Mid-Columbia football honors spread among 5 Tri-City high schools. See who made the cut

It’s been a few weeks since high school football ended, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t give kudos to those players honored by the Mid-Columbia Conference with the all-conference football team.

The team — voted on by MCC coaches and released last month — was dominated by five teams in Chiawana, Southridge, Kennewick, Richland and Kamiakin.

And four of those schools each had at least one major award winner.

Southridge senior running back Jimmy Rush was named MCC Offensive Player of the Year, while Rush’s teammate, senior Trevor Hoopes, was MCC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Meanwhile, Kamiakin senior defensive back Gabe Tahir was named MCC Defensive Player of the Year.

Kennewick senior Ashton Tripp was MCC Co-Lineman of the Year, and Chiawana’s Scott Bond — who led the Riverhawks to the conference title, was named MCC Coach of the Year. Chiawana had seven first-team selections: senior DB Hunter Azure-Pryce, senior LB Judah Bishop, senior OL Jack Booth, junior DL Lane Hedrick, senior OL Chase Langford, and senior WR and DB Cade Smith — who was first-team all-MCC on both sides of the ball.

For Southridge, both Rush and Hoopes were named first-team era on both sides of the ball. Rush was at running back and linebacker, while Hoopes was on both sides of the line.

Joining them were senior running back Lucien Cone (who was a 1,000-yard rusher just like Rush), and senior DB Brock Harris.

Kennewick had two offensive linemen named first team in Tripp, who is headed to Washington State University next fall; and junior Nathan Knapik.

Junior Dylin McIntyre was named first team on the defensive line, and junior Ambrose Driver (punter) and junior Dane McClure (punt return) were two-thirds of the MCC’s first-team special teams unit.

Senior Tanner Schuster led Richland’s contingent by being first team on both sides of the ball, wide receiver and defensive back.

Bombers quarterback Josh Woodard, a junior, was first-team quarterback. He was joined by senior Seth Shook at WR, and senior linebackers Isaya Galvez and Kalani Steward.

Leading Kamiakin was Tahir, who was first team at wide receiver and defensive back.

Joining him were two senior teammates: defensive lineman Devin Crow, and wide receiver Fabian Hernandez.

Finally, Hermiston junior Abie Alatorre was named first-team kicker.

Hockey

The Tri-City Americans will be without goalie Tomas Suchanek and forward Adam Mechura for a few weeks over the holidays, as the two will be playing for Czechia in the upcoming World Juniors Championship.

The tournament will Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick.

▪ Americans defenseman Lukas Dragicevic had an assist in Wednesday night’s 5-3 loss at Everett, giving him a point streak of 22 games.

The loss for the Americans was their first in a few weeks. Tri-City went into the contest riding a six-game win streak.

This past week, Dragicevic was invited to play in the CHL/NHL Kabota Top Prospects Game, set for Jan. 25 in Langley, British Columbia.

Baseball

Congrats go out to Casey Schumacher, who was named the Northwest League Visiting Clubhouse Manager of the Year at last week’s Baseball Winter Meetings in San Diego.

College football

Andy Thompson was named Sacramento State University’s newest head football coach on Wednesday.

Thompson, who is a Walla Walla High School graduate, takes over for Troy Taylor — who recently signed to become Stanford University’s newest head coach.

Thompson has been Sacramento State’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach since 2019. The 13 seasons prior to that, Thompson was an assistant coach at Northern Arizona University.

▪ AJ Vongphachanh, a Chiawana grad, has led the Utah State football team this season with 92 tackles.

The linebacker also has 8 tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Somehow, Vongphachanh did not get honored by being named to the Mountain West Conference all-conference team at all.

The senior will be leading the Aggies defense into the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Dec. 27 against Memphis.

Utah State is 6-6 this year.

Golf

Evan Johnson signed a letter of intent last month to play for the University of Wyoming men’s golf team.

Johnson graduated from Richland High back in June, and had completed his senior season for the Bombers in May by being named the Mid-Columbia Conference Boys Golfer of the Year.

Johnson is the son of Amy and Scott Johnson. Scott golfed collegiately for Arizona State, and Evan’s uncle, Chris, golfed for USC.

Evan Johnson will report to Wyoming in the fall of 2023. Othello’s Patrick Azevedo is currently a sophomore on the Wyoming men’s golf team.

Prep basketball

Chiawana’s outstanding sophomore duo for its girls basketball team, Kaia Foster and Malia Ruud, are definitely getting some good looks from some top women’s college basketball schools. In October, the pair visited Gonzaga University. There will be more visits to more schools.

College soccer

Julianna Ventura, a Chiawana High graduate who also went to Walla Walla Community College, was named first-team all-Northwest Conference for women’s soccer.

Ventura, a senior who plays at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., made the team as a defender.

She started all 19 games for Pacific, which finished with a 5-9-5 record, and had one goal this season.