Chiawana boys soccer team has best ever state finish, dominates MCC all-star team

Riley Dodson’s Chiawana Riverhawks boys soccer team ended up placing fourth in the Class 4A state recently at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.

It was the highest finish for a Riverhawks team in the school’s history, and Chiawana finished the season with a 19-3-1 record.

In the Friday semifinals, Chiawana’s Diego Alvarez scored on a direct free kick with 12 minutes remaining to give the Riverhawks a 1-0 lead against No. 2 seed Woodinville.

But the Falcons rallied to score a goal in regulation and force two overtimes. In the second OT, Woodinville scored the game-winner for a 2-1 victory.

Woodinville went on to beat No. 5 Hazen 2-1 in the state championship.

Chiawana lost 3-1 in the third-place game on Saturday to Wenatchee.

It was a great season for Dodson and his team. The first time in school history in the state Final Four. A fourth-place finish; the best ever for the Riverhawks. Nineteen wins.

Over the past few years, the Riverhawks were known for the high-scoring offense. But this team was dominant on defense, led by senior defender Axel Arellano — who was named the Mid-Columbia Conference Player of the Year by the league’s coaches.

Three other Riverhawks were named first-team All-MCC: sophomore defender Alfredo Andrade, junior goalkeeper Moises Nino, and junior midfielder Eli Sanchez.

Overall, a great season for Chiawana.

▪ Speaking of All-MCC boys soccer, Richland’s Mike Pardini was named the MCC Coach of the Year.

The Bombers also had three players named first team: junior midfielder Martin Rivera, junior forward Kendyn Sparks, and junior defender William Um.

Pasco also had three first-teamers in senior midfielder Tyler Axel, senior defender Alvaro Gonzalez, and senior forward Ernesto Jimenez.

Others named first-team All-MCC were Hermiston senior midfielder Angel Cadenas Garcia; Kennewick sophomore forward Moises Mendoza Lopez; and Walla Walla freshman midfielder Cristian Tapia.

▪ Othello senior Jose Cabrera was named Central Washington Athletic Conference boys soccer Offensive Player of the Year this spring by the league’s coaches.

Cabrera was a first-team forward.

Meanwhile, three Grandview Greyhounds were also named to the first team: freshman defender Erick Aguilar; senior forward Xavier Hernandez; and sophomore forward Eduardo Perez Arrezola.

The Greyhounds’ Sam Villa was named CWAC Coach of the Year.

Quincy’s Kasey Toevs was named Defensive Player of the Year.

Baseball

Pitcher Alec Ammerman, who helped lead Richland High School to the 2024 4A state baseball championship, finished his first season at Grand Canyon University. Ammerman did not play, however, and has entered the transfer portal.

This summer, the right-hander is pitching for the Wenatchee Apple Sox in the West Coast League. He has appeared in three games, is 1-0 and has tossed 7.1 innings and has struck out 6 batters. His earned run average is 1.22.

▪ Columbia Basin College shortstop Lance Anderson (Boise) is batting .500 (4 for 8) for the Sawtooth Sockeyes summer college baseball league. The team is off to a 5-0 start.

Anderson has two doubles and two RBIs.

Anderson, a sophomore, hit .316 for the Hawks this spring, with one home run, 23 RBIs and 28 stolen bases.

He was named first-team All-East Region, and is a second-team NWAC shortstop. Anderson is also an NWAC Gold Glove selection at shortstop.

This fall, Anderson will play at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, N.J.

▪ Senior outfielder Steven Meier was a standout this spring for the Troy University baseball team, which has a 39-21 record, been ranked in the top 25 for much of the season, and expects to play in the NCAA Tournament.

Meier — who prepped at Southridge High School, played for Columbia Basin College, Old Dominion University before transferring this past offseason to Troy — is hitting .300 for the Trojans, has 8 home runs, and 42 RBIs.

His 60 runs and 24 stolen bases lead the team, as does his astounding being hit by 29 pitches.

The NCAA Tournament draw was on Monday, May 26, and the Trojans did not make the field.

▪ Kennewick High grad Jackson Lind recently finished his college baseball career at Seattle University.

The senior catcher started 17 games for the Redhawks, and played in 29 games for the 20-32 team.

Lind hit .203, had one home run, and drove in 10 runs.

He is a Biochemistry major.

▪ Southridge High grad Mason Martin is back with the Lancaster Stormers this season in the independent Atlantic League.

The 25-year-old first baseman is batting .231 (9 for 39) in 11 games for the Stormers. He has four home runs and 8 RBIs.

Hockey

Former Tri-City American Brandon Carlo was traded by the Boston Bruins to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 7.

Carlo and the Maple Leafs made it to the second round of the NHL playoffs.

Carlo, 28, is a 6-5, 220-pound defenseman who spent nine seasons with Boston.

He was with the Americans from 2013 to 2016.

Softball

College of Idaho senior Ashlynn Nixon was named to the first-team Cascade Collegiate Conference all-conference softball team recently.

Nixon is a senior who spent her first two seasons playing for Columbia Basin College.

This season for the Yotes, Nixon hit .350, had two homers and 29 RBIs. She also walked 26 times, and stole 6 bases.