NW Briefs | Brier girl wins USTA Clay Court national doubles title

TACOMA — Jacqueline Cako, a 16-year-old from Brier, won the USTA Clay Court National doubles championship Sunday in Memphis, Tenn., and is the top seed in open women's singles this week at the Pacific Northwest Championships.

The tournament runs through Sunday at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club.

Cako, seeded No. 3 in doubles with Courtney Dolehide of Hinsdale, Ill., beat No. 6 Alexandra Cercone and Jacqueline Kasler 7-6, 7-5 in Memphis.

Cako also won the sportsmanship award at the tournament and made it to the singles semifinals before losing to No. 1 seed Beatrice Capra of Ellicott, Md., 6-3, 7-5. Cako was seeded No. 4 in singles.

Cako, ranked third nationally in 18 singles, practices at Kirkland's Central Park Tennis Club and is coached by Russ Bucklin.

Last month, Cako made it to the semifinals of her second pro event, in Wichita, Kan.

At this week's Pacific Northwest Championships, Zachary Fleishman is the top seed in men's open singles and doubles, with Eric Basica.

UW baseball changes

Former volunteer assistant coach Tighe Dickinson has been promoted to full-time assistant coach at Washington, and former Huskies shortstop Kevin Miller was named the volunteer assistant coach.

Dickinson, who has spent three seasons as the Huskies' volunteer assistant, moved into a spot vacated when former assistant Donny Harrel left the UW to become the new head coach at Seattle University.

Olympia golfer 3rd

Cameron Peck, a 17-year-old golfer from Olympia, trails leader Jorge Fernandez Valdez by four strokes after shooting a first-round 3-under 69 at the U.S. Junior Amateur in Shoal Creek (Ala.) Golf Club.

Valdez, a 15-year-old from Argentina, shot 65. Seth Reeves, 17, of Duluth, Ga., is second at 68. Peck is in a five-way tie for third.

Notes

• Eastern Washington landed four football players on the Big Sky Conference preseason team — quarterback Matt Nichols, wide receiver Aaron Boyce, defensive end Greg Peach and defensive tackle Lance Witherspoon. Boyce is from Kentwood High in Covington.

• Dr. Jim Kurtz has been selected as team chiropractor for the U.S. Paralympic team competing at the Paralympic Games, Sept. 6-17. Kurtz, formerly on the sports medicine staff of the PGA Tour, is clinic director of Northwest Sports Rehab, a multi-disciplinary clinic in Federal Way.

Compiled from college and team reports