Next year is going to be even better. We’re being predicted to take the whole thing next year.”

Pedersen said the Northwest has the “highest concentration of junior derby teams in the world.”

And it’s a sport that’s growing, he noted.

Team members include (first listed by their derby name and followed by their real name): Ginger Slap (Kate Palmer of Athol), Ally Oops (Allyson Coit of Spokane), Slim Reaper (Koa Hester of Athol), Kick N Ash (Alexis Rettke of Coeur d’Alene), Lucky Harms (Amy Palmer of Athol), The Crusher (Daisy Norris of Spokane), Irene Yonek (Lacey Pedersen of Spokane), Strawberry Shortskate (Abbygail Jared of Spokane), Brozilla (Brittney Bro of Airway Heights), Blackhart Blockher (Bristol Grundstrom of Medical Lake), Annihilate Her (Haley Legault of Coeur d’Alene), Twisted Blister (Gwen Stone of Missoula), Stingher (Fallyne Hoerner of Missoula) and Daisy Juke (Ella Hubbard of Missoula). Coaches are: Blue (Amanda Abrams of Spokane) and Rolland Destroy (Troy Rolland of Spokane).

The Inland Northwest Derby League is always recruiting players, ages 6-17. The junior team (12-17) is full contact while the sprites team is no contact, Pedersen said. The sprites are co-ed.

Pedersen said people interested can contact him through the league Facebook page (Inland Northwest Roller Derby).

Wrestling

Dalton Young of Lakeside and Clai Quintanilla of North Central were named an All-Americans at the junior national wrestling championships in Fargo, North Dakota.

Young, who will be a senior this fall, took second in Greco at 132 pounds.

Quintanilla, who will be a senior this fall, took fourth in Greco at 126. He’s the first NC wrestler to be an All-American in the junior division.

Basketball

The Spokane Stars Blue and North Idaho Elite each went 4-0 and the Spokane Sandpipers finished 3-1 at the Summer Heat showcase girls basketball tournament over the weekend in Spokane.

Each team had a competitive game with East Bay Explosion out of San Francisco.

The Blue defeated East Bay 57-50 in the best game of the tourney. Lexie Hull of Central Valley led the Blue with 21 points, making 9 of 15 shots from the field.

The Sandpipers beat East Bay 51-47.

North Idaho defeated East Bay 59-52.

More than 40 college coaches were on hand for the showcase.

All three local teams conclude their summer schedules this week at the MSNM Western United States championships in San Diego, beginning Wednesday and concluding Saturday.

Coaching hires

Timberlake has filled its head boys basketball and baseball positions.

Michael Scott has been named the boys basketball coach, replacing Tony Hanna who was hired for the same position at Coeur d’Alene.

Scott has coached AAU and select teams for 15 years.

“He is highly respected for his basketball knowledge and his ability to develop players, many of which have gone on to play college basketball,” Timberlake athletic director Jim Simpson said.

Cameron Knigge has been named the baseball coach after serving as an assistant the past two years.

“Coach Knigge comes from a baseball family with his father Kent and brothers Kasey, Kyle and Tyler all former players at Lewis-Clark State College,” Simpson said.