34 Mid-Columbia swimmers, divers compete for WA high school girls state championships

Thirty-four Mid-Columbia swimmers are in Federal Way this weekend at the WIAA girls high school swimming state championships.

Judging by the heat sheets, this region has a few shots at a high podium finish.

Start with the 1A/2A meet with the Prosser relay team members of freshmen Kenna Camp and Madison Jobe, junior Ebony Mireles, and senior Hannah Perkins. The foursome are ranked fourth in the 200 free relay, and sixth in the 200 medley relay.

In diving, Kennewick’s Delaney Rush and Richland’s Alice Williams are each ranked eighth going into their competitions (Rush in 3A, Williams in 4A).

And Pasco’s Madison Edwards has two good shots at doing well in her 4A competition in both the 100 backstroke and the 200 IM.

Also, keep an eye out for Dayton junior Kylie Wheatley in the 100 free in the 1A/2A meet. She doesn’t have the fastest time going in, but she’s the only athlete representing a small B school at this meet.

CLASS 4A

Chiawana (1) — Ashlin Blair, sr., diving.

Hanford (6) — Elizabeth Liu, jr., 200 medley relay; Sarah Mathews, jr., 200 medley relay; Esther Mei, so., 200 IM, 100 fly; Anikka Peterson, sr., 200 free, 100 breast; Jorja Rainey-Gibson, so., 200 medley relay; Brooke Vincent, so., 200 medley relay.

Kamiakin (4) — Alaina Cathey, jr., 200 medley relay; Sydney Johnson, so., 200 medley relay; Emma Meek, jr., 200 medley relay; Abigail Milmore, so., 200 medley relay.

Pasco (1) — Madison Edwards, sr., 200 IM, 100 back.

Richland (5) — Shayla Asmus, so., 500 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay; Rylee Morris, sr., 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay; Madalyn Norris, jr., 200 free relay, 400 free relay; Brooke Posada, so., 50 free, 200 free relay, 100 back, 400 free relay; Alice Williams, jr., diving

CLASS 3A

Hermiston (2) — Haley Gunderson, sr., 50 free, 100 back; Riley Stevenson, fr., 100 breast.

Kennewick (1) — Delaney Rush, sr., diving.

Walla Walla (6) — Abi Guest, sr., 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; Miriam Hutchens, sr., diving; Eliana Isenhower, jr., 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; Cienna Lyon, fr., 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; Madelyn Smith, fr., 200 medley relay, 200 IM, 50 free, 200 free relay; Elliot Zanes, sr., diving.

CLASS 1A/2A

Dayton (1) — Kylie Wheatley, jr., 100 free.

Prosser (7) — Eva Blemares, so., 400 free relay; Kenna Camp, fr., 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; Madison Jobe, fr., 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; Leia McDonald, jr., 400 free relay; Ebony Mireles, jr., 200 medley relay, 100 free, 200 free relay; Hannah Perkins, sr., 200 medley relay, 50 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay; Ellie Saldana, so., 400 free relay.

Girls soccer

All four of the region’s girls soccer teams saw their seasons end on Wednesday in the first round of their respective state tournaments.

Chiawana, seeded fourth in the 4A tournament, lost 2-0 at home against No. 13 Issaquah.

Meanwhile, No. 9 Richland also fell 2-0 on the road at No. 8 Lake Stevens.

In the 1A tournament, 15-seeded Kiona-Benton lost 5-0 to No. 2 Seton Catholic; while No. 16 Royal fell 7-0 to top-ranked Cedar Park Christian of Bothell.

CBC sports

The Columbia Basin College women’s soccer team advanced to the NWAC Final Four after beating Clark College 1-0 last Saturday in a quarterfinal matchup in Pasco.

Coached by Alessandro Llamas, the Hawks took advantage of a goal by Madeline Dorendorf (Pasco) at the 55:26 mark of the match, assisted by Rosie Aguilar (LaGrande).

CBC keeper Samantha Groesbeck (Skyview-Vancouver) had three saves for the Hawks, who now face Bellevue College at 11 a.m., Friday, in a semifinal in Tukwila.

▪ Meanwhile, the CBC men’s soccer team had its season end when it lost its NWAC quarterfinal match to Clark College of Vancouver.

The Penguins won the game 2-1, outscoring the Hawks 5-3 in a shootout.

Julian Reyes (Wenatchee) scored CBC’s lone goal on a penalty kick at the 28:28 mark.

The Hawks finished their season with an 11-1-3 record.

▪ CBC’s volleyball team — led by East Region MVP Zuri Reeser (Stanfield) and first-team setter Yajaira Meraz (Kamiakin) — finished first in its region regular-season standings with a 13-1 record (24-4 overall).

Because of that, the Hawks will host three other teams this weekend in one of four regional tournaments to determine the Elite 8.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, Lower Columbia Community College of Longview will take on Bellevue College.

At 1 p.m., CBC will play Clackamas.

The losers of the first two matches will then meet at 4 p.m.

At 10 a.m. Sunday, the winners of games 1 and 2 meet for the first available Elite 8 berth. Then at 1 p.m., the loser of that 10 a.m. game meets the winner of Saturday’s final match for the second final 8 berth.

Reeser, a sophomore outside hitter, led the Hawks in kills with 427 and digs with 401. Her average of 4.27 kills per set ranks second among all players in the entire NWAC. Her kills total is also No. 3 in the NWAC.

Meraz led CBC with assists this season with 682.

Other leaders on this team are Kaylie Christopher, a sophomore from Happy Valley, Ore.; and sophomore Camille Collins of Twin Falls, Idaho.

Christopher led CBC with 39 service aces, had 289 kills and 288 digs.

Collins has 155 kills and 59 blocks this season.

Entering the post season CBC is ranked fourth in the NWAC in the final coaches poll.

Linn-Benton is No. 1 with 13 first-team votes, while Highline is No. 2 with two first-team selections. Skagit Valley is ranked No. 3.

Here are the final NWAC East Region standings:

1. CBC 13-1 East, 24-4 overall

2. Treasure Valley 11-3, 22-5

2. Yakima Valley 11-3, 18-10

4. Wenatchee Valley 7-7, 19-11

5. Spokane 6-8, 14-14

6. Big Bend 4-10, 11-18

6. Walla Walla 4-10, 5-18

8. Blue Mountain 0-14, 0-21

This story was originally published November 14, 2024 at 3:32 PM.