News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
Xzavier Clark keeps the ball inbounds and in play against the Columbia (Hunters) Lions Saturday in the Nespelem Eagles first home game. The Eagles won 68-31. - Scott Hunter photos
The Eagles' Anthony Smith fights for the rebound, with Eli Elwell in the mix against Columbia.
It's been a long time coming, but Nespelem saw a victory on their home basketball floor Saturday night, some 56 years (that was a best guess by school officials) after their last high school closed and their students started attending Graxnd Coulee Dam schools for high school.
The Nespelem Eagles hosted the Columbia Lions, from Hunters, for the 68-31 win, which had to feel good after their 20-point loss at Republic the night before, 68-44.
The Eagles are not playing in a league this year, according to Athletic Director Ron Frescas, but will next year.
The school board earlier this year had discussed the possibility of a team, but more had to be learned to be sure about student qualifications.
With the formation of the Nespelem High School, which is growing, along with its new Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) program and its Career and Technical Education programs, that student population has grown and those ALE students can play sports.
Eight athletes comprise Nespelem's boys' varsity team, including one senior, three sophomores, and four eighth-graders, according to the Saturday game program.
The girls' program didn't launch a varsity this year, sticking with a junior varsity that had five athletes as of Saturday.
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