3 Mid-Columbia coaches earn website’s all-state honors. See who made the list

Varsity Washington recently named its all-state high school football team.

Writer Todd Milles did it by doing one all-classification squad. But he also named players of the year, as well as coaches of the year — for each classification.

For example, in Class 2B, Kyle Cairns of Tri-Cities Prep was named Class 2B Coach of the Year after he led the Jaguars to the state title last month.

DeSales’ Josh Richard (Class 1B) and Royal’s Wiley Allred (Class 1A) were also named coaches of the year after leading their respective teams to state titles.

Shea Stevenson, a standout out at defensive back and wide receiver, led Royal to the 1A title. He was named the 1A state player of the year.

Stevenson was also one of two players from the Mid-Columbia who made his prestigious all-state squad, his position being defensive back.

Chiawana junior Tayten Cissne — who had 70 tackles (14 for loss) for the Riverhawks — was named as an all-state linebacker.

There were also seven area players listed as honorable mention selections: Southridge senior Gabe Borisch at running back; Chiawana sophomore Cooper Cissne at defensive back; Chiawana senior Morgan Dodson at kicker; Royal senior Abel Garcia at offensive lineman; Richland senior Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane as a hybrid defensive player; Kennewick senior Cooper Neer at linebacker; Kamiakin junior Mason Severson at all-purpose player; and Pasco senior defensive back Max Valencia, who led the Mid-Columbia Conference with 9 interceptions.

• University of Montana head football coach Bobby Hauck and his staff did a great job of recruiting the Columbia Basin, judging by the early signing day numbers a few months ago.

The Grizzlies grabbed four (of their 20 signees) from this region. They were Chiawana kicker and punter Morgan Dodson, Moses Lake quarterback Brady Jay, Kennewick High linebacker Cooper Neer, and Prosser offensive lineman Josiah West.

Dodson, at 6-2, 205 pounds, just decommitted on Tuesday, however.

Jay set all kinds of passing records in his Mavericks career. He is the son of Brett Jay, the Moses Lake coach who starred at River View High School, then coached the Panthers and Hanford football teams before moving to Moses Lake.

Neer verbally committed to Montana before the season began. The 6-3, 205-pounder was the leader of the Lions defense and helped them go to the state playoffs.

And West is a coveted lineman at 6-6, 260. He was also offered scholarships to play for Air Force, Montana State, Eastern Washington and Idaho.

Community college cross country

Irrigon High grad Sanyana Felipe finished third in the NWAC cross country championships in Spokane on Nov. 10.

Felipe, a sophomore competing for Umpqua, ran the 6,000 meters on the Spokane course in 23 minutes, 23.3 seconds. That’s a personal record for her.

Taylor Dickey of Southwestern Oregon CC won the event with a time of 22:47.6.

College volleyball

Former Columbia Basin College volleyball standout Josephine Thompson, a senior, completed her final season as a member of the Whitworth University volleyball team, which went 21-7 overall (14-2 Northwest Conference).

Thompson was among the team leaders in assists (514), service aces (40) and digs (242).

Thompson’s teammate, sophomore middle blocker Ali Bush (Liberty Christian) was also a member of the Pirates’ squad.

• Freshman Mazie Reeser (Stanfield) had an outstanding season for the Linn-Benton Community College volleyball team, which went 24-7.

Reeser, an outside hitter/opposite, led the Roadrunners in kills with 267. She also had 37 services aces and 300 digs — both of which were second-best on the team.

Signings, commitments

College Place senior Rio Hayes, who was a second-team selection as a pitcher last spring for the 1A South Central Athletic Conference softball team, has committed to playing softball for Olympic Community College for the 2026-27 season.

• Hanford senior Easton Bush has committed to play baseball for Columbia Basin College, beginning for the 2026-27 season.

Fall softball recap

Chiawana senior Amelia Smith was named Player of the Year by the Mid-Columbia Conference slowpitch softball coaches this past fall.

Smith, a third baseman, helped lead the Riverhawks to a second-place finish at the state tournament a few weeks ago.

She hit over.650, scored 32 runs and drove in 26 more.

Smith’s coach, Aaron Cantu, was named MCC Coach of the Year.

“I take that award as a staff award,” said Cantu.

Smith was joined on the MCC first team with five Riverhawks teammates: sophomore infielder Leah Andros, senior outfielder Audrina Conner, sophomore outfielder Emma Lewis, senior infielder Chloe Reed, and junior pitcher Lakin Wilson.

Walla Walla had four players named to the first team: senior utility/extra player Addie Bowen, senior outfielder Emily Meliah, sophomore infielder Elyse Ocanaz, and sophomore infielder Brooklyn White.

Hermiston junior infielder Kelley Venoy was also a first-teamer, as was Sageview sophomore outfielder Natalie Hernandez.

Hernandez becomes the first ever Lobo to make an MCC all-conference first team in any varsity sport.

-Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.