The Mid-Columbia Athletes of the Week for September 18, 2008.

Andrew Gonzales, Sr., Southridge
He set a course record in winning the Bellarmine Invitational in Tacoma, finishing the 2-mile course in 9:40.6.

Courtney Hancock, Jr., Southridge
She made seven saves in posting a CBBN shutout of Pasco, then split goalie duties with Ingrid Stein in a shutout of Coeur d'Alene.

Will Hoppes, Jr., Tri-Cities Prep
He threw for 359 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns in leading Jaguars past top-ranked Lummi.

Kinzi Poteet, Sr., Grandview
She had 63 kills and 20 blocks in six matches in leading the Greyhounds to the SunDome Volleyball Festival title.
* Athletes of the Week are selected by the Herald sports staff and run Thursdays. Coaches with an athlete to nominate should e-mail rferran@tricityherald.com by noon Mondays.
Similar stories:
Othello's Walker wins WAC award again
Othello's Walker wins WAC award again
MOSCOW, Idaho -- Idaho sophomore outside hitter Allison Walker was named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball player of the week for the week of Oct. 24-30.
This is the second WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and third of her career for Walker.
The Othello native averaged 5.29 kills on .278 hitting to go with 1.29 digs, 0.43 blocks and 5.50 points per set as the Vandals defeated Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State last week and moved within a half-game of second place in the WAC standings.
Kamiakin grad wins GNAC volleyball award
Kamiakin grad wins GNAC volleyball award
SEATTLE -- Kamiakin High School grad Shelby Swanson, who earned more than 50 assists in both of Seattle Pacific's four-game volleyball victories last week -- including a career-high 58 last Thursday at Central Washington -- was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference co-player of the week.
Swanson is just 95 assists away from hitting the 2,000 mark for her career.
Big Sky track honors Hermiston's Lind
Big Sky track honors Hermiston's Lind
Eastern Washington University senior Kersee Lind was named the men's field athletes of the week by the Big Sky Conference for his performance at the fourth-annual Candy Cane Invitational in Cheney last week.
Lind, from Hermiston, broke his own school record in the heptathlon with a score of 5,132 points. His previous record was 5,033, set back in 2010.
Soccer puns offensive
Soccer puns offensive
"Gets the boot." "Kicked off." I'm ticked off. Hope Solo, a local girl and a world-class athlete, was eliminated from the Dancing With The Stars show after surviving several weeks of grueling learning and training to dance.
She was stiff and awkward at first, but continually improved over the weeks. But she survived until the semi-finals. I don't disagree with the judgment to "send her home," but I do think the Herald's choice of words to describe the accomplishment of a local person were in bad taste. Perhaps the Herald thought boot and kick were cute, since she is so involved in soccer, but to me it was just offensive.
Bill Thomas, Kennewick
SPORTS: Tri-City schools to form new league
SPORTS: Tri-City schools to form new league
The longtime athletic league joining Class 4A and 3A schools in the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Sunnyside, Yakima, Moses Lake and Wenatchee will be no more.