Tri-Cities high school athletes named to all-conference teams. And Ski Bluewood opens
If you’re looking for a little pre-Christmas skiing close to home, Bluewood celebrates its 40th season when it opens for business Friday.
The first chair lifts take off at 9 a.m., and rentals for skiers and snowboarders — plus retail, food services and Snow Sports School — are available.
Bluewood, in the Blue Mountains about 80 miles east of Pasco, has done a lot of upgrading for this season, with a large fleet of skis, snowboards and helmets.
There is a new deck around the Yurt at Sun Spot, plus new digital menu screens and a new grill in food services.
Bluewood will be open daily from Dec. 20 to Jan. 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except for Christmas Day, when the facilities are closed.
Hours for Dec. 24 are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information, go to Bluewood.com, or call 509-382-4725.
MCC all-conference teams
While winter sports have been going for a few weeks, here’s the wrap up for the rest of the fall sports for the Mid-Columbia Conference all-conference teams.
The all-conference football were announced in November, and the Associated Press All-State teams will be coming out next week.
Volleyball
Walla Walla senior middle hitter Hannah Hair, who will compete next year for Seattle Pacific University, was named MCC Player of the Year. Richland’s Bob Raidl was named Coach of the Year.
Hair was the lone Blue Devils on either the first or second team.
Richland dominated the first team with four players: senior outside hitter Sage Brustad (headed to play for Eastern Washington University), junior middle hitter Marin Mackey, junior setter Payton Pedersen, and junior libero Ryan White.
Chiawana senior outside hitters Sianna Iverson and Kylie Thorne are also on the first team, as is Kennewick junior setter Madeline Gebers.
Thorne has signed to play next year at Concordia of Portland
Here is the second team: MH Grace Morby, jr., Kennewick; MH Brooke Thorne, jr., Chiawana; OH Autumn Larson, so., Kennewick; OH Taryn Vrieling, so., Kamiakin; OH Delaney Frame, sr., Kamiakin; setter Brooklyn Ford, sr., Kamiakin; setter Angela Sullivan, sr., Chiawana; and libero Halee Stubbs, sr., Hermiston.
Girls soccer
Chiawana senior midfielder Ruthie Edgrington was named MCC Girls Soccer Player of the Year, while Dana Evans was named Coach of the Year.
Edrington, who is headed to Lee University next year, led a contingent of four Riverhawks on the first team. The others are senior forward Zyree Raban, junior defender Delaney Pink, and junior keeper Abigail Whiston.
Richland and Walla Walla each had three first teamers.
For the Bombers, it’s junior forward McKenna Martinez (who has verbally committed to Oregon State University), junior midfielder Ashley Tonthat, and senior defender Mallory Hemenway.
The three Blue Devils are junior forward Taylor McGill, senior midfielder Emmalynn Ogden, and junior defender Jessalee Wilks.
Kamiakin had two players on the first team: sophomore defender Claire Eerkes, and senior midfielder Paige Savage.
Hanford senior forward Emily Sondag was also on the first team.
Here is the second team: F Brielle Fillmore, sr., Richland; F Katelyn Hassler, jr., Walla Walla; F Kassadi Suitonu, jr., Southridge; F Maddie Kutschkau, jr., Kamiakin; MF Baylee Shewchuk, sr., Richland; MF Andrea Martell, sr., Kennewick; MF Kylee Alvarez, sr., Chiawana; MF Violet Duran, so., Southridge; D Amanda Fraga, sr., Hanford; D Eliana Coburn, jr., Walla Walla; D Avery Campbell, sr., Hanford; D Avery Bond, sr., Chiawana; GK Lanie Gomez, sr., Hermiston.
Cross country
Kamiakin senior Stanford Smith and sophomore Isaac Teeples were named MCC Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year, while their coach, Matt Rexus, was named MCC Coach of the Year.
On the girls’ side, Kennewick senior Geraldin Correa, Walla Walla junior Ella Nelson and Richland sophomore Natalie Ruzauskas shared the MCC Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award. Kennewick’s Josh Eerkes was named MCC Girls Coach of the Year.
Besides Teeples and Smith, the rest of the boys first team includes Kamiakin teammates Andrew Holladay, Andrew Larson and Grayson Wilcott; and Walla Walla’s Cannon Angotti and Cooper Cortinas.
Besides Correa, Nelson and Ruzauskas, the remaining members of the girls first team are Richland’s Sophia Fetrow and Andrijana Fundak; Walla Walla’s Sariah Hepworth, Hanford’s Kendra Keller, and Hermiston’s Amanda Nygard.
Here is the boys’ second team: Gregory Anderson, Hermiston; Austin Bachman, Chiawana; Hanford’s Austin Blacketer and Ethan Stout; Kennewick’s Leonel Leon and Ismael Tovar; and Kamiakin’s Jax Weide.
Here is the girls’ second team: Hanford’s Hannah Chavia and Elizabeth McCluskey; Kennewick’s Macy Marquardt; Kamiakin’s Deverie Gutierrez and Marisa Memmott; and Pasco’s Sarahi Rodriguez.
EWU sports
Pasco High grad Catelyn Linke was named Eastern Washington University’s Female Scholar Athlete of the Month for December.
Linke, a junior, plays for the Eagles volleyball team. Eastern went 6-24 this season.
Linke led the team in digs with 365, and was third on the team in assists with 45.
She is a nursing major and carries a 3.91 grade point average.
• A number of area athletes performed well at the annual Candy Cane XII Open indoor track meet at EWU on Dec. 6-7.
The top performer was Connell grad Alma Manzo, who competes for Spokane Community College as a freshman. Manzo won the women’s long jump event with a mark of 17 feet, 9.5 inches. Manzo also finished second in the 600 meters at 1:43.84.
EWU’s Samantha Raines (Kamiakin) placed second in the women’s 55 hurdles (7.30 seconds), and finished second in the women’s pole vault at 12-10.25.
EWU’s Madison Doepker (Walla Walla) placed second in the women’s weight throw at 56 feet, 1.25 inches.
Kennewick High grad Monica Kaylor, competing unattached for Spokane CC, finished second in the women’s high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 3 inches.
EWU freshman Nyenuchi Okengbo (Hanford) placed second in the women’s 55 hurdles in 8.31 seconds, while EWU freshman Katie Petsch (Kamiakin) placed third in the women’s 55 meters (7.30 seconds).