By Bob Sims

Mitch Penner, a Kennedy Catholic graduate, hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds and scored 12 points to help propel Seattle Pacific University to an 81-68 win over perennially tough Western Washington (20-12) in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship game on Saturday night in Billings, Mont.

With the win, the Falcons (24-7) clinched an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II national tournament next week. It marked the 11th consecutive year SPU has qualified for the national tournament, the longest streak in the country.

Penner, a 6-foot-5 junior power forward, is strong, quick and athletic. He is scoring 13.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and two assists a game.

He is one of Kennedy's all-time greats, averaging 19.2 points and 8.1 rebounds during his prep career. As a junior, he averaged 22.8 points and 10.6 rebounds a game for the Lancers. He was one of the top 25 state recruits being pursued when he was a senior.