NORTHWEST NOTES July 1, 2016
Zags formally announce
addition of Mathews
SPOKANE — Jordan Mathews, a transfer from the University of California, signed a financial aid agreement to attend Gonzaga and will join the men’s basketball team for the 2016-17 season.
Mathews, a 6-4, 203-pound guard, will graduate from Cal this summer. He will have one season of eligibility remaining.
“Jordan is a proven big-time shooter and scorer at our level,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “He is a guy with great character and is a really good student. He comes from a basketball family and will be a tremendous fit with our team.”
Mathews averaged 13.5 points per game last season. He made 89 threes in 2015-16, 28 more than anyone else on the roster. He averaged 2.62 three-pointers made per game at 41.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He shot nearly 80 percent from the free-throw line.
Mathews scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting (6-for-12 from three-point range) in a win over then-No. 12 Arizona on Jan. 23.
In 2013-14, Mathews was a Pac-12 All-Freshman honorable mention selection.
Mathews joins a Bulldog squad coming off of a Sweet 16 finish and a 28-8 overall record. Gonzaga graduated three players, Kyle Dranginis, Eric McClellan and Kyle Wiltjer. The Zags will also be without Domantas Sabonis, who was selected 11th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Empire reacts to Tri-Cities
sitting out 2017 season
SPOKANE — The Spokane Empire released a statement Thursday regarding the announcement by Tri-Cities Fever owner Teri Carr on the team’s decision to go dormant and not participate in the 2017 Indoor Football League season.
“We are saddened to hear the decision that the Fever have decided to suspend play for the 2017 Indoor Football League season,” Empire general manager Ryan Eucker said. “Teri Carr and the Tri-Cities organization have been fantastic partners for the Empire and played a vital role in our team’s inaugural season as a member of the IFL.”
Tri-Cities and Spokane was not only a regional rivalry during the 2016 IFL season, but one with a rich history dating back to the af2 which established the two franchises as tenured members within the ranks of indoor and arena football.
Despite the Fever’s plans to go dormant next season, the Empire plan to continue their participation in the Indoor Football League in 2017.
“We hope that the recent news of Tri-Cities’ decision to go dormant in 2017 may serve as a positive call to action that the support of the community is paramount to the success of any sports organization,” Eucker said. “Spokane has fielded an indoor football team for over 10 years and hopes to for years to come with our city’s continuing passion for its team.”
The Empire will host the Intense Conference Championship on Sunday, July 17 with a 4 p.m. PDT kickoff at Spokane Arena.
Six Empire players
receive all-IFL honors
The Indoor Football League announced the All-IFL First and Second Team honors for the 2016 regular season. Six Empire players received recognition.
Three Empire players received All-IFL First Team honors including running back Trevor Kennedy, offensive lineman Dave Lefotu and defensive back Robert Brown.
Empire players who received All-IFL Second Team honors including quarterback Charles Dowdell, defensive lineman Benjamin Perry, and linebacker Nick Haag.
First Team All-IFL Offense
QB — Charles McCullum (Wichita Falls). RB — Trevor Kennedy (Spokane). WR — Demarius Washington (Colorado), Brady Roland (Iowa), Jordan Jolly (Wichita Falls). OL — Myniya Smith (Sioux Falls), Charlie Sanders (Sioux Falls), Dave Lefotu (Spokane).
First Team All-IFL Defense
DL — Jermiah Price (Cedar Rapids), Xzavie Jackson (Cedar Rapids), Brandon Peguese (Sioux Falls). LB — Tyler Knight (Sioux Falls). DB — Michael Green (Billings), Rashard Smith (Colorado), Jabari Gorman (Nebraska), Robert Brown (Spokane).
First Team All-IFL Special Teams
K — Rockne Belmonte (Wichita Falls). KR — Korey Williams (Sioux Falls).
Second Team All-IFL Offense
QB — Charles Dowdell (Spokane). RB — Tyler Williams (Wichita Falls). WR — Markeith Summers (Green Bay), O.J Simpson (Nebraska), Bryan Pray (Iowa). OL — James Atoe (Colorado), Nathaniel Ryan (Billings), A.J Harmon (Cedar Rapids).
Second Team All-IFL Defense
DL — Benjamin Perry (Spokane), Walter Thomas (Wichita Falls), Davis (Sioux Falls). LB — Nikolas Sierra (Cedar Rapids), Nick Haag (Spokane). DB — Boubacar Cissoko (Tri-Cities), Elijah Fields (Sioux Falls), Dee Maggitt Jr. (Tri-Cities).
Second Team All-IFL Special Teams
K — Nicholas Belcher (Cedar Rapids)
KR — Chevelle Buie (Green Bay)