1,000 rally in Richland to celebrate WA basketball, wrestling championships

The scoreboard at Art Dawald Gym at Richland High School on Wednesday night read 63-49 — the final score after the Bombers boys basketball team beat Gonzaga Prep for the WIAA Class 4A state basketball title on March 7.

Richland boys coach Earl Streufert told the Herald later that night, “It’s been special. These guys have been great ambassadors for our school. That was a community win. That was a program win.”

The program wanted to thank the Richland faithful, who travel well.

Jon Manley of the Tacoma News Tribune reported recently that the WIAA sold 34,540 tickets for the four-day tournament in the Tacoma Dome, from March 4-7.

That was up from 2025’s numbers of 27,410; and it was only topped in the last 10 years by 2017’s 35,743.

Manley gave three reasons for the attendance increase: Rainier Beach boasted the nation’s No. 1 recruit in Tyran Stokes; local high school Lincoln of Tacoma had a strong 3A boys team; and Richland’s fanbase, which got bigger each day and impressed the west side media.

And that’s what Wednesday night was about: For the community, the Bomber supporters, it was time to celebrate Richland’s success.

So, just a few weeks after going 28-0 and winning the state championship, a group of boosters, students and fans gathered to celebrate the team’s title. The cheerleaders were there. The school band was there, playing the Richland Bomber fight song.

The estimated 1,000 people gathered in Art Dawald Gym came to revel in the championship — and also honor Richland senior Savannah Thorpe as well.

Thorpe, a senior, earned a state title at 115 pounds in February at the WIAA 4A state girls wrestling tournament.

Thorpe’s championship was the Bombers’ first-ever title ever won by a Richland girl wrestler.

In 2025, Thorpe helped Richland win a girls 4A team title in Tacoma.

Richland High officials set things up Wednesday for the basketball team like it was game day, announcing each player over the public address system. They even had the little kids come out on the floor and line up — just like gameday — to get high-fives from the players.

Streufert grabbed his grandson and got in line with the kids.

There were videos put together by Richland teacher Tait Meyer.

The players got a standing ovation from the crowd.

And there were speeches.

Streufert said when he first came to Richland in 1999, a year after helping Jim Thacker win a state title for Walla Walla, he showed everyone — including former Bomber coaches Frank Teverbaugh, Phill Neill and Jim Castleberry — his blue state championship ring.

“I said I want one that’s green,” he told the crowd. “I didn’t think it would take 27 years to get one.”

While in Tacoma, Streufert said he usually puts motivational things on the whiteboard in the locker room for players to see. He’s done it every year.

“But this year, I just told them to be yourself,” he said. “It worked. We play for the name on the front of the jersey. It’s always Bomber time.”

After getting the title, Streufert said he received numerous texts, emails and letters.

Bruce Robertson, Streufert’s long-time assistant coach, chided the media and pundits for saying that “No. 1 (Landen Northrop) and No. 3 (Lance Horntvedt) were two of the best players in the state of Washington. They are the TWO BEST players in the state of Washington. And this is the best team in the state of Washington.”

The Bombers’ four seniors — Northrop, Horntvedt, Braylon Edwards, and Josiah Scacco — all took turns to talk to the crowd.

That group of seniors went 66-0 in Mid-Columbia Conference contests.

The Bombers won their 33rd district championship; they made their 48th state-tournament appearance; and of course, won their fourth state title — joining the 1958, 1972 and 1979 teams in the process.

Horntvedt said he always felt they were going to win the state title, while Northrop thanked the student section “for showing up hours before the games.”

Scacco thanked both Streufert and Robertson for their support.

But it was Edwards — the guy who sometimes had to yell at his teammates during practices to straighten up — who talked about the team’s mottos.

“We had two,” he said. “Win every play. Don’t take a play off. The second one was ‘Just shut your mouth and do you job.’ Those are life lessons.”

Richland girls wrestling coach John Nicacio started the evening by telling the crowd that he and his staff didn’t know what they had when Thorpe showed up for workouts back in her freshman year.

“We had the team doing bear crawls up Carmichael hill,” said Nicacio. “We learned that day that she had no quit in her. My brother (an assistant coach) said to me she was going to be something special.”

It was true.

Thorpe finished her prep wrestling career with a 148-43 record over her four seasons.

“This sport doesn’t guarantee victory,” said Nicacio.

Thorpe got there with hard work, noting that she would show up for a 6 a.m. practice, then ask to practice with the boys team, then finish with her girls teammates. That was three practices a day.

“She’s a leader, by example, and she’s a vocal leader,” Nicacio continued. “She gets her teammates ready to go out on the mat.”

Thorpe admitted she got to the top of the podium in February with that hard work.

“My freshman year, I came here with zero wrestling experience,” said the senior with a 3.9 grade point average. “But I knew I wanted to be the first Richland girls state champion. The past three years, I made that goal to be a state champion.”

Thorpe thanked her coaches and all of her wrestling partners over the years.

The Gold Rush dance team, which earned 15 first-place trophies this winter at various competitions, also performed for the crowd.

When it all was almost over, Edwards grabbed the microphone and asked a fan called Bomber Man to come down to the floor and give everyone one last cheer — a cheer the adult fan has always done for years right before the opening tipoff.

He obliged, but he declined the microphone.

“Go you Bombers!” He yelled to the crowd’s delight. “Let’s go Bombers!”

For Richland, it was a perfect way to end the night.

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

This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 11:14 AM.