Defending WA champion leads Kamiakin bowlers back to state + A record basketball victory
It only seems right that the Kamiakin and Kennewick girls bowling teams will each get a shot at winning the state championship next month.
After all, the Braves and Lions both finished 14-2 to claim a share of the Mid-Columbia Conference regular-season title.
So on Monday, they both entered their separate MCC league tournaments and came away with state-tournament berths at Atomic Bowl in Richland.
In the MCC 4A tournament, Kamiakin senior Hayden Bennett knocked down 568 pins to claim first in the individual portion of the tournament.
No surprise there, as Bennett is the defending 4A individual state champion.
But this time, she’s bringing her teammates along to compete as a squad. Clara Demarest, Quinn Shaner, Lilliana Martinez, and Alyssa Martinez all knocked enough pins down to claim the MCC’s lone 4A state team berth.
Kamiakin scored 3,653 pins, doing well enough in the Baker games, and finishing 192 pins ahead of runnerup Richland’s 3,461.
Three other individuals also qualified for the 4A state tournament: Hanford’s Jaquay Venderver placed second with 537 pins, while Chiawana’s Gracie Bolson was third at 536, and Richland’s Ali LeMieux was fourth at 525.
Meanwhile, Kennewick’s Calista Tippett was the top placer in the 3A MCC portion of the tournament, knocking down 568 pins.
In fact, it wasn’t even close for the Lions, who finished with 3,738 pins. Southridge was second with 3,332 pins — 406 pins behind Kennewick.
Tippett’s teammates — Caidence Richardson (552 pins) and Samantha McMaster (551) — placed second and third, respectively, to make sure Kennewick grabbed the lone MCC team berth. The Lions also did well in the Baker games portion of the tournament.
Other Kennewick bowlers qualifying for state are Kourtnie Foss and Lexie McGarrity.
The three area individuals qualifying for state are Southridge’s Aubrey Johnston (placing fourth overall at 548 pins), Hermiston’s Lily Fields (fifth at 535), and Southridge’s Wendolyn Bateman (seventh at 474).
The state tournament runs Feb. 1-4 at Bowlero in Tukwila.
The 3A tournament is held Feb. 1-2, with individual qualifiers rolling six games on the 1st, and the Baker games being rolled on the second.
The 4A tournament is held Feb. 3-4, with individual bowlers competing with their six games on the 3rd, and the Baker games being held on the 4th.
▪ Kamiakin’s Hayden Bennett, a senior, was named MCC Most Valuable Player, averaging 186.8 over the season.
Other first-team bowlers were Richland junior Malia Haynes (171.6 average); Chiawana senior Gracie Bolson (169.4); Kamiakin freshman Alyssa Martinez (168.4); and Kennewick senior Caidence Richardson (168.3).
▪ Here are the final regular-season standings: Kamiakin and Kennewick, each at 14-2; Chiawana at 12-4; Richland at 11-5; Pasco and Southridge at 6-10; Walla Walla at 4-12; Hanford at 2-14; and Hermiston at 1-15.
Boys basketball
Congratulations goes out to Earl Streufert, whose Richland Bombers boys basketball team defeated visiting Hanford 91-39 in a Mid-Columbia Conference contest on Tuesday night.
That gives Streufert 405 wins as Richland’s coach, surpassing Art Dawald and his 404 victories and making Streufert the Bombers’ all-time winningest coach.
Streufert’s record at Richland is 405-178 through 23 seasons.
Baseball
Richland High grad Eric Yardley has found another organization.
The right-handed, submarine-style throwing relief pitcher has signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the team announced on Wednesday.
Yardley, 32, has been a well-traveled veteran these past few years. He made his Major League debut in 2019 with the San Diego Padres.
In 2020, Yardley signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.
And in 2021, he made the Brewers’ Opening Day roster.
In 2022, he started the season in the Chicago Cubs’ organization before finishing the season with the Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A team in Syracuse.
In November, he asked the Blue Jays to give him his release so he could hook on with another organization.
▪ The Northwest Athletic Conference, which oversees all the community college athletic programs in Washington, Oregon, and parts of Idaho and British Columbia, announced on Jan. 20 that it has struck a three-year deal with DeVo Lumber Company, LLC, (DeVo Bats) to supply its baseball and softball programs with its bats.
DeVo Bats is owned by Jordan DeVoir, who lives in Kennewick.
He and his business partners are former NWAC baseball players.
Soccer
Summer Yates left the Tri-Cities on Wednesday, headed for Florida.
Yates, a Chiawana High graduate, was drafted a few weeks ago by the Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League.
She just finished up her collegiate career last fall for the University of Washington, and is looking forward to making the Pride as a professional soccer player.
“I’m headed down there for optional training,” said Yates.
Camp is from Jan. 28 through March 20 — although the Pride do have some contests during that time period.
Although drafted in the fourth round of the draft, Yates is not guaranteed a contract.
“In pre-season, I’m gonna go there, work hard, and try to get a contract,” she said.
Yates said she’s ready to rise to the occasion.
“I’m excited. I love a new challenge,” she said. “I mean, I’m nervous a bit. But once we start, I’ll be fine.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 12:55 PM.