Some surprises emerged in other sports
Quarterback Riley Lidey and his father, Coach Jeff Lidey, hefted the state championship trophy after Liberty Bell’s convincing win over Neah Bay.
It was a year of highs and lows at Liberty Bell High School this year, highlighted by the state 1B football championship, an extension of the cross country state “podium” appearances for both boys and girls, some breakout performances in individual sports, and signs of vigor and heart in programs that had suffered significant losses to graduation the previous spring.
The fall season at Liberty Bell was a microcosm of the lifecycle of sports teams: Two programs in nearly complete rebuild, one in maintenance mode and, in football, the blending of outstanding young talent integrating with a deep and strong, experienced roster that culminated in a state championship.
The Mountain Lion volleyball and girls’ soccer programs were both in reconstruction mode with the loss of key seniors to graduation the previous spring. Five spikers and 11 kickers said goodbye to high school, including some all-league first- and second-teamers from both squads in 2021.
Second-year soccer coach Katie Overbeck was piecing together a roster this year comprised of six seniors and a bunch of sophomores and freshmen. First-year volleyball coach Beth Blank hit the year with only one senior, her daughter Ellie, trying to come back after a major knee reconstruction a year earlier, and a stable full of essentially inexperienced freshmen and sophomores. The graduation bug hits once again this year, though, and the challenge renews in the fall for the girls on the pitch.
In the some-things-never-seem-to-change department, the Mountain Lion cross country program led the CWB, again, and sent both teams to the WIAA state championships, the girls extending their string of team appearances at state to seven and the boys for the 12th consecutive time. Both teams stood on the podium with 4th-place finishes, and had runners Leki Albright (3rd), Dexter Delaney (4th) and Will Halpin (5th) on the individual podiums again.
The highlight of the year, however, has to be Liberty Bell’s first-ever state championship in football, defeating perennial powerhouse Neah Bay in adamant fashion, breaking a 6-6 halftime tie with a 44-point second half explosion to win 50-12 at Mount Tahoma High School in early December.
Senior quarterback Riley Lidey had a banner game, but defense was the key, as freshman defensive back Remington Paz lit up the state highlight films with his 92-yard interception return for a touchdown to put the game out of reach. Paz was honored by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association as the Week 13 2B Athlete of the Week for his performances in both the semi-final win over Odessa and the championship game.
It was the eighth team state championship for Liberty Bell, the first in what are considered the “traditional” team sports: 1998 and 2021 boys’ cross country, 2013 and ’14 boys’ wrestling, and girls’ cross country in 2016, ’17 and ’18 preceded the 2022 football team.
There have also been numerous individual titles in boys’ wrestling, a few in track and field and Novie McCabe’s three individual titles (2016,’17 and ’18) in cross country to go along with those team championships.
Liberty Bell’s Olive Frady controlled the ball as teammates Addison Stratman (No. 17), Michaela Hatlova (No. 23) and goalkeeper Ruby McCarthy looked on.
Warming up winter
All three winter sports at Liberty Bell had first-year coaches with Kyle Erickson taking the reins of the wrestling program, and Korrie Bourn and Ryan Surface stepping into the basketball coaching box.
Bourn faced the same youthful inexperience challenges as Overbeck and Blank, with Ruby McCarthy as her only experienced senior player. The girls continued to improve as the season wore on, coming up with a pair of unexpected wins over Bridgeport and Oroville, then taking out the Hornets in a two quarter play-in event at Brewster. That win put the Mountain Lion girls into the district tournament, some would argue a totally unexpected result given where the girls were in their season opening loss to Omak, 58-8.
The boys were a question mark going in — mostly young, with freshmen and sophomores predominantly, and 6-foot, 5-inch junior post Kyler Mitchell. Returning after a year away, seniors Isaiah Stoothoff, Sawyer Crandall and Riley Lidey came back to bolster the inside game.
Interim coach Ryan Surface was named permanently to the head post, creating a sense of stability after the instability of 2021-22. The results were almost golden. The Mountain Lions placed an eye-opening 2nd place behind eventual state runner-up Brewster. Their 8-2 league record was highlighted by an upset, come-from-behind win over Okanogan in mid-January, but two tough losses to Lake Roosevelt and Okanogan at districts, and a competitive 8-point loss to NW Christian (Colbert) in the final game before state, ended the season for the Mountain Lions.
But, the league noticed the improvement as both teams earned Coach of the Year acclaim for their first-year mentors, Surface and Bourn.
Eighth-grader Yolo Paz created a buzz in the 1B/2B wrestling tournament with his 5th place finish at this year’s Mat Classic in the Tacoma Dome. In all, Liberty Bell sent four to the T-Dome this year, among them sophomore Damien Spears, freshman Lukus Vera Mendoza and the Mountain Lions’ history-making sophomore girl, Cassidy Jones-Mowen, the first Liberty Bell girl to make a return appearance at state. Spears also earned a podium spot, placing 6th.
With a bevy of young talent yet to hit high school, and over 60 kids in the youth wrestling program this year, Erickson is deservedly excited about the immediate future and possibility long term of returning the Mountain Lions to the upper echelons of high school grappling.
Spring action
Spring was slow in coming to the Methow, slower than even the normally lagging snow provides. Practicing in the gyms and parking lots, and waiting out warmer temperatures was a test of patience, and then ingenuity. With the help and equipment of local contractors like Jerry Palm, teams were on fields by the end of March and the spring season was on. The baseball boys, losing patience with Old Man Winter, took it upon themselves to physically remove about 6-8 inches of remaining infield snow pack using hand shovels and wheelbarrows.
Just for the sake of consistency, girls softball coach Chad Surface was also faced with a really inexperienced squad of female players, but the numbers were way up from last year’s “day to day, are we gonna play” theme. While perennial league favorites Okanogan, Brewster and Tonasket had their way with the locals, the Mountain Lions, with only two seniors, did show some steady gains and give the faithful good reason to believe better days are ahead as this team grows and matures.
While numbers have not been an issue in the boys’ soccer program recently, experience has been, and another first-year coach, Mark Crum, with only four seniors and a boot-load of young talent, remained upbeat as his charges continued to improve throughout the season.
The disadvantage of late snow melt this year proved an early stumbling block to wins, but as the season wore on, Liberty Bell began to turn heads with seven overtime games and several other close matches against some of the league leaders, with upset wins over Manson and Bridgeport and a tough cross division loss in OT to Chelan.
Baseball, also just a two-senior squad, was an unknown blend of experience and savvy. A 2nd-place finish in the CWB regular season was a step forward for the Mountain Lions and earned David Aspholm league Coach of the Year honors, but he would gladly trade that for a league title and trip to state.
Pitching was a strong point for this year’s team with sophomore arms Damon Alumbaugh, Lucien Paz and Mac Surface all contributing some good innings. Eighth-grader Greyden Paz was solid behind the plate and the outfield of centerfielder Remington Paz, flanked by seniors Sawyer Crandall and Nick White was, perhaps, the best north of Wenatchee.
When the Lions did get on base, they proved daring and speedy, an exciting combination. But the defensive error bug bit them at key times, something that another year should help resolve.
Dave Schulz returned to coach Liberty Bell tennis this spring, his 63rd year of coaching. Hopes were high with seniors Connor Herlihy, EZ Kirk, Angel Arrellano and Ellie Blank back to lead the netters. Senior Spanish exchange student Claudia Gomez brought some skill from her native Madrid for this year, and sophomore Amelia Evans looked to have good years, too.
Herlihy and playing partner Gannet Fisher got off to a great start, winning their first eight matches. Arrellano and eighth-grader Kara McMillan were also earning some marks in the win column. Sadly, the elder Blank reinjured her nagging knee and was done early for the year. Her brother Gavin, a sophomore, teamed up with Kirk and it was a winning combination.
Unfortunately, none of the Liberty Bell contingent were able to advance beyond the district/regional tournaments to state this year, but McMillan gave it a run, and the possibility of teaming Blank and Fisher as a pair for next year offers some optimism for the next couple of years.
On the track, expectations were met from veterans and some newcomers added excitement as this year’s squad doubled in size from 2022.
State 2022 distance runners Dexter Delaney, Will Halpin and Leki Albright were joined this year by freshman Marit Nelson, all four standing on the podium at state in Yakima. Junior javelin specialist Fischer Edwards, hampered the last half of the season by a split finger on his throwing hand, still managed to qualify for the state meet and represent well. Sophomore Morgan Spellman surprised the field at the league championships, throwing for a personal record and laying claim to the title of league champion.
Then there is the developing story of Kady Hammer, the sophomore sprinter who caught the eye of Para-Sport Spokane Executive Director Teresa Skinner while running to a state championship ambulatory 100-meter dash. Her season is not yet complete, with a trip to Birmingham, Alabama, for the Hartford National Parasport Championships in early July.
Senior Isaiah Stoothoff closed out his career at Liberty Bell with two podium appearances at state in the high jump and long jump. He also was a member of the 2020 boys’ state B champion cross country team and was a key inside rebounder and scorer for Mountain Lion basketball this past year.
With very athletic freshman, sophomore and junior classes, and the experience of key seniors in every program, Liberty Bell would appear to be well-poised for a strong year locally, regionally, and on the state level in 2023-24.
