4 Tri-Cities wrestlers fight their way to Northwest tournament titles
Kamiakin senior Carlos Kisokwa had an outstanding tournament at the Inland Empire tournament last month at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley.
Kisokwa took the 144-pound title with five victories — four pins and a 7-6 win in the final.
Three other area wrestlers won IE titles: Kennewick senior Jaden Lopez at 190 pounds, Kamiakin sophomore Cannon Meagher at 120; and Hanford senior Caden Wilson at 175.
Meagher’s victory came with an 11-7 decision in the final over Richland freshman Drayson Elfering.
▪ Chiawana junior Daeton Johnson was the highest placer at the Rollie Lane Invitational boys wrestling tournament in Nampa, Idaho, on Jan. 6.
Johnson finished third at 138 pounds at the prestigious tournament.
Chiawana senior Lane Hedrick (285 pounds) and Hanford senior Caden Wilson (170) both placed fourth in their weight classes.
Meanwhile, two other area wrestlers — Hermiston junior Jaysen Rodriguez (126) and Othello sophomore Mason Russell (120) — came away with fifth-place finishes.
▪ Royal senior Emma Villa is the top-ranked wrestler at 170 pounds in the latest release (Jan. 10) of the all-girls rankings by Washingtonwrestlingreport.com.
Grandview senior Ivanna Perez has earned the No. 3 ranking in the same weight class.
Meanwhile, Walla Walla sophomore Kylie Whitaker is the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 125 pounds; and Othello senior Ella Velazquez is No. 3 at 190 pounds.
▪ Grandview senior Ihanna Perez (Grandview) finished second at 170 pounds at the Braided 64 girls wrestling tournament in Kelso on Jan. 6.
At 235 pounds, Hermiston senior Lindsay Perkins placed second, while her teammate, junior Tataitaga Sepeni, placed third.
Prep basketball
Richland’s boys and Kamiakin’s girls still lead their respective conference standings through Jan. 12.
Here are the latest Mid-Columbia Conference standings:
4A MID-COLUMBIA CONFERENCE BOYS
Richland (4A) 7-0 MCC, 8-2 overall
Kamiakin (4A) 8-1, 12-2
Walla Walla (3A) 6-2, 8-5
Southridge (3A) 6-3, 8-6
Kennewick (3A) 5-4, 6-7
Hermiston (3A) 3-6, 4-9
Hanford (4A) 2-7, 3-10
Chiawana (4A) 2-7, 2-12
Pasco (4A) 0-9, 0-13
Jan. 12 — Kamiakin 51, Hanford 44; Kennewick 71, Pasco 39; Southridge 69, Hermiston 68; Walla Walla at Richland, ppd.
Jan. 13 — Kamiakin 62, Hermiston 41; Kennewick 71, Hanford 39; Southridge 54, Chiawana 49; Walla Walla 66, Pasco 27.
Jan. 15 — Richland vs. Eastside Catholic, Federal Way, 2 p.m.
Jan. 16 — Chiawana at Kamiakin, 7:30 p.m.; Hermiston at Kennewick, 7:30 p.m.; Pasco at Richland, 7:30 p.m.; Walla Walla at Hanford, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 19 — Kamiakin at Southridge, 7:30 p.m.; Kennewick at Chiawana, 7:30 p.m.; Richland at Hanford, 7:30 p.m.; Walla Walla at Hermiston, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 20 — Chiawana at Walla Walla, 5 p.m.; Hanford at Pasco, 5 p.m.; Hermiston at Richland, 5 p.m.; Southridge at Kennewick, 5 p.m.
4A MID-COLUMBIA CONFERENCE GIRLS
Kamiakin (4A) 8-1 MCC, 12-1 overall
Walla Walla (3A) 7-1, 9-3
Kennewick (3A) 7-2, 10-3
Chiawana (4A) 7-2, 10-4
Richland (4A) 4-3, 6-5
Hermiston (3A) 3-6, 6-7
Hanford (4A) 2-7, 3-10
Pasco (4A) 1-8, 2-11
Southridge (3A) 0-9, 4-10
Jan. 5 — Chiawana 79, Hanford 49; Kamiakin 62, Richland 43; Pasco 48, Southridge 46; Walla Walla 51, Kennewick 48
Jan. 6 — Chiawana 79, Hermiston 57; Hanford 52, Southridge 44; Kamiakin 74, Pasco 30; Kennewick 51, Richland 41
Jan. 9 — Hermiston 63, Eisenhower 37
Jan. 12 — Hermiston 71, Southridge 56; Kamiakin 65, Hanford 36; Kennewick 61, Pasco 34; Walla Walla at Richland, ppd.
Jan. 13 — Chiawana 72, Southridge 45; Kamiakin 80, Hermiston 69; Kennewick 66, Hanford 43; Walla Walla 53, Pasco 32.
Jan. 16 — Chiawana at Kamiakin, 5:45 p.m.; Hermiston at Kennewick, 5:45 p.m.; Pasco at Richland, 5:45 p.m.; Walla Walla at Hanford, 5:45 p.m.
Jan. 19 — Kamiakin at Southridge, 5:45 p.m.; Kennewick at Chiawana, 5:45 p.m.; Richland at Hanford, 5:45 p.m.; Walla Walla at Hermiston, 5:45 p.m.
Jan. 20 — Chiawana at Walla Walla, 3:15 p.m.; Hanford at Pasco, 3:15 p.m.; Hermiston at Richland, 3:15 p.m.; Southridge at Kennewick, 3:15 p.m.
NWAC basketball
Trinidie Nichols (Post Falls, Idaho) has a team-high 19.0 points-per-game scoring average for the Columbia Basin College women’s basketball team, which is off to a blazing start at 11-2 (2-0 in East Region play).
Nichols, a sophomore, also averages 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game.
Other team leaders include sophomore Lexie Heath (Post Falls, Idaho) at 13.5 points; Aniyah Heavens (Chiawana) at 2.0 assists a game; Erin Morgan (Kendrick, Idaho) at 9.8 points and 6.7 rebounds; and Kenzi Pedersen (Garfield-Palouse) at 5.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
