Northwest Notes Nov. 18, 2020
Post Falls grad Lovett wins UWW Junior Freestyle national title
OMAHA, Neb. — Former Post Falls High standout Ridge Lovett captured a United World Wrestling Junior Freestyle national championship at 61 kg on Sunday at UWW Junior Nationals.
Following Saturday's preliminary rounds, Lovett pinned Carter Young in the quarterfinal round Sunday. In his semifinal bout, the sophomore at Nebraska defeated Isaiah Delgado by technical fall, 10-0. The final match saw Lovett strike first and pull away with the lead with 35 seconds left in the second period. Despite a last-second takedown by Cole Matthews, Lovett came away with a 5-4 decision victory for the title.
Through six matches, he recorded one pin and won four by technical fall.
At Post Falls, Lovett was an undefeated four-time state champion.
United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling; its duties include overseeing wrestling at the Olympics.
Circling Raven improves ranking for third consecutive year in ‘Golfweek’s Best U.S. Casino Courses'
WORLEY — Circling Raven Golf Club is rated No. 19 in “Golfweek’s Best U.S. Casino Courses, 2020,” marking the third straight year that the Gene Bates-designed layout has climbed in the annual rankings.
The course and its Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel will be the host venue for the Circling Raven Championship (Aug. 23-29, 2021), a Symetra “Road to the LPGA” Tour event, which includes top women professional golfers competing to qualify for the LPGA Tour.
Vandal women sign five in early signing period
MOSCOW — Idaho women's basketball coach Jon Newlee announced the signing of five players to a national letter of intent during the early signing period, including Ashlyn Wallace, a 5-6 guard from Clarkston High.
Newlee also signed Jordan Allred, a 5-9 guard from Orinda, Calif.; Madison Rubino, a 6-foot post from Glacier Peak High in Snohomish, Wash.; Skylar Bea, a 5-11 guard/post from Washougal (Wash.) High; and Makenna Jacklin, a 6-1 guard/post from Kelowna, British Columbia.
All will join the Vandals in 2021.
Wallace has broken seven school records at Clarkston, and is the all-time leader in career assists and 3-pointers. In 2019 she eclipsed the 1,000-point mark.
"I have wanted Ash to be a Vandal since she started coming to my camp at the age of 9," Newlee said. "I knew she was going to be special then."
Bea is the sister of current Vandal Beyonce Bea, a sophomore.
Zags' Townsend named to women's Naismith Trophy Watch List
ATLANTA – Gonzaga women’s basketball senior guard Jill Townsend was named to the 2021 Women’s Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List on Tuesday, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Townsend is one of 50 players nationwide, representing 11 conferences, to be named to the preseason list. The Okanogan, Wash., native becomes the first Bulldog to be named to the preseason watch list for the national women’s player of the year award.
Townsend led the Bulldogs and ranked 14th in the West Coast Conference in scoring at 12.3 points per game last season, shooting 49.7 percent from the floor which also led the Zags and ranked fifth in the conference.
Stanford picked to win Pac-12 in women's basketball; WSU picked last
SAN FRANCISCO — Washington State was picked to finish 12th (last) in Pac-12 women's basketball by coaches and by media who cover the league.
Stanford junior guard Lexie Hull, from Central Valley High in Spokane Valley, was named to the preseason all-conference team by the media.
MEDIA POLL — 1, Stanford. 2, Arizona. 3, Oregon. 4, UCLA. 5, Oregon State. 6, Arizona State. 7, USC. 8, Utah. 9, California. 10, Colorado. 11, Washington. 12, Washington State.
COACHES POLL — 1, Stanford. 2, Arizona. 3, Oregon. 4, UCLA. 5, Oregon State. 6, USC. 7, Arizona State. 8, Utah. 9, Colorado. 10, California. 11, Washington. 12, Washington State.
Mountain West announces revised league men's basketball schedule
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West Conference released the league’s 2020-21 men’s basketball schedule Tuesday.
As announced last week, the conference moved to a 20-game schedule with teams facing each other in a two-game series at the same location. Each school will have five home and five road series. Boise State will open Mountain play at home against New Mexico, and will also host Air Force, Fresno State, UNLV and Utah State. The Broncos will travel to San José State, Wyoming, Colorado State, Nevada and San Diego State.
Exact game dates are subject to change as the Mountain West television schedule is still being finalized. That information, as well as Boise State’s nonconference schedule will be announced in the coming days.
Boise State's 2020-21 Mountain West Men’s Basketball Conference Schedule
Exact days subject to change
Thursday, Dec. 3 vs. New Mexico
Saturday, Dec. 5. vs New Mexico
Thursday, Dec. 31 at San José State
Saturday, Jan. 2 at San José State
Wednesday, Jan. 6 vs. Air Force
Friday, Jan. 8 vs. Air Force
Monday, Jan. 11 at Wyoming
Wednesday, Jan. 13 at Wyoming
Thursday, Jan. 21 vs. Fresno State
Saturday, Jan. 23 vs. Fresno State
Thursday, Jan. 28 at Colorado State
Saturday, Jan. 30 at Colorado State
Friday, Feb. 5 at Nevada
Sunday, Feb. 7 at Nevada
Thursday, Feb. 11 vs. UNLV
Saturday, Feb. 13 vs. UNLV
Thursday, Feb. 18 vs. Utah State
Saturday, Feb. 20 vs. Utah State
Thursday, Feb. 25 at San Diego State
Saturday, Feb. 27 at San Diego State
Vandal athletic events to continue without fans
MOSCOW — The University of Idaho will open its basketball seasons without fans due to coronavirus restrictions. Swim and dive events will continue without fans.
“In partnership with Idaho Public Health, medical experts and university leadership, we have determined it is best to play our upcoming home events without fans. This will remain in effect until it is deemed reasonable to allow spectators in our venues,” Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik said. “Of course this will be disappointing for our student-athletes, families, coaches and fans, but I know our Vandal teams will embrace the opportunity to compete.”
Gov. Brad Little announced the move back to Stage Two of the Idaho Rebounds: Our Path to Prosperity plan last week. Stage Two brings several restrictions, including limited gatherings in indoor spaces. Vandal Athletics will continue hosting events, with numerous additional protocols to help limit potential risk associated with COVID-19.
Idaho women’s basketball opens up the regular season at home on Nov. 25 against Lewis-Clark State at 6 p.m. The women will play three more games at home in December, while the men won’t compete in Moscow until Dec. 31.
Home basketball games will be streamed through the PlutoTV app, channel 1010. Home swim meets will continue to be streamed through Facebook Live at GoVandals.com/VandalAthletics.
Eastern men add five nonconference foes to schedule
The Eastern Washington University men's basketball team will play at Oregon as part of a busy Thanksgiving weekend of basketball to open the 2020-21 season. The Ducks are one of five non-conference opponents EWU has tentatively scheduled and announced Tuesday.
Eastern will play Oregon on Wednesday, Nov. 25 in Eugene, Ore., then return to play at Washington State on Saturday (Nov. 28). The Eagles will then host a non-NCAA Division I opponent on Monday, Nov. 30, and right now that is tentatively scheduled to be Northwest University and be played at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash. However, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, until further notice no fans will be permitted to attend home basketball games due to institutional, regional, and state guidelines.
The Eagles will then open Big Sky Conference play on the road at Northern Arizona on Dec. 3 and 5 as part of a 20-game league schedule announced Oct. 15. Eastern's other two non-conference games will be road contests at UNLV on Wednesday, Dec. 9 and at Saint Mary's on Monday, Dec. 16.
Big Sky Conference play resumes on Dec. 31 with the first of two games at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash., versus Portland State. Because of the pandemic and travel restrictions, all dates and times are subject to change, postponement or cancellation. Times may be altered for television as well.
The Eagles began practices on Wednesday (Oct. 14) for the 2020-21 season, and the earliest date the NCAA is allowing NCAA Division I games to be played is Nov. 25.