Northwest Notes: Nov. 20, 2014
Coeur d'Alene lacrosse
midfielder finalist for
High School Heisman
SPOKANE - Jonathan Yake, a lacrosse midfielder and three-sport standout at Spokane's Gonzaga Prep and resident of Coeur d'Alene, has been named a Washington state finalist in the national Wendy's High School Heisman program.
Yake is the first high school lacrosse player from Washington to be named a state finalist in the program and is among 20 boys and girls in the state and 1,022 nationwide that have been tapped as state finalists.
The Wendy's High School Heisman Program annually honors outstanding high school seniors, competing in at least one of the 27 eligible school-sponsored sports including lacrosse, who excel in athletics, academics and community leadership.
Entering his senior year, Yake maintains a 3.668 grade point average, while also earning high marks in cross country, wrestling, lacrosse and community leadership.
The national award will be presented during ESPN's Dec. 19 telecast of the college Heisman Trophy presentation. Winners will be presented with the Wendy's High School Heisman Trophy and honored with a $10,000 award donated in their name to their high school. Each winner will also receive a $500 Wendy's gift card.
Idaho track and field
signs Lewiston's Stuffle
MOSCOW - Zion Stuffle just became the newest addition of the Idaho track and field and cross country family.
Stuffle has proven himself on a regional level as a two-time state 5A champion and Inland Region Junior Olympic Champion in both the 110 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles. On a national level, Stuffle placed second in the United States at the USATF Junior Olympics in Texas. After running 52.69 seconds in the 400 hurdles, Stuffle currently ranks as the fourth top returner in the country entering the 2015 season.
Area athletes shine
at national event
Members of the North Idaho Xtreme '97 softball team competed in the recent USA Preps 2014 National tournament in Lancanster, Calif., with players earning honors in individual drills.
Mackenzie Longley, a sophomore at Lake City High, finished second in the 16-under road runner competition, finishing second in 11.22 seconds. Haley Loffer, also with North Idaho Xtreme, was fourth in 11.32 seconds.
Coeur d'Alene High senior Abby Howard finished third in the home run competition with three.
Brimhall signs with
Vandal men's basketball
MOSCOW - Tyler Brimhall, an all-state player at Logan (Utah) High, has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Idaho, coach Don Verlin announced.
"I have known Tyler since he was a young kid," Verlin said. "I have had a chance to watch him grow as a person and as a basketball player. His mom and dad have done an outstanding job instilling in him the values you need to be successful."
Brimhall's father, Jeff, played baseball at Brigham Young and developed the Cache Valley Elite AAU program of which Tyler was a member. Now 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, and a four year starter at Logan, averaging 17 points and 5.6 rebounds as a junior.
Yearout wins Sports Turf
Manager of the Year Award
SPOKANE - Minor League Baseball announced that Spokane Indians head groundskeeper David Yearout is the winner of the Sports Turf Manager of the Year Award for the short season-A/rookie classification level.
This is the 14th year of the awards, and the third time a Spokane groundskeeper has been honored. Tony Lee (2001) and Joe Hill (2007) also won the award.
Yearout, 23, graduated from Washington State in May of 2014 with a bachelor's degree of science in integrated plant management. He was the first person to be accepted into the Spokane Indians groundskeeper internship in 2011, working under Lee. After the internship, Yearout was offered the assistant groundskeeper position and held onto it until being promoted prior to the 2014 season.
Avista Stadium won the Northwest League Field of the Year for the 10th consecutive season, and the 16th time in 18 years. He also volunteers with the Lewis and Clark High baseball team during his free time.
The rest of the Indians grounds crew includes Trevor Heilman, Jacob Fender, Daniel Ramirez and Larry Blumer.