This Kennewick team is dominating Mid-Columbia basketball with undefeated record

We’re just two weeks into winter sports — with only three weeks remaining in this shortened season — some patterns are starting to develop in both Mid-Columbia Conference boys and girls basketball leagues.

First, the boys: Kamiakin looks to be the dominant team, going unbeaten so far at 6-0.

The Braves have an outstanding lineup that includes Trey Arland, Nate Gray Jr., and Messiah Jones.

But perhaps the most impressive player so far is junior Tyler Bilodeau, who is a 6-foot-8 guard/forward.

Bilodeau — who was on varsity as a sophomore the previous season but played little — has a nice game in which he can shoot from the outside or take it to the hoop.

Currently, he’s the MCC’s leading scorer at 22.5 points per game.

The nice part for Braves head coach Brian Meneely is that even if Bilodeau is having an off game, one of the above mentioned players can easily pick up the slack on any given night.

As it is, Kamiakin is dominating its competition, beating all six of its opponents by an average score of 84-42 — or by 42 points a game.

Here’s the rest of the MCC boys standings through games of Monday night:

Walla Walla sits at 5-1, led by senior post player Michael Cornia. The Blue Devils have reeled off five consecutive victories after an opening-night loss at Kamiakin.

Earl Streufert’s Richland Bombers sit in third place at 4-2 — not bad for a team full of underclassmen.

There is a three-way tie for fourth, with Chiawana, Hanford and Kennewick all at 3-2.

The defending MCC champion Riverhawks are led by Kobe Young, Chiawana’s senior standout who will play next year at Boise State University. Young averages a team-best 21.6 points a game.

Paul Mayer’s Hanford Falcons are led by junior guard Hudson Shupe, who averages 21.6 points a game. Shupe has verbally committed to playing baseball for Seattle University.

Finally, Bradyn Leyde’s Kennewick Lions have a lethal 1-2 punch of juniors Daniel Dickinson and Ayden Knapik, who average 19.0 and 18.8 points, respectively.

The remaining teams are Southridge and Hermiston — both at 1-6 — and Pasco at 0-5.

The marquee game this week will feature Kamiakin at Chiawana, set for 7 p.m. Friday.

▪ Meanwhile, in MCC girls basketball play, Richland defeated Kamiakin 62-56 last Saturday.

That gives both the Bombers and Braves 5-1 records as they sit atop the conference standings together.

For Richland, sophomore Kylee Fox and senior guard Jayda Clark rank 3 and 4, respectively, among scoring leaders.

Fox averages 18.5 points a game, while Clark — who has signed to play for Boise State next fall — averages 17.5 points.

Lane Schumacher’s Kamiakin team doesn’t have anyone among the top five scoring leaders, but sophomore guard Nikole Thomas — who has drawn offers already from schools such as Washington State University — leads the team with 14.8 points a game.

Pasco sits in third place with a 4-1 record. Standout junior wing Mya Groce leads the Bulldogs with 15.2 points per game.

Kennewick is in fourth at 3-2, with junior post Alexes Stein (who missed the previous season to injuries) the No. 2 scorer in the conference at 18.6 points.

Hermiston is in fifth at 4-3, as the Bulldogs are riding a four-game winning streak.

Hanford is sixth at 2-3, while Southridge — with junior Nadine French averaging 15.4 points — sits in seventh at 2-5.

Chiawana is eight at 1-4, with senior Delaney Pink leading the MCC in scoring at 20.4 points a game; and Walla Walla is ninth at 0-6.

This week’s marquee matchup has Kamiakin visiting Kennewick at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

All teams will be taking a break this weekend for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, then resume games June 1, with the final culminating weekend set June 18-19.

MCC softball

Walla Walla dominated the regular season of MCC softball, and the Blue Devils ended up dominating the all-conference team that was voted on by MCC coaches and released last week.

Walla Walla junior pitcher Tallulah Sickels was named Player of the Year, while Wa-Hi’s Arch McHie was named Coach of the Year.

In fact, eight of the 14 players named to the first team are Blue Devils.

They are: 1B Kaitline Chapman, jr.; utility player Logan Hamm, soph; catcher Raquelle Justice, soph; 2B Kylie Kemp, jr.; 3B Taylor McGill, sr.; OF Alizaeya Salcedo, jr.; Sickels at pitcher; and OF Neliah Williams, sr.

Kamiakin, which won the district championship, had three players named to the first team: 3B Chloe Grandeen, sr.; DH Madison Metcalf, jr.; and pitcher Maggie O’Leary, jr.

The remaining three players named to the first team are Chiawana shortstop Lexi Barcomb, sr.; Hanford utility player Graci Brady, jr.; and Southridge outfielder McKenna Crum, sr.

CBC baseball

The Columbia Basin College baseball team dropped a twinbill to Yakima Valley on Sunday by scores of 11-10 and 7-2.

The Hawks are now 14-10 in NWAC East play and 18-14 overall.

CBC has six batters hitting over .300, led by Kirby Robertson (Richland) at .343. Evan Devolve (Naches Valley) is hitting .306, has two home runs and 22 RBIs.

Nick Grade (Southridge) also is hitting .306, has a team-best five homers, and 17 RBIs.

The pitching staff is led by Jase Wessels (Clarkston), who has five wins, 50 strikeouts and a 2.94 earned run average.

Landon Webb (Richland) has three victories, 47 strikeouts and a 4.37 ERA; While Robertson has done some damage on the mound — three wins, 33 strikeouts and a 3.15 ERA.

Jonathan Garza (Othello) has four wins, 40 strikeouts and a 4.46 ERA.

The Hawks have four doubleheaders remaining: at Big Bend on May 27; hosting Big Bend on May 29; and two home twin bills against Treasure Valley on June 5 and 6.

Hockey

▪ Former Tri-City Americans goalie Chet Pickard, 31, has signed a one-year contract extension with the Grizzlys Wolfsburg in Germany.

Pickard played in 15 games this past season for the Grizzlys, going 6-9-0, and giving up 2.66 goals a game. His saved percentage was .909 in those games.

Pickard played four seasons with the Americans, from 2005-09. He has spent the last six seasons in the DEL German league.

▪ Former Americans defenseman Drydn Dow, spent two games with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers in West Virginia this past season before signing with a Slovakian team Dec. 31.

Dow, who spent four seasons with the Americans from 2009-13, signed with Spisska Nova Ves in the Liga of Slovakia.