Burbank and Tri-Cities Prep dominate EWAC all-conference basketball teams

The race for a state championship might be over for basketball teams in the Tri-Cities, but the accolades keep coming.

▪ Columbia-Burbank freshman Tristan Frimodt and Warden senior Kianna Rios were the boys and girls MVP, respectively, for the 2B Eastern Washington Athletic Conference basketball teams, as selected by coaches recently.

Frimodt and fellow freshman Quincy Scott led the EWAC voting, and along with junior Michael Lenke, the trio were named to the first team after leading the Coyotes to a sixth-place state finish.

Other first-team boys were junior Cole Jordan of Tri-Cities Prep, senior Quirino Turner of Warner, and senior Jude Senger of River View.

Columbia-Burbank’s Todd Schumacher was named EWAC boys coach of the year.

Here’s the EWAC boys’ second team: Adam Bearlocher, senior, Tri-Cities Prep; Dylan Bledsoe, senior, Dayton-Waitsburg; Anthony Gutierrez, freshman, Warden; Tyler Harper, senior, Tri-Cities Prep; Jasiah Heredia, senior, Walla Walla Valley Academy; and Parker Nelson, junior, Columbia-Burbank.

Rios was named the MVP to an EWAC girls all-conference team that was dominated by Warden, which won the 2B girls state tournament title.

Besides Rios, the Cougars also had senior Jaryn Madsen and sophomore Lauryn Madsen on the first team — as well as Josh Madsen as EWAC girls coach of the year.

Other first-teamers were Tri-Cities Prep senior Hannah Chang; Columbia-Burbank senior Audri Kinsey; and River View senior Skyln Munson.

Here’s the second team: McKaila Balcom, junior, Tri-Cities Prep; Kaya Chang, sophomore, Tri-Cities Prep; Quinn Erdman, junior, Warden; Marina Jemenez, sophomore, River View; Rylee McKay, senior, Warden; and Alyssa Stanley, senior, Columbia-Burbank.

▪ Mick Hokanson is the new softball coach at Hanford High School this spring.

He replaces Lesley Belden.

Hokanson is a long-time college softball coach, who has been an assistant for BYU Hawaii, Western Oregon University, Big Bend Community College, University Alabama Birmingham, Oregon, Troy, North Carolina and Columbia Basin College.

▪ The WIAA announced that the Tri-Cities will have four championship events set for Memorial Day weekend in spring sports.

Once again, the 3A and 4A baseball semifinals and finals will be held May 27-28 at Gesa Stadium in Pasco.

The 1A girls softball tournament will again be held at Columbia Playfield in Richland on March 27-28.

And tennis is back.

The 3A boys and girls state tennis finals will again be held at Richland High School and the Columbia Basin Racquet Club; while the 4A boys and girls tennis tournament is at Kamiakin High School and the Pacific Clinic (which is the old Tri-City Court Club).

Those tournaments are also held May 27-28.

▪ Congratulations to Tri-Cities Prep students Claire Potter and Drew Axel.

Both athletes play soccer at Pasco High School, and they signed letters of intent recently to continue on with soccer in college.

Potter is headed to Western Washington University, while Axel will attend Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

▪ Now is the time when some high school athletes are getting extended invitations to college football programs’ junior days.

Richland linebacker Kalani Steward and Connell tight end Cade Clyde have both been invited to attend Idaho State University’s Junior Day in April.

Kennewick lineman Carlos Orozco has earned a Junior Day invite at Northern Arizona University in April.

Orozco was a standout for the Lions as a sophomore before injuring his knee in the spring of 2020 covid season for Kennewick. He missed this past season because of injury, but should be a dominating force this coming fall for his senior season.

▪ Pitcher Trystan Vrieling continues to be outstanding for the Gonzaga University baseball team.

The Kamiakin grad was just named West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week.

In a win over Oklahoma State, and a 1-0 loss to Long Beach State, Vrieling went 1-0, tossed 13 innings, had 22 strikeouts, gave up just 5 hits, 5 walks and zero earned runs.

▪ Chiawana grad Morgan Shines became a two-time NAIA All-American in women’s wrestling last weekend when she placed eighth at 143 pounds in the women’s national tournament.

Now a junior at Eastern Oregon University, Shines began her collegiate career at Life University before transferring to EOU.

▪ Kamiakin junior Gabe Tahir received his second NCAA Division I football offer when the University of Nevada reached out last week.

Tahir previously was offered by Penn State.

The cornerback will be one of the top seniors in the country this fall.

▪ The Columbia Basin College women’s basketball team won’t make the NWAC post-season tournament.

First-year head coach Amy Sokaitis, who was hired late last spring, led her team to a 9-17 regular-season record third season.

Still, the Hawks were competitive.

Ali May led CBC led the team in scoring, with 10.1 points a game. May also averaged 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.3 steals.

Other standouts included: Kiana Lizardo at 7.9 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals; Emma Maxwell with 8.5 points; MaKenna Brandner (Tri-Cities Prep) with 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 0.8 blocked shots; and Jada Liulamaga at 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals.

▪ Defender Sydnee Suarez (Chiawana) started 14 games for the 8-3-4 women’s soccer team at Spokane Community College this past season.

She had 1 goal, 1 assist for 3 points, and 10 shots for the Sasquatch.