Prep notebook: Andie Zylak signs with Eastern Washington basketball
It is no coincidence that seemingly no matter who you talk to about Lewis and Clark’s Andie Zylak, the word competitive comes up.
The point guard signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Eastern Washington.
“I think Andie’s skill set lends itself really well to the way we play,” EWU coach Wendy Schuller said. “She is extremely skilled but, more than anything, I love her competitive nature and basketball IQ.”
The 5-foot-7 Zylak was a second-team all-Greater Spokane League selection as a junior last season as LC went 9-11 overall, 7-7 in the GSL. In a battle between two of the top point guards in the state, Zylak had 32 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a 56-54 win over University and Ellie Boni (now a freshman at Colorado State).
“I’m excited,” Zylak said. “I feel like Eastern is a good fit both on and off the court.”
As a pre-dental student she’ll “most likely” major in biology.
“They have great student support. Coach Schuller and my AAU coach (Kerry Pickett) are good friends and if coach Pickett endorses her, I’ll take it. Plus, it’ll be nice to be close to home where my family can see me play.”
As a sophomore, Zylak helped the Tigers to a 23-4 record and a second-place finish in the 4A state tournament.
“Andie is as tough and competitive as any players we’ve seen in the area the last several years,” EWU associate coach Bryce Currie said. “She has a fire in her eye when she steps on the court. She is fearless attacking the lane and someone we can’t wait to start coaching.”
LC girls basketball coach Gabe Medrano echoed those sentiments.
“That’s one thing that people on the outside just don’t get,” he said. “Andie is just so competitive and so darn tough. She just keeps coming, physically and mentally. She is extremely competitive and tough-minded.”
Zylak is the first Greater Spokane League-product to sign with the Eagles since Mariah Cunningham (Central Valley) in 2013.
Other signings
- Katy Ryan (Lakeland), Washington State volleyball. Ryan is a member of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team roster. This fall she helped the Hawks win the Idaho 4A state title and was n
- amed league MVP.
- MJ Bruno (Central Valley), Portland University basketball. Bruno was an honorable mention all-state for the Bears’ 4A state title team last year.
- Emma Thompson (Mead), Whitworth swimming. Thompson is a member of the Spokane Waves Aquatic Team.
- Madison Maloney (West Valley), Western Washington soccer. Maloney was a first-team all-league selection and runner-up for defensive MVP her junior year.
- Mikayla Uhlenkott (Pullman), Central Washington volleyball. Uhlenkott was league MVP and an all-state pick her junior year.
Kellogg names hoops coach: Mike Martin has been named the new boys basketball coach at Kellogg.
Martin, a 2008 graduate of Clark Fork, has spent the past two years as the junior varsity coach at Coeur d’Alene, going 29-10.
Martin takes over for Jeff Nearing, who stepped down after five seasons. Kellogg has qualified for the state 3A tournament each of the past nine seasons, finishing third in 2017.
CdA girls wrestler second at nationals: Alyssa Randles, a sophomore at Coeur d’Alene, placed second at 122 pounds at the Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals wrestling tournament in late October.
Randles, ranked 12th in the nation in the 117-pound weight class, defeated third-ranked Charlotte Kouyoumtjian (Porterville, California) in the semifinals before losing 4-3 in the finals to 13th-ranked Shelby Moore from Covington, Wash.
Randles wrestles for the Inland Northwest Wrestling Training Center based in Spokane. In February, she won a state title at 122 at the Idaho high school state girls wrestling championships in Pocatello.
In October, the board of the Idaho High School Activities Association unanimously finalized a plan Wednesday to sponsor an official, girls-only state tournament starting in the 2021-22 school year, becoming the 29th state to hold an official and separate girls championship.