By Mike Vlahovich

Central Valley wrestling coach John Owen considers his team a work in progress. The Greater Spokane League-favored Bears, he said, are focused more on the end product than about winning a league title, after losing to upstart North Central for the second time in three years.

The Bears had four GSL duals before Christmas with a 3-1 record, with the meat of the season remaining in January, and finished fifth in its Inland Empire Tournament.

This year, the Inland Empire tourney entered the tech age. CSB Event Management set up an electronically generated scoring system that instantly updated results via computer. It rendered obsolete the need for runners taking bout results from each mat scoring table, which were then hand input into a computer. The extra room without a scorer's table enabled the tourney to have six instead of four mats, all with readily seeable individual clocks.

CV had five finalists in the tourney, with defending state champs Colton Orrino and Blake Beard both winning. Younger brothers Bryson Beard and Braeden Orrino brought home seconds. Also second was lanky 195-pounder Aaron Stinzi, a former basketball player in his second season of wrestling, whose dad was a state champion at Shadle Park.

Basketball post Madison Hovren lit it up during the Bears' first five GSL games. She averaged 25 points, scoring 20 or more in the first four with a high of 31. Hovren scored 16 during a 45-39 win over rival University Dec. 20 that sent CV to the holiday break with a 4-1 record entering the holiday break. Only loss was 70-66 to league leader Gonzaga Prep.

The Bear boys basketball team took up where it left off last year with a hot start to the GSL season. They won five straight, including a victory over a talented Gonzaga Prep team, and throttled rival University 57-35 before the Christmas break.

Through three games Adam Chamberlain was averaging 18 points per game. A.J. Knudsen, Beau Byus and Justin Fayant all had double-figures efforts. Chamberlin had 19 and Fayant 16 against the Titans.

With the virtually its entire team back from last year, CV averaged 160 points in two meets, it's only loss coming to Mt. Spokane in GSL gymnastics. The 7-1 start included two wins over rival University.

McKinzie Carter won balance beam and vault and was second and third on floor exercise and uneven bars in the Bears first meet. In the second. Issabella Erdem and Clarisa Martinez won those events and took thirds in the other two. Savannah Folsom placed third on vault.

The next week Carter was second all-around. She and Erdem each had two seconds and a third place in four individual events. Season resumes this month.

There's a reason Central Valley's girls soccer team is state champion. From defense, goalkeeper, midfield to forward, five Bears starters made the All-Greater Spokane League first team.

Senior Jessie Kunz-Pfeifer in goal was protected by defender McKenna Stocker, a junior.

In the middle was junior Megan Dimmler and up front were scoring leaders senior Savannah Hoekstra and freshman Kelsey Turnbow, a national junior team member. For more of the story behind the girls team's state title run, click here. 

Other Bears All-GSL choices:

Football - Beau Byus named at both defensive and tight ends; defensive back Adam Chamberlain; linebacker Nick Shaber, and offensive linemen J.D. Boden and Shayne Riordan.

Volleyball - junior Keanne White and sophomore Kazlyn Roullier for the state qualifiers.

Cross country - Corey Hunter; Briegan Bester, Sarah White and Kieran Nelson on the state placing boys and girls teams. Dennis McGuire was coach of the year.

Slowpitch Softball - infielders McKynzie Adams and Carli Riordan; utility player Makenna Wasteney.