Mid-Columbia region sends 17 teams to WA basketball tournaments this weekend

The Mid-Columbia region will have 17 teams playing state high school basketball tournament games this weekend, as everyone gets ready for contests on the Tacoma Dome, Yakima Valley SunDome, and Spokane Arena floors starting next Wednesday.

Some of this weekend’s games will just determine seedings. But others are do-or-die contests, with losers having their seasons end.

For many fans of the Richland boys and the Chiawana girls — teams that have yet to lose a game — this will be their last chance to see their teams locally.

It’s been a great season for the Bomber boys and Riverhawk girls.

“If you compare all of the competitive teams we’ve had, like the 2014 team with Payton Radliff, Nathan (Streufert) and Steven Beo, they were a really good offensive team,” said Richland coach Earl Streufert. “I think this team is just as good.”

Streufert says that Richland’s top six scorers are all shooting 55 percent from the floor or better.

“We pass the ball. We share it,” he said. “We’re old school in that we have just a couple of guys who come off the bench. Everybody knows their roles.”

For Gary Jonas and his Chiawana girls, he wasn’t sure what he had last summer after losing two seniors to NCAA Division I schools (Malia Ruud to Washington State University, and Kaia Foster to New Mexico).

“We went to Gonzaga’s summer camp,” said Jonas. “I asked Lisa (Fortier) to give us the toughest schedule she could.”

Jonas said Fortier, the Gonzaga women’s head coach, wanted to make sure that’s what he wanted.

He did. Jonas said they went 1-11 in that camp.

“But it was the best thing for us,” said Jonas.

The players fought through adversity, went to other summer camps and tournaments, held their own summer league — and never lost again.

With Baylee Maldonado and Gianna Medelez — along with third captain Emily Thompson — the Riverhawks completely gelled as a team.

Now, the No. 3-seeded Riverhawks will meet No. 6 Lake Washington at 6 p.m. today at Richland High School.

Meanwhile, Chad Herron and his Chiawana boys play in a winner-to-Tacoma, loser-out game tonight against the Sumner Spartans.

With a 21-4 record, the Riverhawks have shown to be a well-balanced team this season.

“We’ve had (a number of) nights where all five starters have taken turns in leading us in scoring,” said Herron. “This is a pretty deep group.”

Herron loves this group “because they get along so well. I love spending time with this group. They’re each other’s biggest fans, and I think that helps us defensively.”

Here’s a look at all area team matchups this weekend:

Class 4A boys

(2) Richland Bombers (24-0) vs. (7) Emerald Ridge Jaguars (23-4), 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, Richland High School: The Mid-Columbia Conference has yet to release its all-league teams, but suffice it to say Streufert should expect seniors Lance Horntvedt and Landen Northrop, as well as junior Jackson Woodard, will be on that squad. … Horntvedt, who has committed to Eastern Washington University, led the MCC in scoring at 28.2 points. Northrop was third at 25.2, and Woodard was seventh at 16.4. … Northrop became the Bombers’ all-time leading scorer on Feb. 17, snapping a 51-year-old mark at 2,011 points held by Mike Neill. … Jags coach Pat Mullen was the Co-Coach of Year in the South Puget Sound 4A North league. … Jamaize McGriff and Jordan Bennett were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year; and McGriff, Bennett and Darius Alexander were first-team all-league selections. … Both teams have already qualified to play on the Tacoma Dome floor next week.

(11) Chiawana Riverhawks (21-4) vs. (14) Sumner Spartans (17-9), 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, at Richland High School: Chad Herron’s Riverhawks have had a great season in a conference that also has unbeaten Richland. Chiawana has balanced scoring with four players averaging 9 points or better: Gage Williams (12.2), Benji Larios (12.1), Messiah Guy (9.8), and Jermell Heavens (9.6). … Bill Liley’s Spartans finished third in the tough South Puget Sound League North Division, and they have two all-stars in sophomore Jerius Isabell (first team) and senior Goose Frederick (second). … Winner of this game heads to Tacoma for a loser-out Wednesday game. Loser of this contest has its season end.

(16) Sunnyside Grizzlies (15-8) vs. (9) Auburn Trojans (21-3), 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Auburn High School: Bruce Siebol’s Grizzlies can put the ball in the net, led by junior guard Aidan Sanchez. He was named first-team all-Columbia Basin Big Nine, and he averaged 27.1 points a game to lead the CBBN in scoring. Sanchez and junior teammate Julian Villanueva (12.1 points) were also named to the league’s All-Defense squad. … Auburn was the North Puget Sound League 4A regular-season champion, led by NPSL co-Player of the Year Daniel Johnson. Junior Isaiah Englund was also named to the first team. … Game is a loser-out contest.

Class 4A girls

(6) Lake Washington Kangaroos (18-7) vs. (3) Chiawana Riverhawks (25-0), 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, at Richland High School: Both teams have already qualified to play in the Tacoma Dome next week. … Jonas will look to the Maldonado sisters to help provide scoring. Baylee, the senior and committed to Central Washington University, averages 17.9 points. Kailee, the freshman, averages 16.0 points. Another freshman, Chloe Clyde, scores 8.7 points a game. … Kangaroos had two all-Kingo Crest first-team all-stars in senior Ashley Uusitalo and junior Julia Benthen. Uusitalo averages 14.8 points and is committed to Oregon State University. Benthen scores 14.9 a game. … Another teammate, junior Ileana Olteanu, was named Kingco Crest co-Defensive Player of the Year.

Class 3A girls

(17) Bishop Blanchet Bears 57, (16) Hermiston Bulldogs 24: This game was played on Tuesday in Hermiston. … The Bulldogs, who were led by sophomore Sofia Rodriguez’s 8 points, never led in the contest and actually trailed 12-0 after the first quarter. … Blanchet (14-14) moves on to the second round of the tourney, while Jay Ego’s Bulldogs end their season with an 18-7 record.

Class 2A boys

(7) Grandview Greyhounds (18-6) vs. (2) R.A. Long Lumberjacks (24-0), 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, Kelso High School: The Greyhounds were one of the best teams in the state last season. But they couldn’t get out of the tough CWAC district. … Now they’re back and riding a 6-game winning streak. … Both teams will head to the Yakima Valley SunDome next week. … Grandview head coach Frank Medina will have a leadership group of Frankie Medina, Braden Santos and Deontae Howard out on the floor. The younger Medina has been hampered by an ankle injury this season, but he is a career 1000-point scorer. Santos averages 16.2 points, while Howard is at 15.7. … Long’s Jeray Key was named Greater St. Helens League’s 2A coach of the year, while senior Josh Crane was the Player of the Year. Junior Cam Newsome and senior Landon Irwin were both first-team selections.

Class 2A girls

(3) Prosser Mustangs (21-3) vs. (6) W.F. West Bearcats (20-4), 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, Grandview High School: Prosser head coach Jessica Huntington led her Mustangs through a tough 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference season. … Led by junior Herbie Wright — who scored a school-record 57 points in one game this season — Prosser is currently riding a 13-game win streak. Wright was the leading scorer in the CWAC this season, averaging 27.5 points. … Senior Deidra Phillips also can score, averaging 15.0 points. … The Bearcats from Chehalis have three double-digit scorers, all of them juniors: Dilyn Boeck (19.1 points), Joy Cushman (15.9) and Kaitlyn Chloupek (10.9). Coach Kyle Karnofski’s team is riding a 15-game win streak. … Boeck is the 2A Evergreen MVP, while the other two are first-teamers. … Both teams have already qualified to play in the Yakima Valley SunDome next week.

Class 1A boys

(3) Royal Knights (21-3) vs. (6) King’s Knights (17-6), 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Davis High School, Yakima: All three of Royal’s losses have come at the hands of No. 1 seed Zillah. … Both teams in this contest will automatically move on to the Yakima SunDome next week. … Royal junior guard Grant Wardenaar (at 30.8 points a game, the league’s leading scorer) was named South Central Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and to the first team all-conference unit. Junior Manuel Ruvalcaba and freshman Graham Palmer (12.8 points) were named to the second team for Royal. … Sidenote: Royal’s head coach is Tim Ravet, who led the Kittitas boys and Ellensburg girls to a few state championships. His son, Brock Ravet, a legend in prep basketball in this state, is an assistant. So is former Central Washington University men’s head basketball coach Greg Sparling.

Class 1A girls

(5) Royal Knights (20-4) vs. (4) Annie Wright Gators (18-5), 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, at University of Puget Sound: Both teams will be in Yakima next week. … Junior Graycie Kast and freshman Lauren Wardenaar were named first-team All-SCAC for Royal. Wardenaar is the team’s top scorer at 16.4 points. Teammate Briana Cedeno averages 10.6 points. … Three of Royal’s four losses this season are to top-ranked Zillah.

Class 2B boys

(5) Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars (22-3) vs. (4) Toledo Riverhawks (18-3), 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Tumwater High School: This is a rematch of December’s 2B state football championship game, with the Jaguars winning 47-34. … Both teams are guaranteed spots in the tourney field next week in Spokane. … Jags’ Isaac Nelson was named EWAC East Coach of the Year, while senior guard Layne McClure was EWAC East Player of the Year. Senior teammate Collin Sweesy was named first team, while senior Marcus Hiett was a second-team selection.

(13) Ilwaco Fishermen (16-4) vs. (12) Columbia-Burbank Coyotes (14-11), 12 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Richland High School: Burbank, the defending state champion, lost a lot of talent from last season’s team to graduation — including 2B state MVP Quincy Scott, who is now playing at Western Colorado. But Coyotes coach Todd Schumacher still led his team back to the state tournament. … Sophomore Brody Schumacher was a first-team All-EWAC East selection, while senior Mason Schumacher was second team. … This is a loser-out game, in which the winner advances to the main tournament field in Spokane. … Coyotes may have a mediocre record, but they have won eight of their last nine contests.

(16) Warden Cougars (13-12) vs. (9) Adna Pirates (21-4), 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, at Tumwater High School: Brent Erdmann’s Warden team is the third EWAC East school in the tournament. But the Cougars have the worst seed. They’ll take on Adna in a winner-to-Spokane, loser-out game. … Cougars’ Eli Cox and Hunter Golladay, both seniors, were named first-team All-EWAC East. Sophomore teammate JJ Madsen was second team. … Adna junior Trevin Salme (23.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) is the co-MVP of the 2B Central League.

Class 2B girls

(16) Mabton Vikings (13-11) vs. (9) Davenport Gorillas (20-5), 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, at Cheney High School: This is a loser-out, winner-to-main tournament-field-in-Spokane game. … Vikings aren’t as loaded as they were the last two seasons, but they still have senior Alana Zavala. The standout guard has scored over 2,000 career points at Mabton, and she was named the EWAC East MVP this season. … Davenport finished third in the rough Northeast 2B North division under head coach Dusty Ostreich.

Blass 1B boys

(6) Liberty Christian Patriots (22-2) vs. (3) Tulalip Heritage Hawks (20-6), 12 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Mount Vernon High School: Both teams will qualify for Spokane, win or lose. … Liberty Christian started the season winning its first 17 games. The Richland school is coached by Dylan Haak, who was named the Southeast 1B Grape Division Coach of the Year. … The Pats had three first-team all-league players, all seniors: Ryker Wageman, Trevor Haak, and Nathan Grover. Senior Camden Hogaboam was named to the second team. … Tulalip Heritage, a school from Marysville, is led by senior Damien Parks, who averages 19.8 points per game.

(4) DeSales (20-4) vs. (5) Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian (19-2), 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Richland High School: Both teams have qualified for the Spokane field next week. … DeSales head coach Eric Wood led his team to the Southeast 1B Grape regular-season title, sharing it with Richland’s Liberty Christian with each having 13-1 conference records. … The Irish had three players on the first team of the Grape Division all-conference squad: seniors Spencer Green and Maddox Filan, and junior Cohen Wood. Meanwhile, junior Malachi Raymond and senior Manning Filan were second-team all-conference selections. … The MCCA/CC Lions are coached by Emerson Ferguson, who was named the Central Washington 1B League’s Coach of the Year last weekend. … The Lions got off to a 12-0 start this season, which included a 54-44 win over DeSales on Jan. 2. … Johnny Ferguson was named the CW 1B MVP last weekend, and he was joined on the first-team all-conference squad by teammates Max Gulenko and Dennis Gulenko.

(10) Sunnyside Chrstian Knights (19-7) vs. (15) Wellpinit Redskins (15-9), 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, at Grandview High School: Winner to Spokane, loser is done. … Knights head coach Henry Bosma will expect senior Aiden Andringa and junior Eli De Boer to do some damage. Both players were recently named to the first team of the Southeast 1B Grape Division all-league team. … Wellpinit defeated No. 18 Evergreen Lutheran 58-57 on Tuesday to advance to this game.

(12) Touchet Redhawks (15-8) vs. (13) Summit Classical Christian Archers (19-8), 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Richland High School: If you’re in the area and can get to Richland High School, do so at this time. Watch Touchet eighth-grader Aylen Garnett play. He was just named the Southeast 1B Grape Division Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection. Why? Garnett averaged 40.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.0 steals this season. … Also a feel good story, as this is the first time in school history that Touchet has played in the state tournament. … Winner qualifies to play next week in Spokane; loser is done.

Class 1B girls

(11) Liberty Christian Patriots (16-7) vs. (14) Taholah Chitwhins (17-6), 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Richland High School: Taholah comes into Saturday’s game after taking down No. 19 Concrete 64-37 on Tuesday. … Winner advances to field in Spokane starting Wednesday. Loser is done. … Patriots head coach Chanda Jablonski depends on three all-conference players: eighth grader Taylor Haak, senior Camas Van Hollebeke, and sophomore Atalie Olsson. … Taholah’s Dramikha Jackson earned co-coach of year honors in the 1B Coastal League. Senior Noelani McCrory, who scored her 1,000th career point this year, was named first-team all-league. So was junior Shirleymae Stafford.

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