CBC women’s basketball ready to hit the court. Trouble is they need more players

The Columbia Basin College women’s basketball team is looking for at least two players, and the Hawks need them in a hurry.

CBC already has decided that it is opting in for athletics in the spring. That is for all sports — fall, winter and spring.

Scott Rogers, CBC’s athletic director, said the deadline for all NWAC East Region schools to opt in or opt out for sports is Monday.

The only Hawks sports team that could be questionable is women’s basketball.

Some athletes locally deciding not to play because of COVID concerns, and others who made the decision to not move to the Tri-Cities, and still others who have become injured, the CBC women’s basketball roster is down to just six players.

“We could take at least two more players, and would take up to seven or eight players,” Rogers said. “We want (the women’s team) to play. These kids have been here since September.”

Rogers says that this is a non-counting eligibility year in the NWAC (meaning it won’t count against a player’s eligibility) and he has clearance from the NWAC and his administration to enroll these potential students.

“I’ve been given clearance to give these players scholarship money to have them play,” Rogers said. “We don’t think they should have to pay for a class to play in this situation.”

Rogers said if anyone knows of any student who might embrace this opportunity, please message him directly with contact information at srogers@columbiabasin.edu, or text him at 509-539-4282.

Meanwhile, as Monday comes up, it’ll be interesting who opts in for NWAC sports, which is scheduled to start around April 1. CBC will only be playing against NWAC East opponents, and there are no NWAC championship events this year.

“Both Yakima and Walla Walla are up in the air about what they’ll do,” said Rogers, who adds that Oregon hasn’t given schools the clearance to play indoor sports yet, but could within the next few weeks.

That would affect Treasure Valley CC in eastern Oregon. AD’s have already said they’d put Treasure Valley into their schedules, and deal with the situation later.

Rogers said that East Region AD’s have already put together schedules for all sports a few months back. When everyone makes their decision on Monday — in or out — they can take those same schedules and then drop them into dates for the spring.

Hopefully, for CBC, that will include women’s basketball.

Oregon State women’s basketball

It’s probable that Oregon State University women’s basketball team did enough in last week’s Pac-12 Conference Tournament in Las Vegas to warrant an NCAA Tournament berth.

We’ll all know this coming Monday when the selection committee releases the tournament draw.

The Beavers finished with an 11-7 record, but this last month — with the help of Chiawana High graduate Talia von Oelhoffen — they’ve gone 8-3.

Von Oelhoffen makes them a different team, and a better team.

In two tournament wins over California and Oregon, von Oelhoffen scored 20 points and 19 points, respectively.

In those two games combined, she shot 14 for 27 from the floor (5 for 11 from the 3-point line), had 8 rebounds and 8 assists.

Hockey

• The Tri-City Americans open their shortened Western Hockey League season March 18 against the Portland Winterhawks — the first of 24 games.

To that end, the roster is pretty set for this season, with 17 of the 25 players returning from last season with the Ams.

Here is the lineup:

Forwards – Jack Barnes (rookie and overage), Parker Bell, Connor Bouchard, Nick Bowman (overage), Booker Daniel, Tyson Greenway, Sam Huo, Edge Lambert, Cole Larocque (rookie), John Little, Rhett Melynk (rookie), Sasha Mutala, Landon Roberts, Jake Sloan (rookie).

Defensemen – Bryson Andregg (rookie), Mitchell Brown, Ian Ferguson, Andrej Golian (rookie), Carson Haynes (rookie), Mark Lajoie, Bryan McAndrews, Alex Serraglio (rookie), Luke Zazula (overage).

Goalies – Talyn Boyko, Mason Dunsford.

• Former Tri-City American Richard Nejezchleb — who played for the Ams in 2014-15 — is with Cracovia Kraków in the Polska Hockej Liga.

The 26-year-old right winger has scored 16 goals and 10 assists in 31 games for Cracovia, which is 18-18-1-6 and sixth out of 10 teams in the standings.

In the one season he was with Tri-City, Nejezchleb scored 19 goals and 30 assists in 47 games.

MCC girls soccer

Tuesday’s Mid-Columbia Conference scores leave three teams unbeaten in conference play – Kamiakin, Richland and Walla Walla.

Kamiakin hung on to beat Hanford 2-0, as Kate Christian scored both goals for the Braves; Richland blanked Kennewick 10-0; and Walla Walla edged Chiawana 2-1.

The fourth game has Southridge shutting out Pasco 7-0, with Kassadi Suitonu scored two goals for the Suns.

So here’s the MCC standings after Tuesday night’s games: Kamiakin 3-0, Richland 3-0, Walla Walla 3-0, Southridge 2-1, Chiawana 1-2, Hanford 0-3, Kennewick 0-3, Pasco 0-3.

So the big matchup this Thursday night will feature Walla Walla visiting Kamiakin, at Lampson Stadium at 7 p.m.

MCC volleyball

With actual MCC play started last Saturday, conference schools are through two rounds of play.

And Chiawana, Kennewick and Richland are off to 2-0 starts.

Tuesday’s big matchup had Richland hanging on to beat Walla Walla 3-2, as Bob Raidl’s Bombers continue their big run through the MCC.

In other Tuesday matches, Chiawana beat Kamiakin 3-1; Kennewick shut out Hanford 3-0; and Southridge did the same to Pasco, 3-0.

Here are the MCC standings through Tuesday’s matches: Chiawana 2-0, Kennewick 2-0, Richland 2-0, Southridge 1-1, Walla Walla 1-1, Hanford 0-2, Kamiakin 0-2, Pasco 0-2.

Prep football

There are a couple of games March 11, all 1A SCAC contests:

College Place (1-1) at Toppenish (2-0), 7 p.m.: The visiting Hawks boast a sophomore QB, Nick Josifek, who has tossed five TD passes in two games.

Connell (2-0) at Zillah (0-1), 7 p.m.: Always tough Leopards must find a way to corral visiting Eagles standout Carson Riner, who has been unstoppable as a rusher or kick returner.

Wapato (0-2) at Kiona-Benton (0-2), 6 p.m.: Someone is coming away with a victory. Bears almost got one last week, just losing 14-7 to La Salle.

This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 3:49 PM.