Richland, Kamiakin, other MCC teams high on latest WA Associated Press basketball list

Jeff Morrow
·4 min read

The Associated Press didn’t release a high school basketball poll this week because of the holidays but Mid-Columbia teams figured prominently on the most recent list before Christmas.

For 4A boys, while Mount Si got the nod at No. 1, Richland is ranked third, while Kamiakin received votes.

Eastside Catholic is the top-ranked Class 3A boys team.

In 2A boys, West Valley of Spokane is ranked No. 1, but Grandview is right behind at No. 2. Prosser also received some votes.

Lynden Christian is the top ranked boys team in Class 1A, and Wahluke is ranked No. 8.

Columbia-Burbank is the top ranked team in Class 2B boys, while Tri-Cities Prep is ranked No. 4.

And in 1B boys, Cusick gets the nod as No. 1 team, while DeSales of Walla Walla is ranked fourth, and Sunnyside Christian is 10th.

In 4A girls, Camas is the top-ranked team, while Chiawana is listed at seventh, and Kamiakin at No. 10.

Mead is the top team in Class 3A girls, but Kennewick is near the Panthers as No. 5. Walla Walla has received some votes.

Two CWAC teams are among the top three teams in Class 2A girls, with Ellensburg at No. 1 and Prosser sitting at No. 3.

Those two teams meet for the first time this season next Tuesday, Jan. 2, at Prosser High School. Tip off is 5:30 p.m.

In 1A girls, defending state champion Nooksack Valley opens the season at No. 1. College Place and Kiona-Benton each received votes.

Warden, led by senior Lauryn Madsen, is the top-ranked 2B girls team. Mabton is ranked fourth, while Tri- Cities Prep is fifth.

Finally, Wilbur-Creston is the top 1B girls squad, while Liberty Christian of Richland gets a No. 9 ranking. Both DeSales and Sunnyside Christian each have received votes.

Baseball

Former Richland High baseball standout Ethan Ammerman — now playing at Milligan University in Tennessee — will be playing in the Cascade Collegiate League this summer.

His younger brother, Alec Ammerman, is a senior at Richland High, and he’s already committed to playing baseball for Grand Canyon University.

▪ Robinson Pina spent parts of three seasons, from 2021-23, pitching for the Tri-City Dust Devils.

Pina, a right-handed pitcher, got as high as Triple-A Salt Lake City in the Los Angeles Angels’ farm system before he opted for free agency last month.

Last week, Pina signed a minor-league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Football

Richland lineman Nathan McClelland has been offered a scholarship to play for the Whitworth University football team next fall.

McClelland was named to the Mid-Columbia Conference all-conference team as a first-team offensive lineman.

▪ Kennewick senior defensive back Maddox Suitonu has received offers to play football for some of the Northwest’s smaller colleges recently: Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Pacific University of Oregon, University of Puget Sound, and Whitworth University in Spokane.

▪ Chiawana quarterback DJ Duran lost the second half of his senior season this fall with a broken bone in his foot.

So it’s great to see that he’s getting a chance to play football post-high school, as Whitworth University in Spokane has offered him a chance to play.

▪ Richland senior Rayce Reeves picked up his first college football offer last week, coming from Whitworth University.

Reeves finished the Mid-Columbia Conference season as the No. 3 receiver, catching 51 passes for 896 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Defensively, Reeves was tied for second in the MCC with five interceptions.

Hockey

Former Tri-City American forward Connor Bouchard was named the Western Hockey League’s Grad of the Month for November/December.

Bouchard, now playing for Mount Royal University, leads the Canada West conference in scoring with 16 goals and 20 assists.

Bouchard played in 262 games over five seasons for the Americans, scoring 36 goals and 97 assists in his WHL career.

The Mount Royal Cougars are off to a 13-5 start this season.

He’s a Physical Literacy student at Mount Royal.

FILE - In this July 25, 2021, file photo, swimmers warm up before competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The price tag for the Tokyo Olympics is $15.4 billion. Tokyo built eight new venues. The two most expensive were the National Stadium, which cost $1.43 billion, and the new aquatic center, priced a $520 million. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Swimming

Southridge’s Paisley Walkley was named MCC Swimmer of the Year, and the Suns’ Ashton Pollick was named MCC Swim Coach of the Year, as voted on by the conference’s coaches recently.

In addition, Richland’s Isabella Zumini was named MCC Diver of the Year, while Kennewick’s Mike Sandbeck and Mitch Piper — who coaches both Hanford and Richland — shared MCC Dive Coach of the Year honors.

Hanford dominated much of the MCC first-team list: senior Malia Ciolli (100 free), senior Noelle Landon (50 free), freshman Esther Mei (100 butterfly), junior Anikka Peterson (200 free) were all named in individual events.

The Falcons also dominated all three relays.

In the 200 Medley, senior Bridget Rutherford, Ciolli, Mei and Landon were first team.

In the 200 free relay, Landon, Peterson and Ciolli were joined by junior Katelyn Wolfert.

And in the 500 free relay, first-teamers were Peterson, Mei, Landon and Ciolli.

Joining Richland’s Zumini on the first team was Bombers teammate and senior Darrah Lerch in the 500 freestyle.

Southridge senior Linnea Haan was named first team in two events: the 200 individual medley, and the 100 backstroke.

Pasco junior Madison Edwards was also named first team in the 100 breaststroke.

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.