Whew, what a week that was! And what a week we have before us.

Today, as well as the final round of the state community college women's golf tournament out at Kings Country Club, Hanford High's boys water polo team plays for the Central Section Division II title against Dinuba at Golden West High School in Visalia, giving the city a chance for two hometown champions after Hanford West won the Division III title on Saturday.

Also, Lemoore's volleyball team is in the Final Four of the Division II tourney and travels to Frontier (Bakersfield). Awaiting the winner is the winner of tonight's El Diamante-Garces game for the Section title on Thursday night.

Water polo starts at 6 p.m., volleyball at 7 p.m.

And, of course, there's football. Hanford is at home Friday night against Golden Valley (Bakersfield) at 7, while Hanford West is at Ridgeview (Bakersfield), both in Division III action.

With all that, though, there's still a few items that get lost in the postseason rush, so please indulge me this week while I clean up my desk.

• But first, this public service announcement for local schools outside the Hanford/Lemoore corridor: Avoid the Christmas rush, please send winter sports schedules, or links to sports@HanfordSentinel.com. ... and we thank you.

• Two more players on Hanford High's girls basketball team have made commitments to four-year schools. Taylor Spikes and Madison Spikes have announced they'll attend Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, last season's NAIA champions.

They'll be part of what promises to be another state contender when you throw into the mix Madison Parrish, who gave a verbal commitment to Fresno State last month.

• While in a basketball frame of mind, Hanford West boys coach Tim Caudillo reports three Huskies, seniors Rodney Webster and Cody Brice and freshman Josue Salaam, received glowing praise after participating in the third annual Central Cali Finest Showcase Event Oct. 24-25.

•l Kudos go out, too, to eighth-grader Jared Hunt, who has been selected to play in the Football University Youth All-American Bowl in San Antonio Jan. 10.

• And, congrats to Hanford's girls water polo and Hanford West's football teams, for being the Central Section's fall Academic Champions in their sports.

• Speaking of schedules, should be a December to remember for local hoops fans.

• Most teams start the season Dec. 1, with Hanford West's girls getting a jump on the rest with a Nov. 30 game against Roosevelt (Fresno). On Dec. 1, Hanford's boys host Delano, Hanford West's boys are at Monache and Hanford's girls are at the Brea tournament.

• Hanford West and Lemoore will host the Kings County Classic Dec. 9-12, with games at the Hanford West Event Center and the Sierra Pacific Event Center. On those same dates, Hanford High hosts its annual rotational tournament.

• Girls basketball fans may want to keep Dec. 17-20 open, with Hanford and Hanford West both slated to be in Corcoran's tournament. Both Hanford and Corcoran won Central Section titles last year and Hanford West made it to the final four.

• Hanford's girls have also scheduled two intriguing intersectional game in the midst of West Yosemite League play to keep sharp, against Sac-Joaquin Section powers Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) and St. Mary's (Stockton).

• Is two the lucky number for Hanford West's boys water polo team? The Huskies have been the No. 2 seed the last two years, yet ended up with rings.

• One thing the sportstalk motormouths forgot to check when discussing LeBron James' plans to stop wearing No. 23 as a tribute to Michael Jordan and his plea to the NBA to retire No. 23 leaguewide: Both James and Jordan are Nike clients.

Seems like the last word here is best left to Mars Blackmon: "It's gotta be the shoes."

• And in conclusion, stop me if I've shared this one before:

Michelle Wie got showered with beer after she won her first pro tournament, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, on Sunday in Mexico, but we hear the real party took place on the way home.

A group of French tourists were on her flight, recognized her, and spent the rest of the trip toasting her victory.

Yep ... it was "Oui, Wie, oui Wie" all the way home.

• That's not to be confused with the youngster who was so excited about getting a new gaming system for his birthday that he went "Wii, Wii, Wii, Wii" all the way home.

Richard deGive is The Sentinel's sports editor. He can be reached at 385-2430 or rdegive@HanfordSentinel.com

(Nov. 17, 2009)