Winter sports seasons underway

CHENEY – Fall colors are gone and the winter weather is officially here as Cheney High School officially kicks off its' winter sports season.

Basketball, swimming, gymnastics and wrestling are underway.

The girls basketball program is eager to start its new regime under head coach Ken Ryan, 48.

He received the coaching job late and implemented a brand-new system in the last 11 days.

While it's been frantic, he's never been around a harder working group of girls, Ryan said, noting he's excited to watch his team improve throughout the season.

While the program has been subject to coaching staff turnover, Ryan is expected to bring consistency back into the program and plans on leading the girls basketball program for a "long time."

Megan Schuller, 18, is a senior and about to begin her last season with the Blackhawks and is excited for the new coaching staff, the new environment and the "fun group of girls" she'll be competing with over the coming season.

The girls and boys varsity basketball seasons began at home Nov. 30 with losses to West Valley (Spokane). The girls lost 83-37. The boys lost 59-56. Individual stats were not available at press time.

Over the next two weeks, Cheney athletics are scheduled as follows:

· Friday, Dec. 3 - First wrestling match, at Deer Park.

· Saturday, Dec. 4 - Craft Fair at the high school supporting local sports teams.

· Tuesday, Dec. 7 - First boys swim meet, at Eastern Washington University.

· Friday and Saturday, Dec. 10 and 11 - First cheer competition

· Wednesday, Dec. 15 - First home wrestling match

· Thursday, Dec. 16 - First Gymnastics meet, at the Mead Gymnastics Center in Spokane.

· Thursday, Dec. 9 - Cheney Middle School versus Westwood Middle School volleyball, 4 p.m. at Cheney High School.

· Thursday, Dec. 16 - Coaches meeting at 6:30pm, in the high school commons.