Locally: Pair of Spokane Chiefs players medal at U17 World Challenge
From staff reports
Fifteen Western Hockey league players, including Spokane Chiefs forward Mathis Preston and goalie Carter Esler, won the gold and silver medals, respectively, at the 2024 U17 World Challenge last weekend, including eight as representatives of gold-medal winning Canada White team.
Canada White defeated Canada Red 3-1 to earn the gold at Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, Ontario, home of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting. The win marks the second consecutive gold medal for Canada White at the U17 World Challenge.
Preston, of Penticton, British Columbia, was the star for Canada White in the tournament, recording six goals and seven points, including a goal in the championship win Saturday night.
“This is the best feeling in the world and I am so proud of these guys,” Preston said Saturday. “We had to face a bit of adversity through the tournament, but I am so happy we were able to (win gold) today. The puck was not going in for me in the preliminary round, but I kind of broke through in the medal round and I am happy I was able to contribute.
“I could not have done it without such great teammates around me.”
College track
University of Idaho Director of Athletics Terry Gawlik announced the hiring of veteran coach Tracy Hellman as the director of track and field and cross country on Tuesday.
Hellman comes to Idaho with more than two decades of experience at the NCAA Divison II level at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was named the 2011 NCAA Divison II women’s cross country coach of the year and has 41 NSIC and regional coach of the year honors.
He is capping his Augustana career with a championship for his women’s team at the NCAA Central Regional as well as the individual championship on the men’s side. His teams swept the NSIC cross country championships and he earned both the men’s and women’s coach of the year honors.
College basketball
Gonzaga’s Allie Turner put on an impressive shooting display in the opening week of the 2024-25 women’s basketball season to capture West Coast Conference Freshman of the Week honors.
In her first week of college basketball, Turner averaged 18 points while shooting 60% from the field and 64.3% on 3-pointers. She also averaged six rebounds and three assists per game.
College soccer
Gonzaga’s Chelsea Le was named West Coast Conference Midfielder of the Year.
Le, Paige Alexander and Marissa Garcia all earned second-team All-WCC honors. Amelia Severn and Emelia Warta were tabbed honorable mention. Severn was also named to the conference’s all-freshman team.
Le earned second-team honors for the second straight season after matching a team-high six goals this season.
College swimming
Washington State’s Emily Lundgren and Darcy Revitt each picked up Mountain West Conference Swimmer of the Week honors, the conference announced Tuesday.
Lundgren was named the MWC Swimmer of the Week while Revitt was named the freshman of the week for the second time this season. Revitt was named both the swimmer of the week and freshman of the week in October. Lundgren and Revitt helped the Cougars to a 164-60 dual meet win over Seattle last Friday as WSU improved to 5-0 for the first time since 2010-11.
Baseball
Pitcher Kerry Pease (Cheney) helped the San Diego-based North County Waves to the men’s Senior Baseball World Series Championship 60+ Cactus Division from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 in Phoenix.
Pease secured two wins with an ERA of 1.00 in the Waves’ 7-1 overall performance in the tourney.