Consistency paid off for area high school golfers this spring -- especially for Hanford's Josh Harvey and Pasco's Kelsey Johnson.
They were named the MVPs for the Tri-City Herald's All-Area golf team.
Harvey, a junior, won four tournaments during the course of the season -- including the 3A regional tournament.
The only thing that disappointed him was a bad finish at the 3A state tournament, where he finished 28th.
"But I guess if I look back it, it was a pretty good season," Harvey said. "The biggest difference this season was if I had a bad tournament, or a bad nine holes, I seemed to recover well and didn't let it get to me."
Johnson, a senior, was the CBL 4A's MVP after leading the league with a stroke average of 79.4.
She won three of the league's five pod matches, and along with teammate Neddy Martinez -- also an all-area selection -- made a lethal 1-2 punch for the Bulldogs.
"It was a very good season," said Johnson, who won the district title and will play at Seattle University next season.
Harvey's coach, Chuck Wagner, is a repeat selection as boys coach of the year.
He sent four Falcons to the state 3A tournament -- Harvey, Scott Kim, Alex Cantu and Nick Myles -- and the team placed seventh.
"It was a very good season," Wagner said . "On a scale from 1 to 10, we had a 9.5. We had a lot of tournament wins this past year."
Richland coach Janet Schuster was named the girls coach of the year.
Like Wagner's Falcons, Schuster's team had knock-down, drag-out competitions during practice that made them match-ready.
"I've had several good seasons with Richland," Schuster said. "But I think this year, all around my girls worked the hardest to be as good as they were."
The team's goal was to try to beat Pasco once.
"The only thing that would have been better is if we would of won the league," Schuster said. "But we beat Pasco three out of six times. We just expected them to rule the roost. I'm really proud of the kids that they hung in there."
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Kennewick's McIntyre, Maciboba lead All-Area volleyball
Kennewick's McIntyre, Maciboba lead All-Area volleyball
KENNEWICK -- The Kennewick volleyball team lived up to one of the biggest sports cliches in 2011.
The Lions weren't given much of a chance at being very good, but they proved their doubters wrong and advanced to the Class 3A state tournament for a second consecutive season.
Despite having a new coach, and a host of new players, as well as losing a key returner to injury, the Lions followed up on the first state tournament berth in program history with a second.
No doubt club soccer has changed prep landscape
No doubt club soccer has changed prep landscape
Review the teams that have reached the Class 4A girls soccer title game in the past few years and a trend appears.
Southridge's Johnson thinking forward to 100th goal
Southridge's Johnson thinking forward to 100th goal
The last time Southridge forward Heather Johnson faced the Hanford Falcons in a CBBN 3A girls soccer match, she got a taste of her own medicine.
The top-ranked Suns and No. 5 Falcons were tied 5-all after 90 minutes of regulation and overtime. But with starting goalkeeper Ingrid Stein still injured, Southridge coach Greg Sambrano called on Johnson to step in as the Suns' shootout goaltender.
"It's a lot of pressure. I totally feel for them now. It's scary and nerve-wracking," said Johnson, who went on to make a save in Southridge's eventual 4-2 shootout win.
Preview: Final 4 ultimate goal for Mid-Columbia girls soccer
Preview: Final 4 ultimate goal for Mid-Columbia girls soccer
Seven Mid-Columbia teams reached the 2010 girls state soccer tournament -- Chiawana (4A), Southridge and Hanford (3A), Othello and Prosser (2A), Kiona-Benton (1A) and Warden (2B).
Many of the same players have taken their place on the pitch in 2011. That could tell you one of two things: 1) The players who went to state want to return, and 2) the players who didn't will be even more eager to go.
Either way, area soccer fans are in for an exciting season.
Mid-Columbia connections many at NWAACC volleyball
Mid-Columbia connections many at NWAACC volleyball
Columbia Basin College's volleyball team didn't make it to the NWAACC tournament this season.
But there are still plenty of Mid-Columbian connections when play begins at 9 a.m. today in Gresham, Ore.
First, there's Walla Walla, set to meet Olympic at 4:30 p.m. in the first round.
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