NWAC notebook: Columbia Basin College fall teams on rise

If their seasons ended today, all three Columbia Basin College fall sports teams — volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer — would make the Northwest Athletic Conference playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Now, there’s still plenty of time left for things to change, but the Hawks’ programs are looking pretty strong.

Leading the way is the men’s soccer team.

First-year coach Joey Graham, a Pasco High School graduate, has the Hawks (5-4-0) tied for second in the East Region standings with 15 points, one behind leader Spokane.

“I’m extremely happy with the way the guys have worked,” Graham said. “When they really bought in, things changed for us. We were kind of in a slump a few weeks ago. We were dropping some games late in the games. It was more of a focus-and-effort kind of deal. We told them about working for each other.”

The talk worked. After dropping three consecutive matches at the end of September, the Hawks are 3-0 in October.

“We kind of made a turn, using the idea that this is the most important game of the season,” Graham said. “We’re taking every game saying this is the most important game.”

Graham also likes that there is no one go-to player on his team.

“There’s no real standout all-star,” he said. “Our goals are spread around. Our assists are spread around. We are really a big family. We’re all working for each other.”

▪ The Hawks have three major matches over the next eight days, all at home: against Treasure Valley (2 p.m. Wednesday), Spokane (2:15 p.m. Saturday) and Wenatchee Valley (4:15 p.m. Oct. 21). ... Cesar Bernal (Royal) and Esteban Ojeda (Walla Walla) lead the Hawks with four goals each. Ojeda also has a team-best three assists. Keeper Max Ramos (Sunnyside) is ranked fourth in the NWAC with three shutouts. ... With seven goals, Walla Walla CC’s Emilio Meraz-Rodriguez (Pasco) is fifth in the NWAC. Meraz-Rodriguez also leads the NWAC with seven assists. Teammate Jose Anguiano (Kamiakin) has four.

Women’s soccer

CBC coach Matt Mills has the Hawks (3-3-1) tied for third in the East with 10 points. ... CBC’s big upcoming matches include Saturday’s noon contest at home against Spokane — the best East Region matchup of the week. The Hawks have another key match Oct. 21, hosting North Idaho at 2 p.m. CBC travels to Yakima Valley at 2 p.m. Wednesday. ... CBC has some balanced scoring, as Kennedy Kindred (Sandpoint, Idaho), Hunter Long (Boise Mountain View) and Brianna Turley (Kamiakin) have four goals apiece. Turley is tied for third in the NWAC with six assists. ... Keeper Stephanie Gibson (West Valley-Yakima) has made 55 saves, ranking her 10th among NWAC keepers. ... Spokane keeper Emily Busselman (Hanford) has four shutouts, ranking her eighth in the NWAC.

Volleyball

CBC coach Sandra Olin’s squad is in fourth place with a 5-3 East Region record. ... The Hawks’ two key matches over the next 10 days are at home — Tuesday against Spokane and Oct. 23 against Walla Walla. CBC also hosts Treasure Valley on Wednesday night. ... The Hawks are led by Morgan Wilder (Kennewick), who has a team-best 103 kills. Kelly Dyer (Kennewick) leads CBC in digs (146) and aces (20), while Kelly Wilson (Heppner) has 321 assists. Andee Wendt (Kellogg, Idaho) has a team-leading 27 blocks. ... The big NWAC match of the week features Blue Mountain, which is unbeaten in the East Region, at Spokane on Wednesday night.

This story was originally published October 13, 2015 at 8:04 PM with the headline "NWAC notebook: Columbia Basin College fall teams on rise."