Former AHS hoopster Blanche an academic all-star at WWU

"Former Ashland High basketball standout Rory Blanche has been named a Great Northwest Athletic Conference Academic All-Star for Western Washington University.

The sophomore forward is maintaining a 3.72 grade point average as an engineering technology major at the NCAA Division II school.

A top reserve, Blanche averaged 8.5 points while shooting a team-best 58 percent from the floor for the Vikings, who lost to Cal Poly Pomona in the west regional semifinals March 13. After beating Western Washington in overtime, Cal Poly Pamona went on to claim its first Division II national championship."