Northwest Notes October 27, 2010
Three NIC teams make
national preseason top 10
All three of North Idaho College's winter sports teams are ranked in the top 10 by the NJCAA, announced Tuesday.
The wrestling team is ranked No. 2, with the men's basketball team third and women's basketball team ranked sixth.
"This is the first time all three of those teams have been in the preseason top 10," NIC athletic director Al Williams said. "This should be a tremendous season for all the players and fans."
Seven former Indians
in the World Series
SPOKANE - In 2003, the Spokane Indians became the Class "A" short-season affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Now seven former Indian players are preparing to compete in the World Series.
The group is led by second baseman Ian Kinsler, who played on the 2003 Northwest League championship team.
Kinsler hit .277 with one home run and 15 RBIs in 2003 in 51 games played in Spokane.
Mitch Moreland, who played for Spokane in 2007, is the Rangers starting first baseman in the playoffs. Moreland hit .259 in 27 games with the Indians.
Outfielder Julio Borbon, who played in Spokane in 2007, appeared in seven games.
Pitchers Tommy Hunter and Derek Holland also were a part of the 2007 team. Holland went 4-5 and Hunter went 2-3, appearing in a combined 26 games.
Neftali Feliz, who has a 2.70 ERA in four relief appearances for the Rangers in the playoffs, pitched in eight games for the Indians in 2007. Michael Kirkman, who also played on the 2007 Spokane team, was added to the postseason roster, and pitched in the last two games against the Yankees.
Former Cd'A lineman
to appear in title game
Grant Turner, a 2008 Coeur d'Alene High graduate, is heading to Myrtle Beach, S.C., with the semi-pro Bellingham Bulldogs for championship game of the North American Football League.
Turner, a starting offensive lineman, helped the unbeaten Bulldogs beat the Bay Area Gamblers from Pearland, Texas, to reach the finals.
Bellingham will play the Nashville Storm for the title on Nov. 13.
Gonzaga picked to win
WCC for 11th straight year
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - The Gonzaga University men's basketball team is once again favored to win the 2011 West Coast Conference championship.
The Bulldogs are seeking an 11th straight title.
The Bulldogs received six of the eight first-place votes from the WCC coaches and a total of 48 points. Loyola Marymount had 42 points and Saint Mary's had 39, with both receiving one first-place vote.
Coaches could not vote for their respective team.
Gonzaga was also one of four teams to have two selections to the 10-player preseason All-WCC team.
Senior guard Steven Gray, a first-team All-WCC pick a year ago and sophomore Elias Harris, the 2010 WCC Newcomer of the Year and first-team selection, were both first-team selections as well as being selected to the Wooden Award preseason top 50 watch list earlier this month.
Gray and Harris both started 34 games for the Bulldogs a year ago, with Harris averaging 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds and Gray 13.6 points, four assists and 2.9 rebounds a game.
The Bulldogs return four starters with guard Demetri Goodson and center Robert Sacre also back.
Gonzaga will face Southern Oregon on Nov. 5 in an exhibition game at the McCarthey Athletic Center and open regular season play on Nov. 12 against Southern University.
The WCC tournament is scheduled for March 4-7 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
Preseason coaches poll (first-place votes in parentheses) - 1, Gonzaga (6) 48 points. 2, Loyola Marymount (1) 42. 3, Saint Mary's (1) 38. 4, Santa Clara 28. 5, Portland 25. 6, San Francisco 18. 7, Pepperdine 14. 8, San Diego 10.
2011 WCC men's basketball all-conference team - Keion Bell, 6-3 jr., Pepperdine; Matthew Dellavedova, 6-4, so., Saint Mary's; Kevin Foster, 6-2, so., Santa Clara; Steven Gray, 6-5, sr., Gonzaga; Elias Harris, 6-7, so., Gonzaga; Mickey McConnell, 6-0, sr., Saint Mary's; Jared Stohl, 6-2, sr., Portland; Vernon Teel, 6-4, sr., Loyola Marymount; Marc Trasolini, 6-9, jr., Santa Clara; Drew Viney, 6-8, jr., Loyola Marymount.
Chiefs deal forward
to Chilliwack
The Spokane Chiefs traded forward T.C. Cratsenberg to the Chilliwack Bruins for a conditional eighth round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft on Tuesday.
The 18-year old Crastenberg appeared in 68 games and had 84 penalty minutes in his Spokane career. Originally a sixth-round pick, the Federal Way, Wash., native was in his third season in Spokane.
"Considering the dynamics of our current roster, T.C. was going to have a tough time getting the ice time that he deserved," Spokane general manager Tim Speltz said. "Hopefully he can take advantage of the opportunity in Chilliwack. We wish him the best of luck."
Gray to hit stage in
GU play this week
SPOKANE - Gonzaga University's 6-foot-5 basketball star Steven Gray is taking another shot at acting this year. The senior from Bainbridge Island, Wash., will test his talents on the stage again this year with the current production of Shakespeare's classic play "Romeo and Juliet."
Gray plays the role of Tybalt, Romeo's rival. This year's cast is a mix of theater and non-theater majors, with some student-athletes. Fellow basketball player Kelly Olynyk joins Gray onstage.
Last year, Gray played the central role in a staged reading of the play "Take Me Out," which was set in the culture of professional baseball.
Information: www.gonzaga.edu/theatrearts