Dust Devils season delayed. And former Kennewick assistant coach steps down

Roy Albertson has coached for 47 years. Taught for 46.

As a high school football head coach, Albertson had a record of 179 wins, 107 losses and 1 tie, while coaching at Dayton, Chewelah and for the last 17 seasons at Timberlake High School in North Idaho.

Most people in the Tri-Cities may remember Albertson as a long-time assistant coach for the legendary Ed Troxel at Kennewick High School.

Albertson was a beloved coach for the Lions from 1979 to 1995 before heading up to Chewelah. He had been the head coach at Dayton before taking Troxel’s invitation to join him at Kennewick — where Albertson helped turn around a struggling football program into a state powerhouse.

But with COVID-19 shutting things down, and Albertson being 72, he decided it was time to call it quits.

“I’m in the dangerous category,” Albertson told Mark Nelke of the Coeur d’Alene Press. “My family doesn’t want me to take a chance on getting this. Because when you’re in the school, you’re going to be around a lot of people, and they’re going to be around a lot of people. And I’ve been in the hospital enough times.”

That included a time at practice in 2017, when Albertson’s heart stopped beating. He had collapsed, and it took an assistant, using a defibrillator, to bring him back to life.

He had a triple-bypass to fix the problem. But that puts him into the underlying health conditions category in fighting the coronavirus.

Now, Albertson — who once called his wife Pat his greatest assistant coach ever — becomes her assistant in the garden at their Spirit Lake home in North Idaho.

If and when a vaccine is ever found for COVID-19, Albertson told Nelke he’d like to come back as an assistant.

Makes sense. For some people like Albertson, you can’t get coaching out of their blood.

Northwest League and Dust Devils delay season openers

The Northwest League announced Friday the start of its season, which was scheduled to begin June 17, has been delayed.

“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the 2020 Northwest League season is being delayed indefinitely,” the league announced in a press release.

“The League and its clubs will continue to monitor the situation and work with our Major League Baseball affiliates, while following the recommendations of public health officials and adhering to local reopening guidelines.“

As always, the health and safety of the Northwest League fans, players and staff members is our top priority,” the news release continued.

“Additionally, the Northwest League vs. Pioneer League All-Star Game has been canceled.”

The Tri-City Dust Devils were scheduled to play host to the Boise Hawks on opening night, June 17.

The Northwest League is one of three short-season minor leagues that made the same announcement. The Appalachian League and the New York-Penn League are the other two.

Major League Baseball’s owners and players are still in negotiations to try to salvage a shortened season because of the pandemic.

Until an agreement happens, there won’t be a minor-league season.

“Thank you fans for your continued support during these times,” said a release posted by the Dust Devils organization.

“The Dust Devils office is currently closed, however members of the front office are still teleworking and can be reached via email. For general questions, please contact info@dustdevilsbaseball.com.”

Wills pegged as key for Air Force

• Richland High graduate Lakota Wills will be entering his senior season this fall for the Air Force Academy football team.

The linebacker was named fourth-team pre-season Mountain West Conference by Athlon Sports magazine.

The website Mountain West Connection, which covers the conference, named Wills as one of the 10 key players for the Falcons entering the season.

Wills has had injury problems the past few seasons, and the website said if he could stay healthy, he could be a key disruptor on defense.

Walla Walla CC athletes advancing

Walla Walla Community College is sending a number of athletes on to four-year schools.

The Warriors last week announced eight baseball players moving on, including a few from the Mid-Columbia.

First baseman Tim Gee, a Kennewick High grad, is headed to Whitworth University.

Infielder Kobe Morris, out of College Place, will be playing for Colorado School of the Mines next year; and pitcher Lukas Tolan, out of Hermiston, will compete for Eastern Oregon University.

Other Warriors moving on in baseball include pitcher Wyatt Boone to Montana State University Billings; infielder Zac Berryman to Central Washington University; pitcher Spencer Schwehr to Northwest Nazarene University; pitcher Joel Martin to EOU; and catcher Elliott Marks to EOU.

Holes-in-one

• How about this one? Olie Kolzig, the former National Hockey League goalie who is a co-owner of the Tri-City Americans, earned his first-ever hole-in-one on June 4 at Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland.

Kolzig, now the goaltender coach and player development coach for the Washington Capitals, is in the Tri-Cities right now because COVID-19 has shut down the NHL, used an 8-iron on the 156-yard No. 17 hole to get that ace.

• Steve Wisness had his second career ace on June 12 at Columbia Point Golf Course in Richland, using a pitching wedge on the 127-yard No. 4 hole.

Signings

• Tyreese Lincoln, a senior defensive back and wide receiver for Kennewick High this past fall, will play football this coming fall for Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore.

• Kennewick High senior Andrea Martell has committed to playing women’s soccer this fall for Columbia Basin College. She was a second-team All-Mid-Columbia Conference midfielder last fall for the Lions.

• Kennewick High senior Maya Thornton will continue to play basketball this coming winter, as she has signed with Tacoma Community College.

Notes

• Kamiakin junior running back-defensive back Tuna Altahir, who will be entering his senior season in September, has received another football scholarship offer recently. This one comes from Valparaiso University.

I believe that is now nine football offers, and there will be more to come for last year’s leading rusher in the Mid-Columbia Conference.

• Richland High grad Gia Sorn, a senior who just completed her final season for the University of Puget Sound women’s basketball team, was named to the 2019-20 Northwest Conference All-Sportsmanship team recently.

Each student-athlete named to the team was selected by either teammates and/or coaches for displaying good sportsmanship throughout the season.

Sorn averaged 7.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots for the 13-13 Loggers this past season.

• Jake Harvey (Southridge) spent his freshman season in 2018 seeing plenty of time at second base for the nationally-ranked Oregon State University baseball team.

When this season started (and then quickly stopped), Harvey was not playing as much for the Beavers.

On Twitter last weekend, Harvey announced that he is transferring to Cal State Fullerton, a traditional power in the Big West Conference. The Titans have a rich history of going to the College World Series on a consistent basis.

No word on whether Harvey has to sit out a season due to the transfer.