Week 5 lineup for Mid-Columbia high school football. Matchups move to Thursday this week

The Mid-Columbia Conference is diving in to get most of its football teams two games over the next week.

Only Walla Walla (March 25) and Hermiston (next Tuesday) have byes. But the remaining seven teams will have two games.

Here is what we’re looking at for Thursday:

HERMISTON (1-2) at CHIAWANA (4-0), 7 p.m., Edgar Brown Stadium: The host Riverhawks have the top defense in the area, so Hermiston will need a big performance from QB Chase Elliott.

Jalen Webber has been outstanding on both sides of the ball for Chiawana.

KENNEWICK (4-0) at SOUTHRIDGE (0-4), 7 p.m., Lampson Stadium: This game has been moved to Lampson so that more fans can attend the game under the current COVID rules.

And because Pasco and Kamiakin play at 4 p.m., this contest may not start on time because fans need to be cleared out and everything sanitized.

But when it does start, expect a big game from Lions QB Elijah Tanner and LB Josiah Barajas. Both players have been standouts on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, respectively.

Maxton Martin has been a bright spot at quarterback for the Suns, as has running back Albersh Kuwa.

PASCO (1-3) at KAMIAKIN (3-1), 4 p.m., Lampson Stadium: The visiting Bulldogs had a rough game at Richland last Friday, trailing 56-0 at the half.

Meanwhile, the Braves had a strong bounce back game against Southridge, winning 42-0. Kamiakin RB Tuna Altahir scored three times in that game.

RICHLAND (2-2) at HANFORD (1-3), 7 p.m., Fran Rish Stadium: The host Falcons got head coach Nick Baker his first victory last weekend by beating Davis 28-0 in Yakima.

The Bombers have found their offense with two wins in a row — over Southridge and Pasco — with the three headed monster of Cameron Kitchens, Elijah Rodriguez and Ben Fewel.

Falcons QB Easton Wise-Hyde is winding down his prep football career, and he led Hanford to a rare victory over crosstown Richland last year, and he’d like to do it again.

WALLA WALLA (2-2): The Blue Devils have a bye this week.

DAYTON-WAITSBURG (2-2) at COLUMBIA-BURBANK (3-0), 7 p.m.: The host Coyotes lost their game at Mabton last week when the lights weren’t working. So they’ll be ready to play two week’s worth of games on Thursday.

Burbank has already clinched the 2B EWAC East title, and will play either Granger or Cle Elum/Roslyn the following Tuesday in a crossover game.

KITTITAS (1-3) at RIVER VIEW (3-1), 6 p.m.: The host Panthers have only lost to Burbank, and Braulio Mendoza has been a standout on both sides of the ball for them.

TRI-CITIES PREP (2-2) at MABTON (0-3), 3:30 p.m.: Dan Whitsett’s Jaguars will play a day-time contest Thursday, and he’ll expect his defense to carry the load – thanks to so many injuries to the offensive unit.

Girls soccer

Hayden Crowley’s header goal gave Richland an insurmountable 2-1 lead, and the host Bombers went on to beat Kamiakin 5-1 on Tuesday night to clinch the MCC title.

The Bombers finished with a 7-0 record as they head into the district tournament this coming weekend.

Southridge ended up snaring second place with a 6-1 record, by virtue of a late goal and a 1-0 win over Chiawana. The loss dropped the Riverhawks into a third-place tie in the standings with Kamiakin. Both have 4-3 records.

In other games Tuesday, Pasco edged Hanford 1-0; and Walla Walla blanked Kennewick 6-0.

So here are the final MCC standings: Richland 7-0, Southridge 6-1, Chiawana 4-3, Kamiakin 4-3, Walla Walla 3-4, Pasco 2-5, Hanford 2-5, Kennewick 0-7.

CBC sports

It’s about to get crazy over at Columbia Basin College.

The Hawks administration gave the thumbs up last week to committing to playing all sports with only East Region teams between now and June.

Here’s a look at what each sport gets for the Hawks:

▪ The baseball team’s schedule has the Hawks opening up April 1 at home against Spokane with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

The Hawks have 20 twinbills – 40 games – scheduled all spring through June 6.

▪ The men’s basketball team opens play at home against North Idaho on April 6.

The Hawks will play 16 regular-season games, with the last one taking place June 4.

▪ The CBC women’s basketball team begins play April 10 at Wenatchee Valley. The women’s have a 15-game schedule, with the regular-season finale set for June 4.

▪ The Hawks softball team opens play April 8 with a doubleheader at Wenatchee Valley, starting at 2 p.m.

The team will have 14 doubleheaders, 28 games, with the last contest set for May 23.

▪ The CBC men’s soccer team will open play at North Idaho on March 31 at 4 p.m.

The Hawks will have 13 games, with the last one set for May 26.

▪ The Hawks women’s soccer team opens play at home April 3 with a 2 p.m. contest against Treasure Valley. CBC will have 12 games, with the last one scheduled for May 19.

▪ The CBC volleyball team, with new coach DiShondra Goree, opens the season on April 6 with a doubleheader — start times 5 and 7 p.m. — at North Idaho.

The Hawks will play 12 doubleheaders — or 24 contests — with the final one coming on June 4.

NAIA basketball

▪ Congratulations to the Lewis-Clark State College men’s basketball team, which advanced all the way to the NAIA championship game on Monday night before losing to Shawnee State of Ohio 74-68.

The Warriors finished the season with a 22-2 record.

Jake Albright, who played two seasons at Walla Walla Community College, scored 8 points, had 7 rebounds and 2 assists in the title game.

▪ Meanwhile, the LCSC women’s team made it all the way to the NAIA Sweet 16 before being ousted 69-53 by Campbellsville University of Kentucky.

In the game, starter Jansen Edmiston (Hermiston) scored 4 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. The senior finished the season with the third-best scoring average — 10.2 points — on the team. She also averaged 4.1 rebounds.

Sophomore Madeline Weaver (College Place) came off the bench in the game and played 2 minutes.

The Warriors women’s team finished with a 14-6 record.

This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 5:00 AM.