Taking a minute to smell the roses before the spring schedule hits the ground runnin'

The transition is always such a whirlwind and even though it doesn’t much look like spring out there, we hit the ground running because you know the spring schedule is on its way.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Royal boys roll on to the SunDome for the second straight year

ELLENSBURG — When you win three consecutive 1A state football championships and hold the longest active winning streak in the country at one point, it’s hard to get too rattled on any other stage.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Royal Knights return to SunDome to finish what they started

YAKIMA — “The Dome is where the champions play,” said senior Sawyer Jenks, following No. 9 Royal’s victory at the regional play-in game to return to the 1A Hardwood Classic for the second consecutive season to chase the dream on Wednesday at the Yakima SunDome.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Othello wrestling tradition pays off with another great 2A state tournament

OTHELLO — Champions are not born, they are made. They are forged in the dragon’s breath, in rooms where temperatures loom near triple digits.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO

Boys wrestlers take on challenges of 32-man at Mat Classic

OTHELLO — More people have been invited to the dance, but it’s still going to be the same ol’ intense run to the top shelf of the podium when Mat Classic XXXI begins on Friday with 32-man brackets in 14 weight classifications.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Mat Classic has its challenges for area girls wrestlers

OTHELLO — The stage has been set for quite some time, now it’s a matter of dealing with a new dynamic and a 32-wrestler bracket at the Girls Mat Classic XXXI this weekend at the Tacoma Dome.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Royal boys run away from Naches Valley in SCAC District tournament

ROYAL - The word came down before the SCAC 1A District game against Naches Valley that Royal senior Owen Ellis needed 48 points to surpass 1,500 career points.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Othello wrestlers qualify 10 for Region 4 tournament

OTHELLO — This time of year, the Othello wrestling tradition comes down off the walls and into the room to help prepare the next wave of Huskies on their way to the Mat Classic.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

No. 5 Ephrata eliminates Othello with win on Senior Night

EPHRATA ­— The stakes were high for the Othello Huskies, needing a win and help to slug their way into the CWAC District tournament Tuesday night in the Jungle.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Othello girls qualify for CWAC District Tournament for first time in nine years

EPHRATA — Macy Hampton settled into a 19-point night, overcoming a slow start in Tuesday night’s all-important game against Ephrata.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Warriors were a step ahead of the Runnin' Vikes all night

MOSES LAKE ­— Monday night’s NWAC East showdown was a game of simple mathematics going far beyond the garden variety, “one more than the other guys,” equation.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO

Warden boys hold off Wahluke in SCAC East action

WARDEN — Jack Hardman launched his 6-foot-5 frame high in the air to swat Wahluke guard David Ramirez’s shot, bringing the crowd to its feet as time ticked down. The Warriors chased down the loose ball, rotated it around to Logan Marlow on the wing, who buried the 3-pointer to …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Othello's Hampton joins Huskies 1,000-point club, despite loss

OTHELLO — The fairy book ending to Macy Hampton’s night would have been to come off the screen out on the wing and bury the game-winning 3-point shot as time ran out, that’s the way Josh Tovar drew it up during the timeout with 11.4 seconds remaining in the Huskies’ …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke boys never do catch up in loss to Yakama Tribal

MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors (5-3) got rolled up in rez ball, falling behind early to Yakama Tribal, and never catching up in their 89-71 nonleague loss to the Eagles.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Royal boys have it going

ROYAL — It was a weird little three-game swing going into the holiday break for the Royal boys basketball team.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Royal's Jenks named AP 1A Player of the Year

The Associated Press has selected a player from Royal City as its 1A Player of the Year twice in the past three years.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO

Othello wrestling takes down Wapato

OTHELLO — Ugly sweater Tuesday was a little hard on the eyes, but Othello’s 60-15 victory over Wapato was a thing of beauty.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Othello girls working hard to change the culture

OTHELLO — As it is with the learning process, there are some good days and some bad days. Othello’s 63-46 loss to Prosser in Central Washington Athletic Conference girls basketball action wasn’t necessarily bad, it’s just not where want to take the program.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Othello boys drop a close one to Prosser

OTHELLO - The thing about one-point ball games is that the focus is always on the end. Timeouts called within seconds of each other, diagrams on the dryboard, the band, the crowd, the energy on the floor when the scrap is on.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Tri-State has past ties to present lives in Columbia Basin

The circle seems self contained, but it never ceases to amaze me how connected things are in the wrestling world.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Ruben Martinez returns to the Schutte Invitational

OTHELLO — It seemed only right that the old school was there on Saturday night at the Leonard Schutte Invitational at PJ Taggares Gymnasium in Othello.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Basketball roundup: Othello boys hold off East Valley

OTHELLO — A year ago, first-year coach Roman Pruneda put in the work to begin reshaping the basketball culture. This past summer, his players matched that with hard work of their own.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Mattawa's Hidalgo making her own noise at Big Bend

I spent a few years over in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, covering Lakeside High School down on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke boys rip Goldendale

MATTAWA — It was already one of those kind of nights. The Wahluke defense didn’t allow a field goal until the 1:05 mark in the first quarter. Tanu Buck missed the second of two free throws and Alex Valdez came down with the rebound, then took it back up for …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke girls still learning

MATTAWA — Sometimes the energy level is all that matters when you’re at the bottom of the learning curve. The Wahluke girls stayed right there through the first quarter of their season opener with Goldendale.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Royal wrestlers ranked and ready

ROYAL — The good news is the Columbia Basin has not seen the last of Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame coach Ruben Martinez. The bad news is that Martinez is sidelined with some medical issues for the next couple of weeks.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Royal football streak ends at 53

MOSES LAKE - The Colville players turned and held their arms in the air toward the far sidelines as Indians fans rose in triumphant cheer as time ticked down on longest active winning streak in the nation.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

No. 5 Colville did something 53 other teams could not, beat Royal

MOSES LAKE - I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked the sidelines at a Royal Knights football game thinking to myself, “These guys could beat the Seahawks.”
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Othello wrestling history drives Perez to be better

OTHELLO - The first thing that grabs his attention as he walks into the room at PJ Taggares Gym is the Othello wrestling history on the board, the names, the championship teams, the commitment to excellence.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Othello wrestlers start on the road to the Tacoma Dome

OTHELLO - The record board in the room says they wrestle for championships, how they get there is one match at a time. The Othello Huskies will start their road to the Mat Classic at the Bob Mars Tournament in Kennewick on Saturday.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO

Royal has No. 1 winning streak in the nation

ROYAL - It’s official. The Royal Knights moved up into a tie for the longest active winning streak in the nation with Saturday’s 55-6 win over Mt. Baker in the 1A quarterfinals in the final home game at David Nielsen Stadium.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Royal takes over longest streak in the nation, advances to 1A state semifinal game

ROYAL - Inside linebacker Jack Diaz saw the ball laying there on the ground like a big, ol’ brown Easter egg, scooped it up on the Mt. Baker 15-yard line and rumbled 82 yards down the far sideline for the touchdown in the defining moment of Saturday afternoon’s 55-6 victory …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Thanks for the memories Pete Doumit

I don’t have kids, but I remember snickering at a Facebook passage that read, “By the time you figure out your dad was right, you have a son that thinks you’re not.”
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

No. 1 Royal rolls past Riverside

ROYAL - The the tail lights coming down Dodson Ave. into the Royal Slope numbered 25-30 strong as the made their way through the darkness of the countryside.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Othello football finishes on a high note

OTHELLO - The true test of character is how you conduct yourself when no one is watching. Play for community pride. Play for your teammates. Play for the love of the game.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke wraps up first season under Ryan Antos

MATTAWA — They played football for the sake of playing football, one last time before the 2018 season came to an end.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Knights take off like a rocket in defense of their 1A state football title

ROYAL CITY — The three-time 1A state champion Royal Knights exploded off of the launching pad in their 78-3 victory over Naches Valley in the SCAC Crossover Playoff game.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Royal dismantles College Place to wrap up regular season

COLLEGE PLACE - The three-time 1A defending state champion Royal Knights have outscored their last five opponents 284-0. Last Friday’s 62-0 victory over College Place was their fifth consecutive shutout for a defense allowing just 2.12 points a game. But this game to conclude the regular season is special, whether …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

'We are Royal' Knights football team wins 50th consecutive game

ROYAL CITY - They call it The Slope. The Royal Slope to be precise.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Royal girls second at SCAC cross country meet

YAKIMA - The Royal girls showed why pack time is everything in cross country, finishing second at the SCAC district meet on Apple Ridge Golf Course in Yakima.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Royal's Kaden Jenks still an inspiration to those around him

Football at its highest level is such a violent collision that it’s not so much if a player will be injured as to when that injury will happen. Former Royal star Kaden Jenks fell victim to a horrendous hit while he was trying to make a 6-yard run during Weber …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke plays to the final whistle on a tough night in Warden

WARDEN — It’d been a strange week for the Wahluke football team. Five guys were dismissed from the varsity and two more walked in solidarity.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Royal finds all sorts of ways to score in 69-0 victory over River View

ROYAL — Anybody still wondering if the three-time 1A state defending state champion Royal Knights are ready for the playoffs can quit wondering.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Place kickers rock and they aren't done yet

It’s been going on eight weeks now when I stepped into the box, pointed to the centerfield fence, then proceeded to hit one out the yard.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO

Othello goes to modified Kansas tie-breaker to determine CWAC North postseason seeds

The good news is, Othello’s 34-17 nonleague loss at Pullman Friday night didn’t mean anything. But the Huskies will have a short turnaround to prepare for the ones that do mean something.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Othello junior Isaiah Perez one of the most sought after football players in Washington state

OTHELLO - These are exciting times for the Perez family. Othello High School junior Isaiah Perez started taking his game serious back in the seventh grade, special invite camps, weight room regiments, technique drills, diet, attention to detail, all of the behind the scenes focus on the road to greatness. …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Garza kicks 27-yard field to lift Othello over Ellensburg

ELLENSBURG — There wasn’t a quiet place in Ellensburg’s Andreotti Field Friday night with homecoming and one of the biggest Central Washington Athletic Conference football games of the year on the line.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

South county roundup: Othello freshman Hailee Guzman scores two goals against Quincy

OTHELLO — As it stands right now, the rest of the Central Washington Athletic Conference is still chasing unbeaten Selah (13-0, 6-0 CWAC).
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

It's an exciting time to be Isaiah Perez

His dad Gordy’s Facebook page is a proud display of achievement and la familia. The post reads: It’s an exciting time to be Isaiah Perez.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Royal rolls over Kiona-Benton; Knights defense dominates Bears

BENTON CITY — Just when you thought the Royal defense couldn’t play any more dominant, the Knights turn in a defensive effort like Friday night’s 55-0 victory over Kiona-Benton.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Othello native earning her stripes as woman football referee

Books are good sources of information, but sometimes if you can just see it being done, watch the actual process, the human brain can pick it up a little faster than – see chart, page 8.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Academics and athletics go hand in hand

I can remember sitting in music awareness class in college listening to Chopin playing some classic piece of music known throughout the ages by everybody, but me and the couple of dozen kids sitting in this class. Why do we need to know this stuff if it’s not our major …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Royal separates itself from Connell in matchup of ranked teams

ROYAL CITY — Logan Gomez doesn’t exactly have a Von Miller-like speed rush coming off the edge, but the 6-foot, 240-pound Royal senior, who’s played on two 1A state championship teams, knows how to make due with technique and a bull rush.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke offense breaks out with 50-13 win over Kiona-Benton

BENTON CITY - There’s an upside to opening the SCAC East schedule with three-time 1A state champion Royal and perennial state playoff qualifier Connell. You take your lumps early and then it’s time to roll.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Ephrata bests Othello for first time since 2015

EPHRATA — When Ephrata cornerback Chase Lus out-leaped Gage Pruneda on a fade route for the pass interception in the end zone on the Huskies opening drive, it sent a message loud and clear of the defensive effort to come in Friday night’s Central Washington Athletic Conference matchup in Kiwanis …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Just some odds & ends from South County

Taking a look at the latest Associated Press 1A football poll shows all the usual suspects. The Royal Knights are riding on the third-longest winning streak in the country, according to MaxPreps, so it’s a no-brainer that they lead the Class 1A voting.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Royal girls soccer team holds its ground in 2-0 loss to Warden

ROYAL CITY — The Royal girls were coming off a double-overtime loss to Connell six days previous that ended in a shootout loss to the Eagles. On Sept. 18, head coach Jens Jensen's young club stood its ground against one of the best teams in the South Central Athletic Association …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Othello shuts out Quincy in CWAC North opener

OTHELLO — As long as Roger Hoell walks this earth, the Othello Huskies (2-2, 1-0 CWAC North) will pound the rock with a power running game, and Friday night’s 43-0 win over Quincy in the Central Washington Athletic Conference North opener at Husky Field was no different.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO

Royal rolls Othello in nonleague clash

OTHELLO — Last week in the season opener, the Royal Knights scored on the first offensive play from scrimmage. It took the three-time defending 1A state champions a little longer on Saturday night in Huskies Stadium in Othello.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke ushers in Ryan Antos Era with a win

WAPATO — The Wahluke Warriors kicked off the Ryan Antos Era with a bang Friday night, shutting down and nearly shutting out Wapato in a 23-7 victory on the road in a nonleague game to open the 2018 season. The first-year head coach was happy with what he saw from …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Pruneda's last-minute touchdown leads Othello past Connell

CONNELL — The Othello defense intercepted Connell quarterback Austin Smith three times and held the Eagles to just 23 yards rushing. Huskies quarterback Julian Pruneda scored on a 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter to lead the Othello comeback with 9-7 victory over 1A powerhouse Connell on Friday in a …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Othello kids have a summer to remember

OTHELLO — Man, I’m still grasping at straws, trying to hang on to one last summer day. It seems like every year we get cheated out of August with all the wildfire smoke pushing the air quality fun meter over the 280, making the sun look like a second moon …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Look for area placekickers to make a difference this football season

I love the sound of the popping pads, the sweat, the exertion, the smell of wildfire smoke lingering in the air. Well maybe not the wildfire smoke, but the rest makes for good Friday Night Lights, which starts on Friday around the Columbia Basin. But once you get away from …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Wahluke football ushers in Ryan Antos Era

MATTAWA — The destination is always the same, the Tacoma Dome on the last Saturday night of the season. But the Wahluke Warriors will take a different road to get there this season under the direction of first-year head coach Ryan Antos. Antos was an assistant in St. Regis, Mont., …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Huskies looking to go deep into the 2A state playoffs

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies knocked on the door at the Washington 2A state football tournament last season, losing to Steilacoom in a heartbreaker in the Round of 16. The eye on the prize is always to win the last game in the Tacoma Dome and the Central Washington Athletic …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

The Jenks boys do right by Royal City football

ROYAL CITY — Sawyer Jenks wouldn’t be the first brother trying to play his way out from under the long shadow cast by an older brother.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Royal preparing to win another 1A state championship

ROYAL — The road to the state football championship goes through the three-time state champion Royal Knights (41), who roll into the 2018 season on the nation’s sixth longest winning streak, coming off their third consecutive 1A state championship. Take a good look now while the South Central Athletic Conference …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Royal's Jenks named starting quarterback at Weber State University

OGDEN, Utah — Every father’s nightmare is that call in the middle of the night to tell the family of an accident on the road.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO

Warden roper Dylan Beck wraps up high school career on the big stage

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — It’s not how, it’s how fast. Time is the only thing that matters on the timed event end of the rodeo arena.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

Soap Lake's Herrera places second at NHSFR

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — The thinking part of bull riding pretty much stops once a guy gives the nod and the chute flies open.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO

River Dogs No. 1 hold off River Dogs No. 2 to win Babe Ruth League state championship

EPHRATA — Sometimes you eat the dog, sometimes the dog eats you. Or in the case of the Northern Washington Babe Ruth League state championship game, the Columbia Basin River Dogs just sort of chewed on each other for a while in a game where the lead changed hands five …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

Team Washington Huskies win gold medal at USA Games

SEATTLE — Their journey at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle was a dream, playing at the University of Washington soccer stadium, being a part of ESPN’s global coverage and marching into Husky Stadium during the opening ceremonies with an all-star cast, including Pacific Northwest dignitaries Seahawks linebacker …
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO

River Dogs joining forces to form select team

EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin 16-18 Babe Ruth League talent pool runs long and deep with strong baseball tradition.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO

Rios throws no-hit shutout

EPHRATA — River Dogs starter Jordan Rios leaned a little to his right, trying to will a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch to Gunner Falstad in the top of the second inning of Thursday night's game at Johnson-O'Brien Stadium.
COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD | UPDATED 7 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO