2012 Winter Sports Preview

2012 WINTER SPORTS

PREVIEW

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 • SUPPLEMENT OF THE RITZVILLE ADAMS COUNTY JOURNAL

We’re Cheering for the

TIGERCATS!Good Luck LaCrosse-Washtucna/Kahlotus

Boys and Girls! Have a Great Season!

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PAGE 2 ................................................................ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 ..........................WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

TIGERCATS. For the Tigercats this season, the key to success lies with the strength of the offense and reducing the amount of turnovers. On this year’s Tigercat team are (l to r) assistant coach Tim Stamper, Justin Wargo, Joey

Guske, Sam Harder, Jed Zimmer, Jared Stark and head coach Mike Jones. Front row: Austin Summers, Matt Stubbs, Alec Fleming, Graham BeDell and Darcy Stamper.

Journal photo by Katelin Davidson

By Katelin DavidsonNews Editor

Twenty-six athletes are taking to the court for the LaCrosse-Washtucna/Kahlotus Tigercats basketball team this winter, and head coach Mike Jones has high expectations for the group.

Jones said the turnout of athletes is the largest in recent history, and looks forward to having all of the athletes gain experience on the court throughout the season. Due to the large number of athletes, a C Squad team has been created, along with the junior varsity and varsity team.

Jones is relying heavily on the veteran experience of the team to lead to a successful season. The team’s goal is to be a competitive team at the league and district level. The team fell just short of the district competition last season, and is determined to compete this year.

“The kids are working hard and doing a good job. They’re having fun, but there’s a lot of work to do,” Jones said after the first weeks of practice concluded. “The expectations are there, now they just have to play the game.”

The talent and experience lies with the 10 junior and senior athletes that make up the varsity squad. Returning to the court to lead the team are starters Jed Zimmer,

Justin Wargo, Alec Fleming, Darcy Stamper and Austin Summers.

Matt Stubbs, Sam Harder and Joey Guske serve as the other three athletes with experience on the varsity squad, while Graham BeDell and Jared Stark are floaters between the junior varsity and varsity team.

Jones explained that the talent of the team is in the diversity of strengths from his starting players. Zimmer leads the team as the primary post player, and dominates the paint with rebounds, aggressive defense and strength that helps him to get to the basket.

Continued on Page 3

T-cats take the court with large numbers

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW ......................... THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 .................................................................PAGE 3

Continued from Page 2

Wargo is one of the Tigercats’ leading scorers, and Jones is looking to him to continue putting up shots, as well as becoming more aggressive on both ends of the court. Jones is hoping Summers steps up to help lead the team with shooting, as he is one of the most aggressive players on offense.

“He works hard offensively, is a vocal leader, and a positive influence,” Jones said of Summers.

Fleming will serve as the primary guard for the Tigercats and is currently in his second season as a Tigercat.

“Alec is playing guard, and he had a really good summer,” Jones said about Fleming’s position on the team. “He’s a quick guard and handles the ball well.”

Returning to the team is Stamper, who suffered a collarbone injury that ended his season early last year.

“He’s filled out and he’s stronger,” Jones said of Stamper. “I’m looking to him to be more aggressive and make things happen. He’s a good ball handler.”

Stubbs is returning to the team as a guard, and is one of the top ball handlers for the Tigercats. Jones expects him to help the team significantly on offense, but also

serves as a strong defensive athlete with strong work ethic.

Jones is looking for Harder to provide the team with intensity, as he is a strong, aggressive athlete with a solid jump shot. Jones is hoping Harder will continue to shoot continuously and that those shots will lead to additional points for the Tigercats.

Guske is a junior, and Jones said he is currently recovering from a broken finger. After the injury completely heals, Jones expects Guske to be an aggressive, offensive force every time he is on the court.

“The eight kids are a solid eight. They are quick, and do great things on defensive,” Jones said. “The keys are being aggressive at the rim and controlling the ball.”

Also joining the team this year is Tim Stamper, who will serve as the assistant varsity coach and junior varsity coach. Stamper has served as the girls’ team head coach for many years, but recently made the decision to serve as an assistant coach with Jones.

“Tim is joining our team this year and is a really nice assistant coach,” Jones said. “Tim brings a number of things to the table.”

Last season, the Tigercats suffered with turnovers and missed foul shots, and Jones said both are priorities

to improve on this year. During the past two seasons, the Tigercats have battled to be a top team in the Southeast 1B league, but have fallen short.

“Our win-loss goal is to be in the top four of the league, we want to improve on that,” Jones said. “With our senior leadership experience, I’m looking for good things out of them.”

Jones expects the team to be a strong post-season team that should compete at the district and regional levels. The team competes in four league games before the Christmas holiday, and Jones expects these games to serve as the benchmark for the season.

“The keys are lots of offensive motion and modifying our defense,” Jones said.

The Tigercats have won their first three games of the season; two in league and one non-league match up. The LWK team first found victory over Tri-Cities Prep, 52-45, followed by a win over Tekoa-Oakesdale, 70-43. In the most recent game, the Tigercats battled Liberty Christian for the first time on the basketball court and walked away with a 30 point win, 58-28.

The Tigercats now move on to face St. John-Endicott in Washtucna on Friday, Dec. 14, with game time at 7:30 p.m.

LWK Tigercat BasketballDate Opponent Site BC GJV BJV GV BVSaturday, Dec. 1 Tri-Cities Prep (NL) TCP 1 p.m. 2:30 p.m. * 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Friday, Dec. 7 Tekoa-Oakesdale Tekoa 3:45 p.m. * 3 p.m. * 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 8 Liberty Christian Washtucna 2:30 p.m. * 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Thursday, Dec. 13 Colfax “C” Colfax 4:30 p.m.Friday, Dec. 14 St. John-Endicott Washtucna 3:30 p.m. * 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 15 Touchet LaCrosse 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Friday, Dec. 21 Rosalia Rosalia 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 22 Tri-Cities Prep (NL) LaCrosse 2 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Thursday, Dec. 27 Dayton Tournament Dayton 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Dec. 28 Dayton Tournament Dayton TBA 3 p.m.Friday, Jan. 4 Colton Colton 3:30 p.m. * 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 5 Garfield-Palouse Washtucna 2:30 p.m. * 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 8 Pomeroy Pomeroy 3:30 p.m. * 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 11 Liberty Christian Lib. Chr. 3:30 p.m. * 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 12 Tekoa-Oakesdale LaCrosse 2:30 p.m. * 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 16 Waitsburg-Prescott “C” Prescott 5:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 18 Rosalia Washtucna 3:30 p.m. * 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 19 Garfield-Palouse Palouse 2 p.m. * 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 22 Colfax “C” Washtucna 5:30 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 23 Waitsburg-Prescott “C” LaCrosse 5:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 25 Touchet Touchet 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 26 Pomeroy LaCrosse 2:30 p.m. * 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 29 St. John-Endicott St. John 3:30 p.m. * 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Feb. 2 Colton Washtucna 2:30 p.m. * 3:30 p.m. 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m.

*Two quarters only

Senior Leadership: Tigercats expect to be in top four in league, or better


By Katelin DavidsonNews Editor

The Lady Tigercats are beginning the season with a new coach and enthusiasm for the upcoming season. Don Kemper, math educator in the LaCrosse School District, has stepped up to lead the Lady Tigercats’ team. LaCrosse High School graduate, Adam Roberts, is serving as the assistant coach alongside Kemper.

Kemper served as the St. John girls’ coach for six years, and decided to step up as head coach for the Lady Tigercats and return to the court. Kemper is looking forward to his first season with the Tigercats with excitement and positivity.

The team is short in numbers, with only 11 girls signing up to participate in the basketball season. Of these 11, three are seniors: Breaze Wolfe, Amber Dainty and Chelsie Kneale.

“Breaze brings a great attitude, she’s always smiling,” Kemper said about Wolfe.

Wolfe is playing in the wing and

forward position for the Lady Tigercats, but Kemper believes she has the diversity to play almost anywhere on the floor.

Dainty is a returning force for the Lady Tigercats, but a string of injuries has kept her on the bench for the first games of the season. Dainty is the primary post player for the Lady Tigercats and serves as a longtime veteran of the team.

Kneale is also a returning player for the team, and Kemper said it’s obvious that she loves the game. Kneale is playing in a wing and forward position, and is known for her determination and hard working attitude on the court.

Kemper is also looking to three junior athletes to help lead the team: Lindsey Miller, Kadie Whinery and LeAnne Blauert.

“Lindsey is by far the quickest girl we have,” Kemper explained. “She goes out and works hard, and is always asking how she can get better.”

Miller plays guard for the Lady Tigercats, and uses her quickness to help move the ball down the court.

Whinery provides the team with some much-needed height, and is playing primarily in the post position. Kemper is looking to her to be a defensive force in the paint, and also hopes to see her become aggressive with put-back points on offense.

Blauert serves as another guard and wing for the team, and is one of the best players with controlling the ball. Kemper credits her as continually having a good attitude on and off the court, and being a positive influence on the team.

The only sophomore for the Lady Tigercats is Brooklynn Hostetler, a diverse and talented athlete who will see a lot of playing time in the forward and wing positions. Kemper said Hostetler has risen to the challenge of being a predominate player for the team.

“Brooklynn has some of everything: ball handling, rebounding, shooting, and is probably the most athletic girl on the team,” Kemper said.

The freshmen group for the Lady Tigercats is the largest class comprising

the team. Ashtyn Aune, Jessica Guske, Jazlynn Webb and Brittany Gordon have all joined the team in their first year of high school, and many of them played on the junior varsity team as eighth graders.

Aune is starting in the point guard position for the Lady Tigercats and serves as the best ball handler on the team.

“Ashtyn is starting as point, and there’s lots of responsibility for that position. But she has the right attitude for that role,” Kemper said. “She’s passionate about basketball.”

Playing as the point guard for the junior varsity team is Webb, who is continually working on her ball handling. Kemper said she works every day at practice to improve herself as an athlete, and is constantly practicing to become a stronger force on the court.

Kemper said Guske is stepping into a forward and guard position for the team, and also brings additional height to the court.

Continued on Page 5

LADY TIGERCATS. The Lady Tigercats are under new leadership this year and have a team goal to compete at the district level this year. Team members are (l to r) assistant coach Adam Roberts, Amber Dainty, Breaze Wolfe, Brittany

Gordon, Kadie Whinery, Lindsey Miller, Brooklynn Hostetler and head coach Don Kemper. Front row: Ashtyn Aune, Jessica Guske, LeAnne Blauert, Chelsie Kneale and Jazlynn Webb.

Journal photo by Katelin Davidson

Lady T-cats: low in numbers, big in heart



Kemper said that while Guske may be quiet, she loves the game, and provides the team with a positive attitude.

Gordon is a post player for the team, but Kemper said she has recently developed an impressive outside shot, and is continuing to work on that to provide diversity on the court.

Roberts said she is another athlete who brings a positive attitude on the court and is always encouraging her teammates.

“All of them are full of encouragement for each other,” Kemper said. “I’m looking forward to seeing growth, we’re seeing it every day and the girls are really coming together.”

Kemper said the primary focus of the team has been defense, and working on moving up and down the court.

The team goal is to make it to post-season playoffs, and to at least compete at the district level.

After the first game, Kemper said the team has moved focus to conditioning

during practice to help the girls keep up. Due to the low numbers of athletes, the girls see a lot of playing time and finding adrenaline at the end of the game is hard, Kemper explained.

The Lady Tigercats have played in three games this season, but have lost the first three match ups. The girls first battled Tri-Cities Prep, falling short of the win with a final score of 36-47, before moving on to play Tekoa-Oakesdale, losing with a score of 9-63.

Most recently, the Lady Tigercats faced Liberty Christian, but lost 21-47 during the first home game of the season in Washtucna.

But Kemper says win or lose, he’s excited for the girls to pull together. He continues to be impressed with the girls’ positivity and the ability for students from three separate schools to blend into one team.

“It’s going to be a fun year, the group is very positive,” Kemper said. “I’m excited to watch them grow together as a team.

��

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The girls basketball program is in a rebuilding year and in search of new players. A couple of elements will contribute to the team’s overall success as the program evolves.

This year’s roster is fairly short on names. The entire girls basketball program has just 15 players, enough for a 10-player varsity and five full time junior varsity players. With a short roster, the program has been playing abbreviated junior varsity games, just one or two quarters per outing.

John Galbreath has assumed the helm as the new head coach following last year’s retirement of Randy Heidenreich. Galbreath previously served as the assistant coach for the girls program. Miles Curtis and junior varsity coach Katie Kiesz join Galbreath on the court.

The Lady Broncos launched their season with three tough outings, facing an A division school, Columbia-Burbank, in the nonleague opener, followed by two of the best teams in their own league, Reardan and Northwest Christian. All three games ended in losses.

While the start was a bit rocky, Galbreath sees an opening for success. He quickly noted that the Lady Broncos find themselves in a league with great disparity.

“Reardan is on top and Northwest Christian will

be a close second,” Galbreath said. “Every year Colfax seems to be tough. But we will fit in nicely at the top of our league. There is a lot of disparity in our league. Some teams are rebuilding.”

Reardan is the two-time defending state champion and looks to pursue a three-peat. Northwest Christian is the only likely challenger for the top spot, unless Reardan has a breakdown or loses key players to injuries.

If the Lady Broncos maintain control of one of the top four spots, it should provide an opportunity for postseason play where their destiny will be determined by their own court play.

The team is young, with just four seniors, but Galbreath likes that the younger players on the roster will see plenty of court time, helping them develop into stronger players for future seasons.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some valuable minutes and hopefully a lot of postseason play,” he said.

The seniors include, Kristine Lamping, Brooke Pichette, Haley Oestreich and Mariah Kiel. Pichette and Lamping have the most varsity playing time experience.

Four juniors join them: Randi York, Dalyn Killian, Maya Wahl and Sydney Nelson. Two sophomores, Mallory Kessler and Jenna Bennett round out the roster.

While talking about each of his players, Galbreath didn’t describe anyone as the stand out scoring leader. He sees the team differently.

“We’re going to look at scoring with a very balanced approach,” he said. “My hope and expectation is that we will have three or four people with 10 points each every night.”

Bennett, who was a starter as a freshman, will work from the point guard position.

“I’m looking for her to elevate her game and be open to increasing her skill set to help the team advance,” Galbreath said. “She has the ability to score when she needs to and attack the basket. We just need her to do more of that when opportunities are right. I think she has enough potential to be good and have a great career.”

Wahl checks in as a wing.“Her strengths have always been her defense and

her toughness,” Galbreath said. “She will probably get the assignment of guarding opposing team’s best players. Whatever we get from her offensively is a bonus.”

Kessler, the team’s tallest player at six foot, will start as the other wing.

“She fits good at wing, has good size and a good skill set,” Galbreath said. “She plays a little more basketball than most on the team outside the regular season. It will be a matter of taking shots at the right time and knowing when to attack and when to hold back.

Killian has the number four spot and will battle as a post player under the net.

Continued on Page 8

LRS girls: New coach calls for faster pace

LADY BRONCOS. This year’s varsity roster is a mix of experience and youthful exuberance. The team has a new head coach, John Galbreath (at right) and assistant coach Miles Curtis (at left). The team includes (back row, left to right)

Curtis, Mariah Kiel, Mallory Kessler, Dalyn Killian, Sydney Nelson, Brooke Pichette and Galbreath; (front row, left to right) Kristine Lamping, Haley Oestriech, Jenna Bennett, Randi York and Maya Wahl.

Journal photo by Stephen McFadden


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LRS Broncos BasketballDate Opponent Site BC GJV BJV GV BVTuesday, Nov. 27 Girl’s Jamboree Othello TBDFriday, Dec. 7 Columbia Burbank Ritzville 3 p.m. 2 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 8 Reardan * Reardan 6 p.m. 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 11 Northwest Christian * Colbert 6 p.m. 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Dec. 14 Liberty * Ritzville 3:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 15 Mary Walker * Ritzville 1:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 18 Colfax * Colfax 6 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Dec. 21 Odessa-Harrington Odessa TBD 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 22 Warden Ritzville 1:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Dec. 28 St. John-Endicott Ritzville 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 2 St. John-Endicott St. John 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 4 St. Georges * Ritzville 3 p.m. 2 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 5 Royal City Royal City TBD 4:15 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 8 Davenport * Davenport 6 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 11 Reardan * Ritzville 5:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 12 Northwest Christian* Ritzville 1:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 15 Liberty * Spangle 4:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 18 Mary Walker * Springdale 6 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Tuesday, Jan. 22 Davenport * Ritzville 5:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Friday, Jan. 25 Colfax * Ritzville 5:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Satuday, Jan. 26 St. Georges * St. Georges 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m.Feb. 1-4 District Tournament Mead/Mt. SpokaneFeb. 9-16 Sub Regional Tournament Walla WallaFeb. 22-23 Regional Tournament TBDFeb. 28-Mar. 2 State Tournament Spokane

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PAGE 8 ................................................................. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 ..........................WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW


“She is a return player along with Jenna and has good experience,” Galbreath said. “As a junior, we need her to really step it up every night for us. She has the skill set to be effective she just has to have the confidence to use it. She will play an important role on both ends of the floor.”

Pichette brings intensity, and Galbreath plans to see that in action on offense and defense.

“She needs to be a threat on both ends of the floor,” Galbreath said. “She’s very aggressive and we need that from her to set the tone. She can shoot it from outside to help stretch the defense a bit.”

York will bring an explosive element on defense.

“She is one of those players that we go to when we need a stop defensively,” Galbreath explained. “She’s very aggressive and plays very well defensively when she wants to. I do feel like we’re getting a good lift from her when she comes in.”

Nelson will provide key minutes as a post player.

“She runs the floor extremely well,” Galbreath praised. “She will have great opportunities to run the floor and score. She has some of the best conditioning and her foot work seems to be really legit.”

Lamping will fill a supporting role to Bennett as backup point guard and will play wing at other times.

“She’s probably one of the best shooters in the program,” Galbreath said. “We need to do a better job of finding where we can get her into the offense.

She’s one of the girls who can knock down threes.”

Oestreich will work at the post position, coming in off the bench.

“She will give us valuable minutes inside and will have to come in and be aggressive,” Galbreath said. “She can make good, strong powerful moves on defense.”

Kiel will work from the edges and inside.

“She is aggressive and I’m looking for her to come in and knock down midrange shots and finish at the rim and defend very decently,” Galbreath said.

Looking for a faster pace, Galbreath likes what he sees on transition. Where the team needs work is the half court game.

“That’s where things broke down in terms of getting points,” he said of the early games. “Once we get into the half court offense we have to be able to execute seamlessly.”

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PAGE 10 .............................................................. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 ..........................WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW


Five veteran wrestlers are back on the mat this year. They are finding the practice room a bit more crowded than previous seasons, as the LRS wrestling team’s roster has more than doubled.

Head coach Jason Hilzer explained that the team has 22 wrestlers right now, 12 more than the 10 athletes he normally works with.

The team will be anchored by Keanu Niezwaag, Cory Coble, Ethan Melville, Johnny Hernandez and Kyle Ritz.

Niezwaag comes in expected to do well this season and contend for a state title at 145 pounds.

“He’s going to be tough,” Hilzer said. “But, looking at the kids we’ve seen, he’s going to be in a very tough weight class. I think he has a good shot to win. One of the things helping him is that all summer long he has been doing MMA (mixed martial arts) and ever since football ended he has been going to Moses Lake to wrestle.”

Niezwaag’s overall wrestling skills are improving.

“He’s always been pretty good off the bottom, but I think his top is getting to be a lot better,” Hilzer said. “On his feet he looks a lot better already. He is so strong and he never stops and never gives up.”

Goble will wrestle at 220 pounds. Hilzer said the biggest challenge is finding someone strong enough to wrestle against him in practice. Goble didn’t wrestle last year and as a senior, Hilzer said he’s not sure where his strengths are.

“He’s good coming off the bottom and okay on his feet,” he said.

Melville looks to compete at 160 pounds this season.

“He’s a fiery competitor,” Hilzer said. “He has only been out for one year so he doesn’t know a lot of moves, but what he does know he does pretty well. The thing about him is his intensity. And, he’s usually in better shape than anybody he wrestles.”

Hernandez opened the year winning the 138-pound weight class at the Liberty Invitational.

“He is in good position a lot,” Hilzer said. “He gets a little tired right now after not doing any sports during the fall. But, he is good on his feet. He needs to work on getting off the bottom and building his stamina up.”

The Broncos won’t have a complete team, filling all of the weight classes, but will carry several wrestlers in specific weight class. That will work during the regular season, as long as there are enough wrestlers from opposing teams. Once postseason wrestling begins, the team can only advance two wrestlers in each weight class.

“I’m excited,” Hilzer said. “This is the most kids we’ve ever had. We look more like a team. And this is going to

LRS Broncos WrestlingDate Opponent Site Weigh In TimeSaturday, Dec. 8 Liberty Tournament Spangle 8 a.m. 10 a.m.Tuesday, Dec. 11 Reardan, KF, Riverside JV Reardan 5 p.m. 6 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 18 League Match Wilbur 5 p.m. 6 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 22 NOHI Oroville 7:30 a.m. 9 a.m.Friday, Dec. 28 Pomeroy M&M Pomeroy 5 p.m. 6 p.m.Saturday, Dec. 29 Pomeroy Tournament Pomeroy 7 a.m. 9 a.m.Saturday, Jan. 5 Almira-Coulee/Hartline Tournament Coulee City 8 a.m. 10 a.m.Thursday, Jan. 10 Warden JV/Tri-Cities Prep/ACH Ritzville 5 p.m. 6 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 12 Springdale Tournament Springdale 8 a.m. 10 a.m.Thursday, Jan. 17 League Match Ritzville 5 p.m. 6 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 19 Coyote Classic Kittitas 8 a.m. 10 a.m.Saturday, Jan. 26 League Match Liberty 9 a.m. 10 a.m.Saturday, Feb. 2 South Sub-Regional Tournament Davenport 8 a.m. 10 a.m.Friday, Feb. 8 Regional Tournament (Day 1) Reardan 12 p.m. 2 p.m.Saturday, Feb. 9 Regional Tournament (Day 2) Reardan 8 a.m. 10 a.m.Feb. 15-16 State Tournament Tacoma TBD TBD

Wrestling explodes, LRS welcomes 22 to the mat

Mat Action at its Best – Lind-Ritzville/Sprague

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help all our athletic programs including football and track. The more mat time we get the better we are going to be.”

The rest of the roster is filled with first-year wrestlers and Hilzer has yet to gain a good feel for how the individuals will do once they get on the mat. The run down of the wrestlers by weight class are: Matthias Ferderer, 106 pounds; Shawn Neal 106 or 112; Kyle Ritz, 112; Emmanuel Huitron, 126; Trace Blankenship, 132; Pedro Huitron, 138; Andrew Witt, 152; Hugh Hennings, 152; Dane Wahl, 145 or 152; Nick Kuest, 152; Aaron Ritz, 152; Joel Anderson, 160; Karl Hawkes, 160; Zeth Swanger, 220; Alexis Guizar, 220; Matt Vercoe, 285; AJ Allen, 285 and Layne Hawkes, 285.


WRESTLING WARRIORS. The LRS wrestling team is one of the largest in recent history and head coach Jason Hilzer is expecting to have a successful season with the outstanding amount of athletes. LRS wrestlers are, back row, left to right, Coach Hilzer, Joel Anderson, Layne Hawks, Emmanuel Huitron, Matt Vercoe, Dane Wahl, Alexis Guizar and Karl Hawks. Front row: Nick Kuest, Johnny Hernandez, Andrew Witt, Keanu Niezwaag, Hugh Hennings, Pedro Huitron, Matthias Fer-derer and Aaron Ritz.

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW ......................... THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 .............................................................. PAGE 11


Before Tuesday’s league battle at Northwest Christian, the LRS head coach Dustan Arlt was certain the league’s top teams would include the defending state champion Crusaders. On Monday, he said he expected them to provide the Broncos with a legitimate test.

The Broncos passed that test with flying colors, winning the game 50-45, and proving they could overcome a tight, tense situation in the final moments of an important game. After leading the entire night, the Broncos found themselves facing a tie game, 45-45 with one minute to play. They pulled together and brought home their second league victory of the season. They are 3-0 overall and 2-0 in league play after just one week of action on the court.

“Most people would take the team they have,” Arlt said Monday of Northwest Christian, which graduated a handful of key starters. “They have a lot of athletes and some big kids. When we play them it will be a real test of our toughness.”

With a talented roster of players, Arlt is looking at a promising season and knows the team will need to remain focused throughout the year, especially on Jan. 4 when they host St. George’s, which has been called the class of the league.

“They have three returning all-leaguers,” Arlt said. “Us and them, are probably the teams with the most potent offense. They don’t have our depth.”

Arlt is realistic about the opposition and knows that Colfax will come prepared to contend for one of the league’s top spots as well.

“Colfax and us are predicted to be neck and neck,” Arlt said. “It’s always tough playing there.”

Those four teams could finish anywhere,” Arlt said. “Hopefully we are competing for the league championship.

The schedule has been compressed by the football team’s march to the state championship. Regular season play will be hectic with three games a week, at times. Arlt said the regular season will end on Jan. 26, a bit sooner than normal as well.

The bright side is the postseason process has been

realigned, opening the door for more berths to the state tournament from Districts 7 and 9.

Districts will be played at Mead and Mount Spokane, as is tradition. The district bracket will be followed by a sub regional bracket comprised of the two districts. Four teams will then advance to the regional tournament. Next year, the number of berths to the regional tournament will increase to five.

“I know we are a top eight team,” Arlt said. “And four of the top teams in the state are in our league. If we stay healthy and come together as a team I like our chances.”

The Broncos are well balanced in terms of size and quickness, more so than normal.

“We move the ball well and the kids are unselfish,” he said. “Defensively we are going to have to play good man-to-man. What we did lose at the end of last season was some good defenders. Having good man-to-man defense means a team is pretty tough.”

The Broncos will enjoy key minutes from several players on offense and defense.

Continued on Page 12

Broncos will challenge league’s top teams

BRONCOS. The Broncos are 3-0 so far this season and look to be a dominant force in league play. Just a week into the season they have already defeated Reardan and defending state champion, Northwest Christian. (back row, left to

right) Colby Starring, Jacob Anderson, Ryan Whitmore, Jarradd Morley, Tyler Frederick and head coach Dustan Arlt; (front row) Kyle Canaday, Bridger Smith, Connor O’Neill, Dylan Hartz and Cort Ruzicka.


PAGE 12 .............................................................. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012 ..........................WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

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Ryan Whitmore will be among them, battling under the net and using his size to make his presence known. In the first two games of the year, the 6-foot-7-inch junior recorded nine blocked shots. He has a wing span of 6 feet 11.5 inches.

“He’s tough and a little feisty and ready to help us,” Arlt said. “When defenses decide to crash down on him, that will leave our guards open. We can go a lot of different ways now with a lot of options.”

The court general is Dylan Hartz, returning at point guard for his third season as a junior.

“You can’t ask for much more from him. As a junior he has been in 50 games. He can score, move and see the floor and be a great, great leader.”

Connor O’Neill is part two of the guard assault.

“Connor is wing man to Dylan and has really stepped up his game,” Arlt said. “He’s a quick kid in transition and can really attack the rim. When he plays with confidence he can be deceiving.”

Colby Starring likes the perimeter shot and developed a potent three-point game last season. As a senior, he has made improvements and will offer even more.

“He’s quicker and in better shape,” Arlt said. “His rebounding has improved. Now he can shoot, play defense and rebound and that’s a nice addition. He has worked hard. This is his sport.”

Tyler Frederick, recovered from a football injury, will battle underneath alongside Whitmore.

“Halfway through the season last year he became a starter,” Arlt recalled. “The amount of energy he brings and how well he shoots free throws are the keys.”

Kyle Canady, from Sprague, is the number six player on the roster. He will spend plenty of time on the court this season.

“He shoots well. He’s right there with the rest of them. I really like what

he is going to give us,” Arlt said of the sophomore.

Bridger Smith will check in at the guard position, lending support to Hartz and O’Neill.

“He is a great little defender and quick off the bench,” Arlt said. “His shot looks better and he is the best post passer. I’m really pleased.”

Cort Ruzicka, another sophomore, has junior varsity and some varsity experience. He will play as a guard or forward.

“He has really worked hard and will give us some options.” Arlt said. “He’s left handed and that fools some people. It gives us versatility.”

Jarradd Morley will check into the post position from the bench and provide physical toughness under the net.

“He has been dedicated in the weight room and he can now finish and make his lay-ins,” Arlt said.

Morley has already proven to be an asset when it comes to rebounding. Arlt noted that with his strength, if he comes down with the ball, no one is going to take it away from him.

Jacob Anderson will eventually return to action as a post player as well, once he heals from a football injury.

“He’s a very skilled big man,” Arlt said. “And he can go to the perimeter and shoot too.”

Broncos: Three wins to start the year

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216 W. Railroad Ave.IN TRAFFIC. Dylan Hartz goes up for two points despite the best efforts of two Columbia-Burbank defenders.

2012 Winter Sports Preview

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