Ex-Viking Roller to play

golf at Texas-Arlington

Former Coeur d'Alene High and Community Colleges of Spokane standout golfer Andrew Roller has committed to play at the University of Texas at Arlington this fall, CCS coach Scott Kramer announced.

Roller was a two-time first-team all-conference selection at CC Spokane, helping the Sasquatch win back-to-back Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges championships.

"My plan for Andrew is to help him become the best scorer of the ball in the nation," UT Arlington coach Jay Rees said. "It sounds like he is a very sound ball striker and I just want to use my experience in sports psychology and coaching national champions at Arizona State to give him a plan that helps him get the most out of his potential."

UT Arlington will play its one and only season in the Western Athletic Conference this year, before moving to the Sun Belt Conference.

"There is no doubt that Andrew will be one of the best golfers to ever come through our program," Kramer said. "His ball striking and ability to play his best when it means the most make him such a great player."

Roller is one of five former Viking golfers to go on to play at CCS. Taylor Porter went on to play at Boise State, Tyler Johnson and Kyler Gable went on to play at Lewis-Clark State College, and Hunter Kraft will join the CCS team this fall.

Circling Raven, Cd'A Resort ranked as top Idaho courses

Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley was ranked the No. 1 public course in Idaho by GOLF Magazine this week in its biennial state-by-state rankings. The Coeur d'Alene Resort Course was ranked No. 2.

Circling Raven also was ranked 90th out of roughly 13,500 U.S. public access courses on the magazine's prestigious list of the "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" in America.

Rounding out the top five in Idaho - Osprey Meadows in Donnelly, Trail Creek in Sun Valley, and Whitetail in McCall.

The GOLF Magazine rankings are available online and are featured in the September 2012 print edition of the magazine.

The top five courses nationally are Pacific Dunes (Bandon, Ore.), Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2 (N.C.), Whistling Straits (Wisconsin) and the ocean course at Kiawah Island (S.C.), which last week hosted the PGA.

Post Falls transfer Gennett

commits to Sac State

Hallie Gennett, a basketball standout at University High who is transferring to Post Falls for her senior season, told the Press on Tuesday she has given a verbal commitment to play at Sacramento State of the Big Sky in 2013-14.

Gennett, a 5-foot-11 wing, paid an unofficial visit to the Sac State campus last week, after being offered a scholarship by the Hornets about a month ago.

"I really liked the coaches; I just fell in love with it there," Gennett said. "I love the campus, love the players. It was everything I expected and more."

Gennett said she also had an offer from Idaho State, and said the University of Great Falls (Mont.) was also interested.

Gennett, a first-team all-Greater Spokane League and second-team all-state player last season, declined to discuss her reasons for transferring, but said she chose Post Falls in part because she plays with three Trojan players on her Spokane Stars AAU team - Brooke Litalien, Dani Failor and Katie King, who will all be seniors.

Gennett said her family has sold its house in Spokane and is in the process of buying a house in Post Falls.

"It's the right place for me," she said.

Gennett said she plans to study physical therapy and sports training in college.

Locals finish up at IGA

state Junior golf tourney

JEROME - John Duffin of Coeur d'Alene tied for 14th in the boys 17-19 age group at the Idaho Golf Association Junior state championship which concluded Tuesday at the Jerome Country Club.

Duffin shot 76-77-153. Dallin Davids of Lava Hot Springs won with an even-par 144 (73-71).

Chase Lincoln of Coeur d'Alene finished 12th in the boys 16 age group with a 74-80-154. Taylor Hopkins of Emmett won with a 72-68-140.

Kaceelyn Pouttu of Kellogg finished seventh in the girls 16-19 age group, shooting a 78-81-159. Amy Lynn Hasenoehrl of Lewiston won by two strokes with a 70-76-146.

Allison Duffin of Hayden placed third in the girls 14 age group, shooting a 84-86-170. Katie Cudworth of Boise won by five strokes, shooting 77-80-157.

EWU ranked 12th in

preseason FCS poll

Eastern Washington was selected 12th in The Sports Network NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Top 25 football poll, as selected by a national panel of sportswriters, broadcasters and sports information directors.

The Eagles, who won the 2010 FCS title, were ranked No. 1 in the first two polls of the 2011 season but were not ranked at the end of the year after finishing 6-5 overall. With a total of 15 starters and 48 total letterwinners returning, the Eagles have been ranked as high as seventh nationally by other preseason publications and websites heading into the 2012 season.

Montana State, Eastern's opponent on Oct. 13 in Bozeman, Mont., received three first-place votes and was selected fourth in The Sports Network poll. Eastern opens its home schedule Sept. 29 vs. Montana, a school picked one spot higher than the Eagles at No. 11.

Sam Houston State, which lost to North Dakota State in last year's FCS title game, was picked as preseason No. 1, followed by North Dakota State.

EWU opens the 2012 season at Idaho on Aug. 30, followed by a game at Washington State on Sept. 8.

Baranski named girls

soccer coach at Sandpoint

SANDPOINT - Conor Baranski had a standout career as a soccer player in Sandpoint, a town boasting an unusually rich soccer tradition.

He is now hoping to carry on that success as a coach, and recently was named girls soccer coach at Sandpoint High.

Baranski, 26, succeeds Julie Pitre, who stepped down after a two-year stint that saw her teams post a 16-16-10 record. Under Pitre, the Bulldogs made two state tournament runs, falling to Bishop Kelly in overtime of both state 4A championship games.

Baranski lost just one game as a varsity player at Sandpoint under the tutelage of Randy Thoreson, scoring 22 goals to go with 12 assists as a senior. He went on to play center midfield at Gonzaga from 2004-08, eventually coaching soccer at the club level.

Last year he was the varsity coach at Molalla (Ore.) High, and was thrilled when he heard about the chance to get back to Sandpoint.

Ex-Laker Johnson to bring

Calder Cup to Coeur d'Alene

Tyler Johnson, a 2012 Calder Cup Champion with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League, will host a day in Coeur d'Alene and Spokane with the trophy next Tuesday.

Johnson, who signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL following his 20-year-old season as a Chief in 2010-11, helped their AHL affiliate win the Calder Cup in his first season as a pro.

The Spokane native, who spent four seasons with the Chiefs from 2007-11, will give fans a few opportunities to visit with the Calder Cup, including the Spokane Indians game at Avista Stadium where he is scheduled to throw out the first pitch.

Johnson will take the Cup to the new Frontier Ice Arena in Coeur d'Alene at 2 p.m. where visitors will have the opportunity to take their picture with the Cup. Fans are encouraged to bring their own camera. Johnson is a former Coeur d'Alene Laker who played in the old arena, before heavy snowloads collapsed the roof.

Johnson's day with the Calder Cup will begin at the Spokane Arena from 11:00 a.m. to noon.

The Indians host the Tri-City Dust Devils at 6:30 p.m. at Avista Stadium. After opening ceremonies, Johnson will be on hand for a limited time to sign autographs with the Calder Cup.