Chiawana uses power, speed and defense to win state 4A slowpitch softball title

Brian Thomas said on Tuesday that he and his Chiawana slowpitch softball players are still on Cloud 9 after the Riverhawks went 3-0 last weekend to win the Class 4A state championship in Yakima.

Chiawana won the title game on Saturday, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the seventh in a 13-12 verdict over Central Valley.

It gave Thomas’ team a 20-1 record for the fall.

“I knew we had a good team,” he said. “And I knew we could compete against the best teams in the state.”

This is the fourth season of fall slowpitch softball at Chiawana. While the Greater Spokane League has offered the sport for over 10 years, it’s still relatively new around the Mid-Columbia. Only Chiawana, Pasco, Walla Walla and Hermiston offer it locally.

Of course, fastpitch softball is offered in the spring. The majority of the Riverhawks squad also play fastpitch in the spring.

This Chiawana squad was a machine from the beginning of the season, and averaged 16 runs a game while surrendering an average of 5 runs a contest.

The Riverhawks’ lone loss was a 17-14 decision by Moses Lake.

But by the time state rolled around, Chiawana rolled into that title game, beating Battle Ground 24-3 in the first round, and West Valley of Yakima 19-8 in the semifinals.

“In slowpitch, you’ve got to have a strong defense,” said Thomas. “We’re lucky to have an extremely fast outfield. We also hit hard, and run hard.”

Thomas believes the team’s biggest asset this season was its chemistry.

“Our camaraderie as a team was our biggest strength,” he said. “The senior leadership was strong. We have seven seniors on varsity. But the biggest thing we all did was we knew how to have fun.”

So congratulations to the following athletes who helped bring Chiawana a team state title: Brianne Bunger, Kennedy McBride, Alyssa Melendez, Jessica Melendez, Samantha Melendez, Lindsay Morales, Leah North, Makenzie Richard, Courtney Rodabaugh, Adriana Rodriguez, Sawyer Stenson, Maliyah Twitty, Marissa Valdez, Lily Vela and Estella Zaro.

▪ University High in Spokane won the 2A/3A state title.

Hermiston went 2-2 and finished fourth in the eight-team tournament, while Walla Walla qualified and went 0-2.

Prep football

Despite the best efforts of Kaden Watanabe and Jamie Townsend II, Pasco could not overcome Lewis & Clark in a Class 4A regional play-in game on Tuesday night in Spokane, losing 34-28.

Watanabe was 22 for 32 for 329 yards passing, throwing three touchdown passes.

Townsend, meanwhile, had a monster game. He caught 7 passes for 149 yards, and rushed 16 times for 97 yards. Townsend scored three touchdowns.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but the host Tigers then scored 27 unanswered point.

Pasco’s season ends with a 2-8 record, while Lewis & Clark improves to 4-6.

The Tigers now play Kamiakin (9-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lampson Stadium in a regional playoff, winner-to-state contest.

• Timberline beat Central Kitsap 21-20 in overtime of a mini-playoff game Tuesday night, and now the Blazers will take on Kennewick at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lampson Stadium in a Class 3A Round of 32 regional playoff game.
• Richland will play host to Central Valley at 7 p.m. Friday at Lampson Stadium in a Class 4A regional playoff game, with the winner earned a state tournament berth.
• In our region’s other Class 4A playoff game, Chiawana will travel to play Gonzaga Prep. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Friday.
• Southridge will play at Bellevue High School at 7 p.m. Friday in a Class 3A Round of 32 playoff game.

Cross country

It’s been almost two years since there was a state championship in high school cross country.

But it finally happens again this Saturday, with the WIAA state cross country championships at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

There will be 11 races total, encompassing boys and girls, as well as classifications — 1B/2B all the way up to 4A — and an ambulatory race.

So local golfers, be aware, as Sun Willows will be taken over by over 1,000 runners on both Friday (for practice) and Saturday’s all-day event.

Here’s the schedule for Saturday: 1B/2B girls race, 10 a.m.; 1A girls race, 10:30 a.m.; 2A girls race, 11 a.m.; 1B/2B boys race, 11:30 a.m.; 1A boys, noon; 2A boys, 12:30 p.m.; 3A girls, 1 p.m.; 4A girls, 1:30 p.m.; Ambulatory race, 2 p.m.; 3A boys, 2:30 p.m.; 4A boys, 3 p.m.

Locally, watch for Kamiakin senior Isaac Teeples in the 4A boys race, and Kennewick senior Macy Marquardt in the 3A girls race, to battle for titles.

In Friday’s paper, we’ll mention all of the Mid-Columbia runners who have qualified for the state meet.

Golf

Jason Aichele of Meadow Springs Country Club already has a spot for next year’s PGA Championship.

That’s because he placed third in the PGA Professional Championship of the Pacific Northwest Section on Sept. 21-23 at Arrowhead Golf Club.

Aichele shot 68s on three consecutive days for a 9-under 204.

▪ The Central Washington Chapter of the PGA held its championship last month (Oct. 4-5) at Wildhorse in Pendleton, with Yakima Country Club’s Ben Assink winning the two-day event with a 76-64–140.

Clint Ables and Bradley Elzie, both of Zintel Creek Golf Club in Kennewick, placed third and fourth, respectively.

Ables fired a 71-74–145, while Elzie shot a 72-74–146.

Top amateur was Sun Willows’ Todd Beyers, who went 73-74–147.

The tournament marked the end of the 2021 season, and Elzie was named the top scoring pro. He won three of the season’s 12 events.

Kennewick’s Mike Kasch was named Senior Pro Player of the Year, as he won five of 15 events.

Brian Barton of Sun Willows was named Amateur Player of the Year, as he won four of seven events he entered.

And Art Key of Sun Willows was named Senior Amateur Player of the Year, for his three victories in 11 events.