Richland boys, Chiawana girls off to fabulous starts in MCC basketball

The Richland boys and Chiawana girls are entering the new year in their usual position in the Mid-Columbia Conference basketball standings: first place.

For Earl Streufert’s Bombers boys, they are off to a 6-0 MCC start — and after going down to Utah in early December to win three non-league games — and 9-0 overall.

The Bombers have all returning starters from last season’s team that placed fourth in the 4A state tournament in Tacoma. That includes the nasty 1-2 punch of Landen Northrop and Lance Horntvedt.

In a 91-75 victory Saturday at Chiawana — likely their toughest MCC opponent this season — the dynamic duo combined for 72 points. Horntvedt scored 37 points, added 16 rebounds and 6 assists; Northrop scored 35 points, had 10 rebounds and added 4 assists.

MCC notes: Besides going out to see the Richland boys play, do yourself a favor and watch Kennewick senior Daniel Trotenya play. He just recently surpassed the career 1,000-point mark. He’s great at slashing to the basket, but he also has a solid jump shot. … Congrats to head coach Case Rada and his Sageview Lobos, who won both of their games this past weekend for their first-ever MCC victories.

• Meanwhile, Gary Jonas’ Riverhawks girls also have the same record as the Richland boys(6-0 MCC, 9-0 overall).

Not bad, considering Chiawana lost standouts Malia Ruud (Washington State University) and Kaia Foster (University of New Mexico) to graduation from last season’s team.

But I watched the Riverhawks play a tough Southridge team last Friday night, in which the Suns (who have been mentioned in a few 3A state polls already) trailed just 30-29 at halftime.

Chiawana, however, came out in the third quarter and dominated, outscoring Southridge 24-2 in the quarter, en route to a 59-46 victory.

What was impressive is that Jonas’ team doesn’t just depend on one or two players. Sure, senior Baylee Maldonado has the star power, as she’s committed to Central Washington University next season.

In this game she had 16 points and 6 rebounds. Her little sister, freshman Kailee Maldonado, had 20 points and 9 rebounds.

Jonas used a rotation of six players for the most part — including Emily Thompson, Chloe Clyde, Brailyn Foster, and Gianna Medelez — as Chiawana came at Southridge in a swarm to take control of the game.

Here are the latest MCC boys basketball standings:

1, Richland 6-0 MCC, 9-0 overall

2, Chiawana 5-1, 8-1

3, Kamiakin 4-2, 7-2

3, Kennewick 4-2, 6-3

5, Sageview 2-4, 5-4

5, Southridge 2-4, 4-4

5, Hanford 2-4, 4-5

5, Walla Walla 2-4, 4-5

5, Hermiston 2-4, 3-5

10, Pasco 1-5, 1-7

Jan. 2 scores — Chiawana 95, Southridge 50; Kamiakin 77, Walla Walla 49; Kennewick 73, Hanford 67; Richland 103, Pasco 40; Sageview 69, Hanford 67.

Jan. 3 scores — Kamiakin 82, Hermiston 46; Kennewick 61, Walla Walla 55; Richland 91, Chiawana 75; Sageview 73, Pasco 62; Southridge 57, Hanford 43.

Jan. 6 (all games at 7:30 p.m.) — Chiawana at Pasco; Hanford at Richland; Kamiakin at Sageview; Kennewick at Hermiston; Southridge at Walla Walla.

Jan. 9 (all games at 7:30 p.m.) — Hanford at Pasco; Hermiston at Southridge; Kamiakin at Kennewick; Sageview at Chiawana; Walla Walla at Richland.

Jan. 10 (all games at 5 p.m.) — Kennewick at Sageview; Pasco at Walla Walla; Richland at Hermiston; Southridge at Kamiakin.

Here are the latest MCC girls basketball standings:

1, Chiawana 6-0 MCC, 9-0 overall

2, Hermiston 5-1, 7-1

3, Southridge 4-2, 7-2

3, Kamiakin 4-2, 6-3

5, Richland 3-2, 5-3

6, Kennewick 3-3, 4-5

7, Walla Walla 2-4, 3-6

8, Hanford 1-5, 2-7

8, Pasco 1-5, 2-7

10. Sageview 0-5, 0-6

Jan. 2 scores — Chiawana 59, Southridge 46; Hermiston 60, Sageview 12; Kamiakin 57, Walla Walla 49; Kennewick 69, Hanford 51; Richland 58, Pasco 35.

Jan. 3 scores — Chiawana 73, Richland 57; Hermiston 60, Kamiakin 50; Kennewick 57, Walla Walla 45; Pasco 61, Sageview 14; Southridge 77, Hanford 28.

Jan. 6 (all games at 5:45 p.m.) — Chiawana at Pasco; Hanford at Richland; Kamiakin at Sageview; Kennewick at Hermiston; Southridge at Walla Walla.

Jan. 9 (all games at 5:45 p.m.) — Hanford at Pasco; Hermiston at Southridge; Kamiakin at Kennewick; Sageview at Chiawana; Walla Walla at Richland.

Jan. 10 (all games at 3:15 p.m.) — Kennewick at Sageview; Pasco at Walla Walla; Richland at Hermiston; Southridge at Kamiakin.

Baseball

Erik Yardley has a great baseball story.

The Richland High graduate spent seven seasons toiling in the minor leagues as a right-handed submarine relief pitcher before earning a call up to the San Diego Padres in September of 2019.

This all after almost being cut by his college baseball coach at Seattle University — that is, until he learned to throw with a delivery with a release point just above the ground.

Yardley would pitch in 51 Major League games for the Padres and Milwaukee Brewers from 2019-21.

Eventually, he would retire.

But he also pivoted and became a minor-league pitching coach.

Last summer, Yardley was in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system as the pitching coach for the Northwest League’s Vancouver Canadians.

That also meant he got a chance to work with right-hander Trey Yesavage, who would become a World Series star.

Yesavage is another great story, starting the season at Class A team Dunedin in Florida, moving up to High-A Vancouver.

Yesavage was only with Vancouver for three weeks, before being promoted to Double-A New Hampshire in June. In August, the righty was again promoted, this time to Triple-A Buffalo, before being elevated to the parent club in Toronto in mid-September.

From there, he became the ace of the Blue Jays’ postseason before the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series.

It’s kind of cool to think Yardley helped in Yesavage’s rise.

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Herald.