It’s a tie! Chiawana, Kamiakin and Kennewick share MCC football championship
The race for the Mid-Columbia Conference football championship ended Friday in a dead heat.
Chiawana, Kamiakin and Kennewick all share in the title with 7-1 conference records.
It makes sense.
If any of these three teams played each other 10 times, it’s quite possible they’d go 5-5.
Chiawana beat Kennewick, while Kamiakin took down Chiawana, and Kennewick knocked off Kamiakin.
For playoff purposes, though, Kamiakin ends up the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A regional crossover playoffs out of the MCC. Chiawana is the No. 2 seed.
Kamiakin will play host to the Columbia Basin Big Nine’s No. 4 seed, Wenatchee, at 7 p.m. Friday at Lampson Stadium.
Chiawana will travel to Moses Lake — the CBBN’s No. 2 seed — at 7 p.m. Friday.
Winners of both games will advance to the 4A Washington state playoffs, while losers have their seasons end.
Kennewick is a Class 3A school, and the Lions found out Sunday that they will play host to Mercer Island at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Round of 32 playoff crossovers — with the winner heading to the state playoffs and the loser’s season over.
Here’s a look at what happened in the final week of regular-season play for everyone in the MCC:
KAMIAKIN 50, PASCO 0
Camden Schmidt continued his run through MCC defenses by rushing for 196 yards on 23 carries, scoring four touchdowns.
Trent Woodhouse added 133 passing yards, completing 9 of 13 passing attempts; David Kuku caught 2 passes for 56 yards to lead the receiving corps.
The Bulldogs will end their season with a non-league crossover against University. Kickoff will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco.
CHIAWANA 37, WALLA WALLA 0
The host Riverhawks pitched their third shutout of the season on Friday.
Chiawana held Wa-Hi to just 28 yards of offense.
Julian Martinez passed for 191 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Cage Sommerville.
Meanwhile, Justin Webber opened the game by scoring on a 78-yard pass play from Martinez. Webber also scored on a 69-yard return of a free kick after Chiawana scored a safety on the Blue Devils.
While Chiawana heads to Moses Lake on Friday night for a crossover playoff game, Walla Walla ends its season with a non-league road game at 6 p.m., Thursday, at Cheney.
KENNEWICK 55, HERMISTON 21
The visiting Lions rolled up 446 yards of total offense Friday, scoring eight touchdowns over the Bulldogs.
Kennewick jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back, leading 42-14 at intermission.
Ambrose Driver was 14 for 17 passing for 267 yards and five touchdowns — including two to David Wacenske.
The senior Wacenske caught 6 passes for 99 yards, while Dane McClure added 3 catches for 66 yards.
Alex Roberts led the Lions run game with 14 carries for 130 yards and a TD.
Issac Corey led Hermiston with 256 yards passing and three touchdown passes.
Justice Counsell (5 receptions, 98 yards) and Jaime Ramirez-Ortega (2 for 79) were his top receivers.
Both Kennewick and Hermiston advance to the Class 3A Round of 32 playoffs, with Kennewick hosting Mercer Island at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Hermiston will travel to Seattle to play Eastside Catholic at 7 p.m. Friday.
MOUNTAIN VIEW 49, RICHLAND 27
The Bombers lost on the road Friday, despite Josh Woodard’s best efforts.
Richland’s senior quarterback was 14 for 25 for 239 yards passing and two TDs. He also rushed seven times for 21 yards and a score.
Jacob Brannon added 117 yards of rushing, while Colson Mackey caught 5 passes for 103 yards, and Rayce Reeves added 3 catches for 90 yards and a score.
Linebacker Cannon Weikum led Richland’s defense with 11 tackles.
Woodard is just 169 passing yards away from breaking Richland football’s career record of 5,418 (held by Paxton Stevens from 2014-16). Woodard already owns the passing touchdowns record, currently at 62. He also has nine TDs rushing.
Richland could have a busy week.
The Bombers must play Central Valley at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, in a crossover playoff game involving the MCC’s No. 3 Class 4A seed and the Greater Spokane League’s No. 2 seed.
The winner then must travel to Eastmont — the CBBN’s top seed — on Saturday in a crossover playoff for a state 4A berth. Time is to be announced.
HANFORD 37, SOUTHRIDGE 26
Eli Perkes helped host Hanford beat Southridge on Thursday, scoring on touchdown runs of 1 and 7 yards in the fourth quarter to pull away for the victory.
Perkes, a senior, passed for 110 yards and a touchdown, and scored three more TDs with his legs.
His TD pass was to his younger brother, Asa Perkes, who finished with 2 catches for 64 yards.
Karter Coffman led the Falcons’ rushing game, carrying the football 10 times for 115 yards, including a 50-yard TD run to open the game.
Coffman also had 10 tackles from his defensive back position, while free safety Kaden Castro led Hanford with 14 tackles.
For the Suns, Austin Guier and Kyle Reibolt each score two touchdowns. Reibolt rushed 16 times for 64 yards.
Cliff Sandburg led Southridge with 129 yards rushing on 19 touches.
Both teams will end their seasons this week with non-league crossover games.
Hanford will host Davis, while Southridge travels to Spokane to play Ferris.
Both contests are set for 5 p.m. on Thursday.
MID-COLUMBIA CONFERENCE
Chiawana (Class 4A) 7-1 MCC, 8-1 overall
Kennewick (3A) 7-1, 8-1
Kamiakin (4A) 7-1, 7-2
Richland (4A) 5-3, 5-4
Hermiston (3A) 4-4, 4-5
Hanford (4A) 3-5, 3-6
Pasco (4A) 2-6, 2-7
Southridge (3A) 1-7, 1-8
Walla Walla (3A) 0-8, 0-9
Thursday, Oct. 26: Hanford 37, Southridge 26.
Friday, Oct. 27: Chiawana 37, Walla Walla 0; Kamiakin 50, Pasco 0; Kennewick 55, Hermiston 21; Mountain View 49, Richland 27.
Tuesday, Oct. 31
4A playoff (winner advances to crossover, loser out): Central Valley at Richland, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 2
Non-league: Davis at Hanford, 5 p.m.
Non-league: Southridge at Ferris, 5 p.m.
Non-league: University at Pasco, Edgar Brown Stadium, 6 p.m.
Non-league: Walla Walla at Cheney, 6 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 3
4A playoff: Chiawana at Moses Lake, Lions Field, 7 p.m.
4A playoff: Wenatchee at Kamiakin, Lampson Stadium, 7 p.m.
3A Round of 32 playoff: Hermiston at Eastside Catholic, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 4
3A Round of 32 playoff: Mercer Island at Kennewick, 2 p.m.
4A playoff: CV-Richland winner at Eastmont, TBA
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
