YOUTH SPORTS: AAU basketball, ASA softball

AAU BASKETBALL

Rieken was Royal: Bridget Rieken, who will be a freshman at Lake City High School this fall, scored a team-high 17 points as the Spokane Stars Royal beat the Northwest Blazers Ice from Montana 61-34 in the championship game of the all-star division of the recent MSMN Western U.S. International Championships in San Diego.

"She's real athletic, tremendous rebounder, can finish when she gets the ball inside, runs the floor," Spokane Stars president Ron Adams said. "She's going to be a tremendous asset to Lake City High School next year."

The Stars Royal went 7-0 in their 78-team division. In their bracket semifinal they beat TRBO from Eugene 55-35, and in the title game of their bracket they beat CBC Elite of Colorado 53-47 to advance to the overall title game.

The Royal team consisted of girls entering the ninth and 10th grades.

The Spokane Stars Blue won the elite division, going 8-0 in an 88-team division. Adams said it was the first time teams from the same club won both the elite and all-star divisions at the San Diego tourney.

Earlier, the North Idaho Elite went 3-1 at the Summer Heat tournament in Spokane, a showcase tournament which attracted 43 coaches from NCAA Division I, II and III and NAIA schools.

ASA SOFTBALL

Northwest Wildfire second at 18-U nationals: The Northwest Wildfire 18-and-under girls softball team took second at the 18-U Western Nationals, held last week at Dwight Merkel Field in Spokane.

For the tournament, Casey Goleeke of Post Falls High hit .542. Rummor Walker of Lake City High batted .500, Bree Williams of Lake City hit .440 and Miranda Atwood of Freeman High hit .440.

In bracket play, the Wildfire beat the Spokane Diamonds 4-3, lost to the Tri-Cities Menace 2-1, then eliminated the Utah Outbreak 10-6, Seattle SFC Storm 10-4 and the Menace 4-2 to advance to the championship game.

In the title game, the Wildfire lost to the Salt Lake Sox 6-4.

Submit items for youth and non-varsity high school sports by noon Tuesday for publication Wednesday. Email stories and photos (in .jpg format) to [email protected].

Information: 664-8176, Ext. 2019