 "Photo: Denny Brooks")
 "Photo: Green River CC Athletic Department")
 "Photo: Green River CC Athletic Department")
As the sports year is coming to its end at Green River, many sport teams are still giving their final energy to fight for the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges championships (NWAACC).
Although not all Green River’s sport teams qualified for the playoffs Bob Kickner, Director of Athletics at GRCC, says that “it has been a very productive year.”
However, as the offseason is going on the team players should be aware of their team status. “Everybody needs to prepare and get physically stronger,” Kickner said.
The goal of the Green River sports has always been to qualify for the playoffs. After qualification for the playoffs is reached, every sport team at GRCC will take it day by day.
For the first time since 1992 Green River Community College fielded a Cross Country program, and handed the reigns over to 23-year old Washington State graduate Chris Williams. They had early problems fielding a roster, but competed hard. Williams won’t be returning next season, however.
The women’s softball team qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2005, but was eliminated in the first round after a 1-9 and 0-9 defeat. However, Head coach Scott Dillinger believes that this playoff appearance will be an important stepping stone in the improvement of the program in the immediate future.
The Baseball team recently got back from Longview, where they battled in the NWAACC Championship tournament, and took home third place after falling to Columbia Basin in the semi-finals.
The Gators dropped their first game to eventual champion Bellevue, but was able to fight back with wins to get back into the winners bracket where they were a game away from a rematch with BCC.
A stumbling point for GRCC athletics in the winter was the basketball programs. On the men’s side the Gators got off to a modest start in out of region play but never recovered from an early season losing streak to finish 9-17.
However, the gators will head into next season with some promising sophomores, such as point guard Jake Wilcox from Kentwood High school who averaged just under 10 points and over six assists a game.
On the women’s side the Gators fell short of the playoffs after stumbling in Western region play. Thanks to being hot in out of region play, though, the Gators only finished two games under .500.
The team was led by talented sophomore Saundrea Polk who averaged 14 points and 8 boards a game for the Lady gators. Returning for the team should be freshman guard from Kentlake HS, Brittany Ogle, who gave the Gators a solid 9 points and 6 rebounds a game.
Probably there are going to be a lot of changes on the basketball court next year for the Gators. Green River is looking in the direction of Alaska to get players that are in a state of quality that the teams can use very well.
The Volleyball team brought home a banner title as they took the Western Region championship for the second time in three years and brought home 7th place from the NWAACC championships.
The women’s soccer team didn’t qualify for the playoffs and became 5th.
There have also been price winners this year at the college.
The men’s tennis team won the NWAAC championship this season at Spokane and tennis player Ryan Paul got second place in the singles championships. Head coach Miachel McDonell was also rewarded Men’s Tennis NWAACC coach of the year. The first ever at Green River Community College.
Women’s tennis took second place this year at the NWAACC championships. They also had a first place finisher in the single championships, won by the talented Jodi Owen. Runners up in second and third place were also Green River student athletes, namely Angie Alba and Darci Idler. Owen and Idler also took the runner up position in the doubles.
Last but not least is the golf team where the men’s team finished 5th in the championships. The women’s team was on a better roll, where they finished second. With that an individual gold medal award for Jenna Witmer, with a final score of 150.
Kickner is very proud of the outstanding performance of the sport teams and says that, “the athletes have continued to produce outside but also inside the classroom.”
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