|
Sports
Sentinel Standout - December 2011 - Austin Rehkow
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:  
December 30, 2011 — Lining up for a critical field goal with the game in the balance, Austin Rehkow simply hearkens back to the basics.
"For me, it's about consistency and fundamentals," Rehkow said. "Why should it be any different than in practice? Sure, there's a little more pressure, but you just need to block that out and you're good to go."
Austin Rehkow has been named to the All Greater Spokane League first team for the past two years. This season, he was also honored on the Seattle Times All State Team.
Photo by Craig Howard.
The approach appears to be working. Now a junior at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley, Rehkow has been named to the All Greater Spokane League first team for the past two years. This season, he also earned a place on the Seattle Times All-State first team after converting 89 percent of his field goals in league competition and averaging 39 yards a punt. He was also successful on 39 of 43 points after touchdowns in GSL games.
Against Lewis and Clark, Rehkow connected on a career-best 52-yard kick, one of two field goals that represented his team's only points in a 6-0 win. He was part of a Bears team that compiled a 9-3 record and reached the Washington state 4A quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion Skyline.
Rehkow averaged 39 yards a punt in the Greater Spokane League this season and connected on a career-best 52-yard field goal against Lewis and Clark.
Photo by Craig Howard.
A member of the Belle Terre Ward in the Spokane East Stake, Rehkow calls upon a different inventory of fundamentals when making decisions in his day-to-day life. The Eagle Scout said adhering to gospel standards helps him stay on the right path while focusing on constructive goals. In the classroom, he maintains a 3.97 grade point average and is involved in clubs like Washington Drug Free Youth.
"I try to surround myself with people who either live up to the same standards or respect them," Rehkow said.
When faced with scenarios that involve inappropriate media or other potentially disruptive influences, Rehkow relies on the training received at church and in his family to steer clear - even when it means leaving peers in the middle of a gathering.
"Sometimes someone will say, 'Are you serious?'" Rehkow said. "Once you tell them you are, they respect that. Something like the Word of Wisdom has kept me away from drugs and alcohol and helped me as an athlete."
When Austin was growing up, his parents, Freddie and Kim, made it clear that while sports were important, they did not overshadow family or Church priorities. If the championship of a tournament was held on Sunday, it was understood that Austin would sit out the game to observe the Sabbath.
"I've definitely seen blessings from that," Austin said.
In addition to his accomplishments in football, Rehkow is a starter on the basketball team, averaging over nine points a game for the 4-3 Bears. He also lettered on the varsity as a sophomore.
Rehkow starts for the Central Valley basketball team, averaging over nine points a game.
Photo by Craig Howard.
CV head coach Rick Sloan said Rehkow is "someone who knows the game of basketball and has a great work ethic."
Click here to read more >
Sports
Harmon the hero - Idaho native remembered for work ethic, humility
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
May 23, 2011 — Years after he trotted onto the field as one of pro baseball's most celebrated players, Harmon Killebrew found himself headlining another event in a quieter venue - this time as the featured speaker at an LDS fireside in his hometown of Payette, Idaho.
A convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1966 at the age of 29, Killebrew did not dwell on the gaudy statistics compiled over a 22-year career in the major leagues, nor his election to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1984. Instead, the most famous graduate of Payette High School talked about the value of a steady work ethic, striving to achieve goals and setting a good example.
Idaho native Harmon Killebrew hit 536 home runs over a 22-year career in professional baseball. Killebrew passed away last week at the age of 74. Photo courtesy of www.harmonkillebrew.com
"He was really down to earth and very personable," said Richard Grimmett, who grew up in Payette and now teaches at BYU-Idaho. "He never talked about his accomplishments. I remember him emphasizing the importance of the church in his life and always doing your best."
The fireside was one of many church and community appearances Harmon would make while living in Ontario, Oregon, just across the state line from Payette in southern Idaho. Grimmett, who played football at Payette High School, remembers the baseball great clearing time in his schedule to speak at local sports banquets and other gatherings - always carrying a message of encouragement.
"He would say you should never take anything for granted, that you have to earn everything," Grimmett said. "He also said it was important to not get so focused that you lose perspective on the things that are really important."
Killebrew maintained his balanced outlook to the end, passing away peacefully last Tuesday in Scottsdale, Arizona at the age of 74 from the effects of esophageal cancer. His funeral was held on May 20 in Phoenix.
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig was among many friends and acquaintances to pass on his recollections last week.
"Harmon was one of the greatest human beings I have ever known," Selig told USA Today. "He was not only a Hall of Fame baseball player, but a Hall of Fame person."
Induction to Cooperstown among names like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Cy Young seemed remote when Killebrew first joined the Washington Senators in 1954 as a 17-year-old infielder who one sportswriter described as "a green-grass, fuzzy-faced kid from the pastures of Idaho." He told the press he developed his strength by lifting 10-gallon cans of milk on the family farm.
Killebrew was a three-sport star at Payette High School before being signed by the Washington Senators in 1954. Photo courtesy of www.harmonkillebrew.com
Killibrew was a three-sport star in Payette, earning All-American honors as quarterback, but passed on a scholarship offer from the University of Oregon to attend the College of Idaho. He was playing semi-professional baseball in his hometown when a scout from the Senators saw him hit a 436-foot home run and signed him to report to the nation's capital.
He would go on to hit 536 home runs, collect 2,086 hits and play in 2,435 games in a career that spanned part of three decades and included time with Washington, the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals. In the decade of the 1960s, Killibrew hit more home runs than anyone in baseball, including Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron or Willie Mays. He was named to 11 American League all star teams and earned mention on the Sporting News "100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time."
As much as the numbers, it was his calm demeanor and kind approach that earned the soft-spoken star the admiration of teammates and foes alike. Even former umpires like Ron Luciano pointed to Killebrew as someone who stood above the fray.
"Harmon was one of the few players who would go out of his way to compliment an umpire on a good job even if the call went against him," Luciano noted in his book "The Umpire Strikes Back."
Click here to read more >
Sports
Road to the top - Former Spokane missionary concludes senior year with national title
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
April 12, 2011 — The distance from the gym at the Spokane East Stake Center to New York City's Madison Square Garden may be closer than you think - just ask Graham Hatch.
As a full-time missionary in the Spokane area from 2005 to 2007, Hatch would set aside some time on Monday mornings to run the court with other elders in friendly, but competitive, scrimmages. Mondays are preparation and exercise days for missionaries and, for Hatch, the games represented an opportunity for a brief return to basketball without taking his focus away from the real reason he was in Spokane - to share the restored gospel.
Hatch took an excused leave as a scholarship athlete on the Wichita State University basketball team to serve in the Inland Northwest, a decision that he said was worth the sacrifice of stepping away from his favorite sport.
"I know I was blessed by serving my mission," Hatch said. "It was something that helped me with my maturity and work ethic and in so many other ways."
Since returning to Wichita, Hatch has been a two-year starter for the Shockers, known for his tenacious defense and three-point shooting range. Last month, as Wichita State continued to advance in the National Invitational Tournament, Hatch's cheering section included his past mission president, former mission companions and several Spokane-area residents whom Hatch taught while serving in the region.
Former Spokane missionary Graham Hatch was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2011 National Invitational Tournament after his Wichita State team defeated Alabama at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31. Photo courtesy of Wichita State Athletic Department.
It turns out they would have plenty to celebrate.
After defeating Nebraska, Virginia Tech and College of Charleston to advance to the NIT Final Four, Wichita State routed Washington State, 75-44 on March 29 to set up the championship game against Alabama. Both the semifinal and final contests would be televised on ESPN2. Through four NIT games, Hatch had averaged over 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.
"Madison Square Garden was an unbelievable atmosphere," Hatch said of the host site for a tournament that originated in 1938 and, this year, featured 32 teams from across the country.
Click here to read more >
Sports
BYU vs. Gonzaga - the battle, the aftermath, the Jimmer
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
March 21, 2011 — "Jimmermania" has officially arrived at the home of Tim and Julie Powell.
Last Saturday, the Powells joined thousands of residents throughout the Inland Northwest for the broadcast of a college basketball game between the hometown Bulldogs of Gonzaga University and the Brigham Young University Cougars. The contest represented the second matchup for each team in the NCAA tournament - often referred to as "March Madness."
Taking centerstage for BYU was guard James "Jimmer" Fredette, a senior sensation who has put up an average of nearly 29 points a game while topping many lists for the 2010-11 player of the year. Fredette, often referred to as "The Jimmer," led the Cougars to arguably the best season in school history, including a 30-4 regular season record, a Mountain West Conference championship and the highest national ranking the program has ever attained at No. 3 earlier this month.
"Our family has all been talking about Jimmer," Julie said.
While Julie said she and her husband "are not really big sports fans," the couple made it a point to watch the BYU/Gonzaga matchup on March 18. Jimmer led the way again, scoring 34 points - including seven baskets from three-point range - in a resounding 89-67 BYU win. The loss eliminated Gonzaga from the tournament, while BYU moves on to face the University of Florida this Thursday.
Despite living in Gonzaga country - the Powells are members of the Moran Prairie Ward in the Spokane Stake - Julie said it was clear they would be cheering for the blue and white.
"We were totally rooting for BYU," she said.
BYU head coach Dave Rose led the Cougars to the third round of the NCAA tournament for the first time since Danny Ainge was the catalyst for a team that advanced to the Elite Eight in 1981. Photo courtesy of the BYU Athletic Department.
For Spokane residents like Mike Metcalf, the question of allegiance had more to do with local ties.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Checking in with the Sentinel all-star squad
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
February 21, 2011 — Since our first issue in June 2009, the Latter-day Sentinel has featured the inspiring stories of LDS athletes with connections to the Inland Northwest. Beyond their accomplishments on the court, field, mat and track, these dedicated individuals have established themselves as champions of character, committed to standing as examples of the gospel, even when the opposition gets tough.
As any sports follower knows, the competition goes on well after the last game story has appeared. So, in the spirit of genuine fan dedication, the Sentinel is providing a quick update on five athletes that have reached considerable heights since we last heard from them. We salute their efforts, thank them for their commitment and cheer for their continued success.
Graham Hatch
Graham Hatch, who served in the Spokane, WA. Mission from 2005 to 2007, was featured in our March 15, 2010 issue. Hatch is a senior guard for the Wichita State University basketball team and has started 25 games for the Shockers, currently tied for first in the Missouri Valley Conference at 13-3, 22-6 overall.
Hatch is averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds a game for WSU. The senior had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists in an 83-79 loss to Connecticut of the Big East at the Maui Invitational on Nov. 22. He finished with 16 points in a 71-49 win over Alabama A&M on Dec. 13.
Since we last checked in with Graham, he was named to the NCAA Academic All-American third team and the Division 7 All-Academic first team for his efforts on the court and in the classroom; he maintains a 3.7 grade point average as a chemistry major. He was also named the team's Most Inspirational Player and Most Improved Player. He also earned a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference Most Improved Team for 2009-10.
Austin Pruitt
Sentinel readers learned about Austin Pruitt and his accomplishments in the paralympic arena in our Oct. 26, 2010 issue. Since then, Pruitt has traveled with Team USA to the World Paralympic Championships in New Zealand, an event featuring elite athletes from 71 countries.
The junior from Central Valley High School raced to a bronze medal in the 200-meter competition, finishing with a time of 31:16. He also participated in the 400-meters and earned fourth-place in the 100-meters.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Wrestling champion excels by holding fast to principles
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
February 14, 2011 — Whenever Jarod Maynes begins to get a little shaky on the wrestling mat, he turns to a motivational speaker named Paul and a pep talk in Philippians 4:12.
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Maynes found the strength to add yet another medal to his collection of honors last Saturday, winning a regional 4A championship at 125 pounds for Central Valley High School. It was his third regional title in four years.
Jarod Maynes (left) won a regional 4A championship for Central Valley High School at 125 pounds last Saturday, earning his way to the state tournament next weekend in Tacoma. Photo by Craig Howard.
Yet you are more likely to hear the humble senior talk about his favorite scriptures or the latest project in his leadership class than tout his achievements in the athletic arena.
"He gets embarrassed when his dad brags about him," said Jarod's mom, Debbie.
In his time at Central Valley, Maynes has established himself as one of the best wrestlers in the program's history, finishing among the top four in state for the past three years. Later this week, at the Mat Classic in Tacoma, he will vie for a state championship and, along the way, try to become only the second wrestler in the CV record books to become a four-time state placer.
Maynes (center) has won regional titles in three of his four years at Central Valley. Photo by Craig Howard.
"I would put Jarod among the top wrestlers in the state," said Central Valley head coach Tommy Owen. "He's very competitive and sets a great example of working hard in practice."
Click here to read more >
Sports
Stanford runner sets winning pace by thriving on challenges
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
December 27, 2010 — As mountains of snow continued to form across Eastern Washington during the winter of 2008-09, Adam Thorne could be found treading up and down Spokane's South Hill - a dedicated runner going toe-to-toe with the elements.
The arctic landscape served as a unique backdrop for the Ferris High School junior as he put in training weeks of 70-80 miles while looking ahead to the track season that spring. Thorne had finished eighth at the Washington state 4A Cross Country Championships in November 2008 while his team took the third-place trophy.
As for jogging amidst the glaciers, Thorne said it was simply a matter of commitment.
Adam Thorne was a valedictorian and running standout at Ferris High School where he led the Saxons to a state title in cross country his senior year. Thorne is now a freshman at Stanford University where he competes on the track and cross country teams. Contributed Photo.
"I just bundled up and got out there and did it," Thorne said. "I think running in weather like that makes you tougher."
Click here to read more >
Sports
Central Valley student to compete for Team USA at International Paralympic event
By Kara Houser, Staff WriterShare:
October 26, 2010 — Austin Pruitt, of the Greenacres Ward in the Spokane Valley Stake, was always competitive. He played on his school basketball team and participated in track and field. He wasn't afraid of doing anything. Except telling his friends he had a disability.
Austin Pruitt, of the Greenacres Ward in the Spokane Valley Stake, finishes a winning lap. Contributed Photo.
"For a while, I didn't want people to know," says Pruitt, who has Cerebral Palsy. "I sometimes made up stories to tell my friends. I was always competitive and did lots of able-bodied sports, so people didn't really know."
It was as a student at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley that Pruitt discovered another outlet for his competitive streak, in the form of wheelchair racing. A friend recruited him for Team St. Luke's (sponsored by Spokane-based St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute), a racing team that was coached by Teresa Skinner. She had previously coached rugby, basketball and track for the disabled.
Pruitt surprised both his coach and himself when he began putting up some fast racing times, almost from the start. He was so good that Skinner encouraged him to attend the Junior Nationals, and at his first large race he easily outdistanced the competition.
"I knew I was fast, but I didn't know I was that good," Pruitt said.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Westward trek - BYU to join Gonzaga in West Coast Conference
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
October 19, 2010 — The latest migration from Utah won't involve oxen and covered wagons - but it will include an ambitious journey from the mountains to the coast.
BYU will join the West Coast Conference in 12 sports beginning next June including basketball, women’s soccer, golf, tennis, baseball and cross country. Photo courtesy of the BYU Athletic Department
On Aug. 31, Brigham Young University announced it would join the West Coast Conference in a dozen sports while going independent in football. BYU will depart the Mountain West Conference officially in June 2011.
For local BYU fans like Eric Lovinger (BYU class of '82) the announcement means his favorite team will be visiting Spokane on a regular basis to compete against Gonzaga University in basketball, cross country, tennis, baseball and other sports.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Championship character - University senior puts gospel first while excelling at sports, school
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
October 12, 2010 — Amy Thornton is more likely to consult a team schedule than the latest weather patterns when keeping up with seasons in the Inland Northwest.
Thornton ran to a fourth-place finish at state in the 800 meters this spring. Contributed photo.
Autumn means soccer for the team captain at University High School in Spokane Valley. As winter arrives, Thornton moves indoors where she is a two-year letter winner for one of the most successful basketball programs in Washington state. Thornton transitions to track and field in the spring, circling the oval as one of the region's leading 800-meter runners.
Despite the shifting terrain of sports, there will be one constant for Thornton during her senior year. Every weekday morning at 6:15, she will be part of a high school seminary class at the LDS Spokane East Stake Center, just down the road from the University campus.
Click here to read more >
Sports
BYU coach draws upon faith in battle against cancer
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
August 30, 2010 — Each year, college basketball coaches from across the nation flock to Spokane in support of an annual fundraiser known as "Coaches vs. Cancer."
BYU men's basketball coach Dave Rose and his wife Cheryl were in Spokane last weekend to support the Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser sponsored by Gonzaga coach Mark Few and his wife Marcy. Rose spoke at a banquet on Saturday about his experience overcoming pancreatic cancer. Photo by Craig Howard.
Sponsored by Gonzaga head coach Mark Few and his wife, Marcy, the event has raised millions of dollars for cancer research while serving as a unique podium for inspirational stories that provide hope in the ongoing battle against the disease.
This year, attendees were privileged to hear the extraordinary experience of a cancer survivor from Provo, UT. who arrived in the Inland Northwest with a narrative that added special meaning to last weekend's festivities.
Click here to read more >
Sports
BYU-bound Johnston wraps up high school career with state titles, national record
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
June 28, 2010 — No one was quite sure who had won the 3,200-meter race at last month's Washington State 3A Track and Field Championships in Tacoma after Ben Johnston and Drew O'Donoghue-McDonald crossed the finish line stride for stride.
A few weeks before graduating from North Central High School in Spokane, Ben Johnston glided to a pair of first-place finishes at the Washington 3A Track Championship Meet in Tacoma. Johnston earned titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs while helping North Central to its third straight team championship. Contributed Photo.
As the runners filtered onto the infield, Johnston's coach, Jon Knight, joined thousands in the stands at Mt. Tahoma High School in contemplating the question of the moment.
"I asked Ben if he'd won," Knight said. "He said, 'I think so, coach.' It was classic Ben - not real vocal, just a humble response."
Click here to read more >
Sports
Premier soccer in Spokane strives for net gain
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
June 21, 2010 — While billions of soccer fans around the planet cheer on their favorite clubs during the latest rendition of the World Cup, a pair of teams from the Inland Northwest continue to generate some serious enthusiasm of their own.
The Spokane Black Widows (left) and the Spokane Spiders play their home games at Joe Albi Stadium in north Spokane. The Black Widows compete in the Premier Women's Soccer League while the Spiders are part of the Premier Development League, a branch of the United Soccer Leagues. Contributed Photo.
Spokane's Joe Albi Stadium might fall short of the 94,000-plus seats at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, but local followers of the world's most popular sport are quickly discovering that quality soccer has arrived in the form of the Spokane Black Widows and the Spokane Spiders, two premier league squads that feature area athletes competing for the love of the game, not a paycheck.
The Black Widows compete in the Pacific Conference of the Premier Women's Soccer League with teams from cities like Sacramento, San Francisco and Portland. Currently, Spokane stands at 2-3, good for fifth place in the Pacific's North Division.
The Spiders, meanwhile are looking for their second win in the competitive Northwest Division of the Premier Development League, a branch of the United Soccer Leagues. Formed in 1986, the USL serves as the soccer equivalent of minor league baseball with teams throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico organized into separate leagues representing half-a-dozen skill levels.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Spokane Valley family emphasizes hoops with a heart
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
April 5, 2010 — On the most celebrated day of the year in college basketball, Freddie and Austin Rehkow are preparing for church.
It's not the first time that the NCAA Final Four - featuring a quartet of the best teams in the nation - has coincided with the semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Last year, the University of North Carolina - the preferred team in the Rehkow household - competed in a semifinal game against Villanova, but Freddie and his son, Austin, bypassed the basketball to attend the Saturday night priesthood session.
This year, the Rehkows - members of the Belle Terre Ward in the Spokane East Stake - once again set aside their favorite sport to hear instruction from church leaders. Freddie said the arrangement of priorities is part of the family's commitment to put the gospel first.
Basketball is the No. 1 sport at the home of Freddie and Kim Rehkow, members of the Belle Terre Ward in the Spokane East Stake. The Rehkow starting lineup includes (from left to right) Ryan, Cameron, Kim, Austin, Freddie and Landon. Contributed Photo.
"You could make excuses about not going to church," he said. "But it's just the right thing to do."
The balance of church and sports has always been a pillar at the Rehkow home even when it meant Austin missing a chance to play in a national championship youth soccer game because it fell on Sunday. Austin said the policy has been a testimony builder.
Click here to read more >
Sports
March Gladness - Former Spokane missionary finds balance between life, basketball
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
March 15, 2010 — You can count on an enthusiastic gathering of 10,506 to file through the turnstiles at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas this Wednesday, where the attire may be casual but the fans are certainly not.
It's that way for every home game featuring the Wichita State men's basketball team - a devoted sell-out crowd, a sea of yellow and black and decibel levels that can be heard in most neighboring counties.
This week, the local squad hosts the University of Nevada in the first-round of the National Invitational Tournament, part of a bracket that leads to the national semifinals in New York's Madison Square Garden. Graham Hatch will be in the starting lineup for Wichita State, just as he has for all 31 games this season.
Graham Hatch averages over nine points and nearly four rebounds a game as a starting forward for Wichita State University. Hatch served an LDS mission in the Spokane area from 2005 to 2007. Photo by Dale Stelz.
While the usual thunderous applause will greet Hatch as he takes the court on Wednesday, it wasn't that long ago that the Arizona native was walking the quiet streets of Deer Park, WA., sharing his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Hatch served two years in the Spokane area as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His commitment from 2005 to 2007 meant putting his favorite sport on hold.
For Hatch, the decision was as simple as a breakaway dunk.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Playing with heart - EWU linebacker triumphs over adversity
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
December 7, 2009 — In a football career distinguished by an inventory of individual and team success, Makai Borden has learned to cope with the despondency of defeat.
 There was the upset loss in the first round of the state playoffs when Borden was a senior at Puyallup High School, sending his previously undefeated team home for the year. As a sophomore at Eastern Washington University, Borden watched from the sidelines with a broken foot as eventual national champion Appalachian State escaped with a 38-35 victory in the NCAA Division 1A playoffs.
Yet none of the disappointments on the field compare to the day in 1996 when Borden lost his father, Randy, to cancer.
Randy had played football as well - first as a lineman at Brigham Young University then later at the University of Hawaii before a surfing injury shattered his wrist. He went on to become a successful musician in his native land - the songs he once played over three decades ago can still be heard over the airwaves in Hawaii today.
Randy met his wife, Patrice, when both were enrolled at BYU. They were married in the temple and had four children. Makai was the youngest.
Before he fell ill, Randy taught martial arts and gave motivational speeches at schools and youth centers. Even when he was undergoing treatment for cancer, he attended each one of his kids' sporting events, rolling out onto the soggy turf in a wheelchair, bundled up against the rain and chill.
"He never missed a game," Patrice said.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Johnston wins state title
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
November 9, 2009 — Congratulations are in order for Ben Johnston, a senior at North Central High School and a member of the River Ridge Ward in the Spokane North Stake. Johnston won the 3A individual championship at the Washington 3A Cross Country Meet in Pasco last Saturday with a time of 15:15. North Central also won its fourth consecutive team title. Read more about Johnston's feats in the Sentinel Sports section.
Sports
North Central cross country athlete races to victory
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
November 2, 2009 — Ben Johnston, a senior at North Central High School and a member of the River Ridge Ward in the Spokane North Stake, ran to a first-place finish at the 3A/4A Regional Cross Country Meet at Wandermere Golf Course in north Spokane last Friday. Johnston completed the 3.1-mile course with a time of 15:23, 20 seconds ahead of the second-place runner. The senior will join his North Central teammates at the state meet this Friday in Pasco. A story about Ben's running achievements appears in the Latter-day Sentinel sports section.
Sports
Everyone a winner at North Stake Fun Run
By McKay Allen, Guest ContributorShare:
September 8, 2009 — Some would say that the words 'fun' and 'run' do not belong in the same sentence. It's sort of like saying 'enjoyable' and 'root canal' in the same breath. They just don't fit.
But, alas, 226 runners, from the young to the old, ran on Labor Day and they had fun along the way.
Yesterday marked the 29th anniversary of what's become a venerable Spokane North Stake tradition, the 5K Labor Day Fun Run. It started out as a community run, a neighborhood event for the stake and has grown to be, as one stake member described it, "a fairly big deal on the north side of Spokane."
The racers line up at the starting line preparing for the Fun Run to start. Photo by McKay Allen.
"Our focus isn't as much missionary work as it is neighborhood outreach," says former Stake Activities Chairperson, Chris Heftel.
But, a missionary tool the Fun Run has become. Organizers estimated that up to 30 percent of the 226 participants are not LDS. Full-time missionaries serve as volunteers at the event, helping runners register and ushering them along.
Click here to read more >
Sports
North Central runner reaps rewards of going the extra mile
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
August 24, 2009 — The fleetest of the fleet gathered in Portland, Ore. on a early winter day in December last year.
The Nike Cross Nationals - the World Series of high school cross country events - featured 45 of the most accomplished runners in the U.S., along with teams like York High School, a program that had won no less than 30 straight Illinois state titles.
The North Spokane Cross Country Club, comprised of student-athletes from North Central High School, was also represented at the starting line. A month before, the team had won its third straight 3A Washington state cross country championship and followed it up with a win at the Northwest regional meet.
Ben Johnston, a senior at North Central High School and a member of the River Ridge Ward in the Spokane North Stake, helped the North Spokane Cross Country Club to a national championship at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore. last December. Contributed Photo.
NC junior Ben Johnston and his teammates began the competition as the top-ranked team in the country, but by the four-kilometer mark, the squad was fading on the leader board. By the time the race was over, only senior Andy Kimpel would break into the top 10, placing sixth.
"We were pretty depressed," Johnston said. "I just remember runners passing me three or four at a time."
Then someone relayed the news that the team should report to the medal stand.
Click here to read more >
Sports
Safe at home - LDS baseball players place integrity before innings
By Craig Howard, News EditorShare:
July 27, 2009 — "I want to compare faith to winning a race... And where does that power come from, to see the race to its end? From within."
Eric Liddell - British runner and Christian missionary who declined to run the 100-meter race in the 1924 Olympics because it was held on Sunday. Liddell eventually won the gold medal in the 400-meter run.
The cleats were replaced by dress shoes; the baseball glove was put aside for scriptures and Brandon Byers walked to a chapel instead of the dugout.
It was Sunday and Byers - a junior at University High School in Spokane Valley - knew he was in the right place.
Brandon Byers, a junior at University High School, competes in baseball and wrestling. This summer, he was on the roster of University's American Legion AA squad. Contributed Photo.
While his team was preparing to compete in the second round of the Washington State American Legion AA Tournament, Byers - a starter for much of the season - was speaking on the importance of covenants at the Belle Terre Ward Sacrament meeting. It was a decision that had been made at the beginning of the season - no games on the Sabbath, no wavering, no problem.
Click here to read more >
|
| |
|
|
|
