Northwest Notes Sept. 22, 2010

Post Falls native selected

in NORPAC league draft

Kyle Watne was recently drafted in the second round of the Northern Pacific Hockey League draft by the Southern Oregon Spartans of Medford, Ore.

Watne attended the team's main camp in late August and recently signed a commitment to play for the Spartans in the upcoming season.

Watne, 17, is a defenseman and senior at Post Falls High. He is currently enrolled at North Medford High during the hockey season, but will transfer back to Post Falls in March of 2011. Watne won a state "B" championship in his first year as a midget in 2009 with the Coeur d'Alene Hockey Association.

Kichton returns to Chiefs following NHL camp

Defenseman Brenden Kichton has been returned to the Spokane Chiefs by the Detroit Red Wings after the 18-year old attended their recent prospects camp.

While playing at the Traverse City Prospects tournament, Kichton broke a finger and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks.

Kichton is the second Chiefs veteran to return from a pro camp after Levko Koper returned from the Atlanta Trashers camp over the weekend. Koper, a seventh-round selection in 2009 by Atlanta, returns for his fifth season, scoring a career-high 24 goals in 58 games last season.

Spokane still has three players in NHL camps: defenseman Jared Cowen with the Ottawa Senators, center Tyler Johnson with the Minnesota Wild and right wing Blake Gal with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Spokane also reassigned 16-year old center Connor Chartier to play in the AAA Midget league in Alberta.

The move leaves the Chiefs with 25 players, three goaltenders, eight defensemen and 14 forwards.

The Chiefs open Saturday in Kennewick, Wash., vs. the Tri-City Americans.

Wideout Sammons

returns to Shock

Wide receiver Emery Sammons has been added to the 2011 Spokane Shock roster, the team announced.

Sammons (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) is the sixth player from the 2010 ArenaBowl Champion roster to re-sign with the team for the upcoming season. Sammons had to play as a linebacker in the ArenaBowl due to injury, registering nine tackles and blocking a 19-yard field goal attempt by Tampa Bay to help the Shock defeat the Storm 69-57.

"Not only is Emery Sammons a great person, he also has a work ethic that cannot be matched," Spokane coach Rob Keefe said. "He is one of the hardest working players that I've ever seen. He goes 100 percent at practice and then he stays after practice and continues working. Now that he has a year with us under his belt, we will see a lot of success from Emery Sammons."

During the regular season, Sammons played in four games with 17 receptions for 234 yards and one touchdown.