Chiawana-Richland first of 2 big Mid-Columbia Conference football matchups this week
This is one of those week’s where Mid-Columbia Conference football fans might want to watch two games. Well, those fans can.
On Thursday night, Chiawana (2-1 MCC, 2-1 overall) visits Richland (3-0, 3-0) at 7 p.m. at Fran Rish Stadiums.
Then at 7 p.m. Friday, Kennewick (2-0, 3-0) takes on Kamiakin (2-0, 2-1) at Lampson Stadium.
It’s a week where the MCC’s top four teams in the standings face each other.
And while there will be plenty of time for those teams that lose to right the ship — after all, this is only Week 4 of a nine-week regular season — a victory by any team here will give them the inside track to the conference title.
We’ll talk about Kennewick-Kamiakin on Thursday, but let’s address the Chiawana at Richland contest.
The host Bombers have the No. 2 offense in the MCC after three weeks (Hermiston is No. 1), averaging 488 yards per game, and the biggest reason is senior quarterback Josh Woodard.
Woodard has gone 53 of 77 this season for 855 yards and 13 TD passes already against just one interception. The speedy standout has also rushed for 113 yards.
Woodard likes to spread the ball around to at least eight Richland receivers every game, but his top three targets happen to be ranked numbers 3 (Colson Mackey, 14 catches for 233 yards), 4 (Brody Bocek, 12-207), and 5 (Rayce Reeves, 11-201 with 5 TDs).
As Bombers head coach Mike Neidhold said a few weeks ago, Woodard (who is a standout basketball player) who is a great point guard. He sees the whole court. Woodard does that on the football field: he sees everyone on the football field.
In addition, John Simons gives Richland a rushing game. The speedy senior has rushed for 226 yards and 42 carries.
Chiawana must find a way to contain Woodard, and the Riverhawks defense might have the chance, ranking No. 3 in the MCC and surrendering just 202 yards a game.
Leading the way, according to the latest MCC statistics, is defensive back Braxton Feldmann. The junior leads the MCC with 20 tackles (16 of them solo).
Linebacker Cooper MacPherson is ranked fourth with 18.5 tackles (17 solo); while DB Justin Webber leads the MCC with three interceptions.
Chiawana head coach Scott Bond got his team back on track after losing 20-13 in overtime in Week 1 to Kamiakin — routing Hanford and Pasco in consecutive weeks.
Bond depends on senior QB DJ Duran to run the offense, which is ranked fifth in the MCC with 309 yards a game.
Duran himself is ranked fourth among MCC quarterbacks, going 40 of 79 for 538 yards, seven TD passes and two interceptions.
His top receiver is Rylen Blair, ranked seventh, with 9 catches for 165 yards.
But it’s been senior Hunter Taylor who has helped pick up the offense recently. He’s the No. 2 rusher in the conference, carrying 52 times for 308 yards.
Here’s where the matchup gets juicy: Richland needs to pick up its defensive effort against Chiawana.
The Bombers are currently ranked last (ninth) in team defense, surrendering 401 yards a game.
Zach Rose is Richland’s top defender right now with 15 tackles (11 solo), as well as an interception and fumble recovery. But Rose will need some help to slow down Duran, Taylor and company.
In addition, Chiawana kicker Aaron Lowry is a perfect 4-for-4 in field goal attempts.
Whatever happens Thursday, this looks to be one of the best matchups of the MCC season.
▪ La Salle (3-0) at Kiona-Benton (1-2), 6 p.m., Thursday: The only other area game scheduled for Thursday, the host Bears picked up their first win of the season by beating Warden 36-12 on the road.
College volleyball
Richland High grad Sage Brustad continues to put up video game numbers for the Eastern Washington University volleyball team, which beat Gonzaga 3-1 last Sunday.
In the victory, Brustad had 26 kills and 20 digs for the Eagles.
EWU, now 6-6, begins Big Sky Conference play on Thursday at Northern Colorado.
▪ The Columbia Basin College volleyball team went 4-0 last weekend to win its own NWAC Crossover tournament in Pasco.
The Hawks are off to a 9-5 start this season, and they have a talented team.
Zuri Reeser (Stanfield) leads CBC with 113 kills, 15 aces, and 122 digs.
Cadence Taylor (Blackfoot, Idaho) has 97 kills and 113 digs; while Yajaira Meraz (Kamiakin) leads the Hawks with 207 assists. She also has 8 aces.
CBC heads to Moses Lake this Wednesday to take on Big Bend Community College.
Prep girls soccer
Here are the Mid-Columbia Conference girls soccer standings through games of Sept. 19: 1, Chiawana 6-0; 2, Richland 5-1; 3 (tie), Southridge 4-2, Kamiakin 4-2; 5 (tie), Walla Walla 3-3, Hanford 3-3; 7, Hermiston 2-4; 8, Kennewick 1-6; 9, Pasco 0-8.
Key matchups this week include two 7 p.m. games on Thursday, Sept. 21: Kamiakin at Chiawana, and Richland at Southridge.
The second half of the regular season, which is a double round-robin format, begins Tuesday, Sept. 26.
College football
Jake Humphrey, a Walla Walla High School grad, led Montana Western in rushing with 49 yards on 9 carries; but it wasn’t enough as his team fell 37-35 to College of Idaho last Saturday in a Frontier Conference football game.
College soccer
Both men’s and women’s soccer teams at Columbia Basin College are off to 6-0 starts this season, and they’re winning in dominant fashion.
The Hawks are each 3-0 in East Region play with both teams headed to Spokane on Wednesday.
Last Saturday, CBC’s men beat Blue Mountain 6-0, as midfielder Rafael Lucio (Las Vegas) had three goals and an assist.
Midfielder Julio Reyes (Wenatchee) added a goal, while Carlos Camacho (Borah, Idaho) had an assist.
The CBC women beat Blue Mountain 4-0, and in fact the Hawks have yet to surrender a goal this season.
In the victory over the Timberwolves, forward Emma Haertling (Chiawana) scored two goals and had four shots on goal.
Midfielder Hilda Cortes-Ruiz (Chiawana) added a goal, while midfielder Ruby School (Nampa, Idaho) had an assist.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
