With the junior varsity boys on the court playing through the waft of steak dinners served in the adjacent room, the Vikings came away with the win over the j.v. of North West Christian, 54-30. The crowd was treated to a halftime demonstration by the Junior Viking Cheerleaders, where 48 young ladies took to the floor and pleased the crowd with what they learned from their cheer camp just days before.
But before the senior basketball players where honored at their final home game and taking the varsity visiting Vikings to a down-to-the-wire 63-60 nail bitter victory, time was spent to honor former coach Rob Friese.
Courtside announcer Steve Rogers, broke in between the end of the j.v. game and the start of the senior honors prior to the tip off and read the presentation:
“Tonight we are having a special presentation between the games to honor a very special man at Willapa Valley, our superintendent and former head football coach, Rob Friese. We would like to thank our friends from NW Christian for allowing us to make this special presentation at this time. Last Saturday night, (Jan. 25), Rob was inducted into the Washington State Football Coaches Hall of Fame in Everett. Rob becomes the third coach from our school to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining Ed “Bull” Tenoski and Alphonso “Bud” Sanchez. Willapa Valley is the only school in the state to have three coaches in the hall.”
Coach Friese was asked to join presenters, coaches Peterson and Wonhoff, center court where he was presented a large wall plaque that is destined to be displayed next to coach Sanchez’s plaque just outside the gym. Rogers continued with the reading of the plaque:
“Rob Friese graduated from Willapa Valley High School in 1981 and Eastern Washington University in 1985. He began his coaching career at Ocosta High School in Westport. He was at Ocosta from 1986-90. He returned to Valley in 1990 and worked as an assistant coach to Hall of Famer Bud Sanchez. In 1994 he became head coach and he coached until 2010. In 17 years his teams won 10 League Titles, made the playoffs 16 times, and won the State Championship in 1996 and 2001. His record at Willapa Valley is 144-46 and his overall record was 150-77. Rob and his wife Lisa live in Lebam and have three children. On Behalf of his former players, the staff and the students of Willapa Valley, we would like to congratulate coach Friese in his induction into the Washington State Football Coaches Hall of Fame.”
The overfilled gymnasium cheered as Friese waved and joked with the gathered crowd.