Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009

On deck in Mid-Columbia sports this week

By Jeff Morrow, Herald sports editor

It’s a busy week for sports fans in the Mid-Columbia. Take a look at what’s on deck:

Thursday

The Tri-City Titans don’t get near the attention the Tri-City Americans get, but the Junior A Titans are scrambling for a playoff spot in the Northern Pacific Hockey League. They have four games left in the regular season -- starting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Toyota Center against the Coeur d’Alene Lakers, then moving back over to the Toyota Arena for the next three days (7 p.m. Friday and Saturday against the Lakers; 4 p.m. Sunday against Puget Sound). Currently in fifth place and 4 points behind Puget Sound, the Titans must get to that fourth spot in the standings, then wait for a week to see what happens as the rest of the league completes regular season play on Feb. 22.

Like basketball? At 8 p.m., watch one game and set the VCR for another. Your choice. On ESPN2, Gonzaga’s men visit St. Mary’s. Now, with Paddy Mills sidelined with broken bones in his hand, this game might not be the headliner it looked like a month ago. But St. Mary’s is still pretty darn good. The other game pits Oregon State at Washington on FSN. The Huskies will be an NCAA-tournament team and they’re fun to watch.

Friday

The Tri-City Americans play host to the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Toyota Center at 7:05 p.m. It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Night, so the ice will be pink. And it’s for a good cause.

Saturday

A Washington/WSU men’s twinbill on FSN kicks off at noon with Oregon visiting the Huskies. OSU visits the Cougs at 4 p.m.

Regional high school wrestling will be taking place all around the state. Our Kevin Anthony travels to Spokane to take in the Class 4A regionals, which will include many of our Tri-City kids. Check Sunday’s paper or go to tricityherald.com late Saturday/early Sunday for the results.

Staffer Ben Reynolds plans to be at Columbia Basin College for a key NWAACC East basketball doubleheader against visiting Yakima Valley as teams jockey for tournament berths. The women’s game tips off at 4 p.m., while the men’s game follows at 6 p.m.

Finally, here’s the four, five, six... seven. Seven! Here are the seven best words anyone can here this time of year: Pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Today. I guess that would be eight words.

Sunday

Pick up the Herald this morning to check out the Western Hockey League’s Best of the West poll. It’s always interesting to see what the Western Conference players think of their peers. This one again has been coordinated by our WHL beat writer, Annie Fowler. The Herald has run this poll since 1994.

The Daytona 500, “The Super Bowl of NASCAR,” begins at 12:30 p.m. on FOX. If you’re feeling social, many of the sports bars in the Tri-Cities usually hold Daytona 500 parties. But call first. Some of them will charge for seats.

My favorite show begins another run tonight. The Amazing Race starts at 8 p.m. on CBS. If you’ve never seen it, it pits about 12 two-person teams who must complete tasks and race around the world.

Yes, I’d call this a sport. Why? Because this is my blog.