A little birdie told me that Chelan’s Joe Harris, Ephrata’s Patrick Simon and Wenatchee’s Connor “Big Stick” Smith will join forces for the 3-on-3 tournament during Apple Blossom. Yowza. This Dream Team, all sophomores in 2007-08, represent a large chunk of the future of high school basketball in our valley, and should come equipped with some sort of catchy nickname. How ’bout Team Needs a Weight Room. I like it.Who do you guard? Harris, the 6-3 point guard with more moves than a dance instructor? Simon, the Washington State-bound, 6-foot-7 wing with the feathery outside touch? Or Smith, the 6-foot-6 banger down low who is poised to make The Leap for the Panthers next year. In a 3-on-3 tournament, when passing rules, these guys would seem to be unbeatable unless Kevin Durant takes his summer vacation in the Apple Capital. You know he’ll have the free time.

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Okanogan (4-1) is ranked fourth in the state among Class 1A schools, according to the polls released by the Seattle Times on April 1. Ahead of the Bulldogs in the rankings, in descending order are Naches Valley (first), Kiona-Benton and Friday Harbor.

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Was watching the Mariners-Rangers game last night when I saw a familiar face in the crowd. Yes, by gum, it was Wenatchee High School sophomore Kelsea Azurdia, daughter of Wenatchee Valley College bigwig Marco Azurdia, braving the cold and wind to watch the M’s beat Texas on Wednesday. Immediatley after coming back from commercial after the fourth inning, the FoxSports Northwest cameras panned to a tight shot of Azurdia, who played soccer and basketball for the Panthers as a freshman in 2007 before a head injury sustained late in basketball season ended her career. Azurdia stayed on to be the student manager of the girls soccer team and is a fixture at Panther sporting events.

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Daniel Simon, the state player of the year in the 2A division as well as the MVP of the 2A state tournament, has signed a letter of intent to continue his basketball career at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.Simon’s Ephrata High School squad defeated Burlington-Edison in the state championship game in March and as captain of that Tiger squad, Simon really made a name for himself prep basketball’s biggest stage.Some opposing coaches said that Daniel’s ability to handle the ball and get to the basket as a 6-foot-5 point forward was tougher to game-plan against than the deadeye three-point shooting of Daniel’s younger brother Patrick. The younger Simon, a sophomore, orally committed to Washington State during is freshman campaign in 2007.”We just love Daniel’s versatility,” Warriors coach Tim Walker said. “The point guard position is his natural position, but he can play anywhere because of his skill set and his size. He has a great feel for the game, can make plays, and can pass the ball very well. His whole mental approach to the game, and the fact he’s a great person, is what makes him a winner. We are extremely pleased he chose Lewis-Clark State.”The Warriors went 22-10 last season and won the Frontier Conference regular season and tournament titles. LCSC will graduate six seniors from this year’s team, giving Simon a chance to have an immediate impact. 

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Wenatchee High School alumna Jade Fulbright was named an honorable mention All-American in the NAIA, the league announced Tuesday. Fulbright, who plays for Lewis-Clark State College, set the program’s all-time record for steals this season. Fulbright finished her career as a four-year starter for the Warriors. Lewis-Clark lost to top-ranked Union University 82-57 in the quarterfinals of the NAIA tournament on March 22.

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Sean Timmerman, a multi-sport star at Tonasket High School, has committed to play football at Montana Tech University next fall. Timmerman will join Brewster’s Gabe Webster on the Orediggers’ 2008 roster.Tonasket coach Jay Hawkins said that Montana Tech does not yet have a specific position in mind for Timmerman, who played quarterback and defensive end for the Tigers. He was also the team’s punter.”They recruited him as an athlete,” Hawkins said. “I”m real excited for him. He really wanted to have a chance to play football at the collegiate level.” 

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In a bizarre Wenatchee High School alumni moment, Tom Ballinger (Class of 2005) and Ben Spaun (Class of ‘04) finished 1-2 at the 110-meter high hurdles at the Point Loma Invitational in San Diego. Ballinger runs for Carleton College of Minnesota and Spaun for Whitworth. Spaun won the hurdles in 14.92, just ahead of Ballinger (15.16), which was a personal best time.Ballinger won the 400-meter intermediate hurdles in 53.22, the fastest time in all of Division III this season. His performance qualified him for the national championships at Wisconsin-Oshkosh over Memorial Day weekend.Ballinger and Spaun both warmed up in Wenatchee track and field sweatshirts from 2004. They ran together in the 4×400 relay at the 2003 and 2004 state tournaments. 

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Some more thoughts on Wenatchee boys’ basketball coach Brett McGinnis. I found it pretty weird that athletic director B.J. Kuntz never returned my calls seeking comment on McGinnis’ tenure. That might imply that Kuntz was down on McGinnis, but I ran into Brett at the Wenatchee-Pasco softball game on Friday and he said he had just come from his annual review with Kuntz.”All smiley faces,” he said.I chatted with Gar Jeffers for nearly 45 minutes for that story, and man, that man can spin a yarn like nobody’s business. From his son Hunter’s humble beginning as a basketball player under McGinnis’ tutelage to taking the floor in the 1955 state tournament as a sixth man, I was riveted. I’d pay to hear Gar Jeffers read the phone book.   

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Eastmont, Wenatchee and Cashmere’s track teams just finished up competition at the Ray Cockrum Invitational on Saturday, which was great. But in the days leading up to the event, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Who is Ray Cockrum?’During lulls in the action at Wenatchee High School’s grand old track at the foot of Saddle Rock, I asked assistant track coach and resident Wenatchee High School athletics historian Don Whipple about Ray Cockrum. Whipp was stumped, which was a first. Normally, he’ll talk my ear off for 20 minutes before asking me what I wanted to ask him about. He directed me to meet official Dale Skalisky, who coached Wenatchee track for a quarter-century (1965-1990).It turns out that Ray Cockrum was a dedicated track parent whose daughter Coreen ran for the Panthers from 1982-1986. Coreen was also the 1986 Apple Blossom Queen.After Coreen graduated in 1986, the invitational heretofore known as the Wenatchee Invitational was renamed the Ray Cockrum Relays in celebration and appreciation of all the time Cockrum had put into the program as a fan and tournament official.Mystery solved. 

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Check out this Seattle Times story by Craig “Sideline Smitty” Smith about how the Seattle Crossfire club soccer team forces its players to choose them over playing for their high school teams in the spring. Most of the guys didn’t think twice about leaving their high school teams behind in favor of the exposure and high-level competition that the Crossfire offers, but I admire Tyler Klein of Eastlake for spurning the club team to captain the Wolves. He’s still going to UW.We had a few situations around here recently that pitted club soccer vs. playing for the high school. Last year, Manson High School’s two best players left the team after the regular season to play club ball. After winning the league title, the Trojans promptly lost their first two playoff games.Three Wenatchee players and two Eastmont players each missed a game to play with the Wenatchee Fire indoor team at nationals in Washington.What do you think? Play with your buddies and school pride or with the club team that’ll get you to the next level? 

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