Prosser’s Kellen Moore heads to the Super Bowl. These teams are eyeing him for head coach

Prosser High grad Kellen Moore is headed to the Super Bowl in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Moore is the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, and on Sunday, Philadelphia scored 55 points to set a record in the NFC championship.

The Eagles have another shot at the Kansas City Chiefs, after a loss at Super Bowl LVII.

Usually at this time of year, Moore is also a head coaching candidate for other National Football League teams. And this year is no different.

He has interviewed for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints.

While he didn’t get either the Jaguars or Cowboys positions, Saints brass flew to Philadelphia this past Monday night to interview Moore in person.

Prep basketball

There are just a few weeks left in the Mid-Columbia Conference regular season for both boys and girls basketball, and it looks like the Richland boys and Chiawana girls are close to locking up titles.

Kennewick gave the Bombers a scare on Tuesday, Jan. 21, coming close to Richland but eventually falling 58-55 in the Lions Den. Junior Daniel Trotenya (15 points, 12 rebounds) and senior Tanner Larson (13 and 10), as well as 20 points from Dane Chavez, made things close.

But Kennewick was a paltry 2 for 20 from the 3-point line, and that’s what hurt the Lions.

In all fairness to the Bombers, who are unbeaten at 15-0 overall, they had just been playing Tahoma in Federal Way 24 hours earlier. So the long travel couldn’t have helped.

But Earl Streufert’s Richland team looks to be one of the best in the state among 4A schools. With Landen Northrop and Lance Horntvedt — both juniors — leading the way, the Bombers could go deep into the postseason.

Northrop scored 26 points and Horntvedt added 20 in that win over Kennewick. But it’s been fun to watch sophomore Jackson Woodard work his way into a third offensive option; Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane pound away on the boards; and Josiah Scacco lock down on the opponent’s top scorer defensively.

Meanwhile, Richland plays host to Chiawana at 5 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 1. The Riverhawks sit in second place in the MCC standings. Junior Gage Williams is the team’s leading scorer at 12.9 points a game.

But a nice thing Riverhawks coach Chad Herron has going for him is that on any given night, anyone on his roster could lead the team in scoring.

Meanwhile, the Chiawana girls held of Kamiakin last Friday night, winning at home 66-62 in overtime.

Senior Kaia Foster — headed to New Mexico this fall — stepped up to score 25 points and grab 11 rebounds. And it was Foster’s deep 3 as time expired in regulation that forced the overtime.

Teammate Malia Ruud, bound for Washington State University in August, added 11 points and 11 rebounds.

As for Kamiakin, the Braves looked good at times and outplayed Chiawana. But the Braves also got into too much foul trouble, forcing people to the bench at key times.

▪ The MCC regular season ends on Feb. 11, and then the post-season starts for Class 4A on Feb. 13, and for 3A on Feb. 15 with the District 6 tournaments with Greater Spokane League schools.

For the 4A boys and girls, the top two placers advance to the state tournament.

This will be a big problem in the boys tournament because Richland, Gonzaga Prep and Chiawana are among the state’s top teams. Some team will be left out.

It’s even worse for the 4A girls, as there are four good teams: Chiawana, Gonzaga Prep, Kamiakin and Mead. Two really good squads will not be going to Tacoma.

The top three MCC 3A teams in both boys and girls will get into the district tournament against five GSL teams.

The top three placers advance to the 20-team state tournaments.

BOYS BASKETBALL

3A-4A MCC

Through games of Jan. 28

Richland (4A) 11-0 MCC, 15-0 overall

Chiawana (4A) 10-2, 15-2

Kennewick (3A) 8-4, 11-5

Kamiakin (4A) 7-5, 10-7

Walla Walla (3A) 5-6, 8-7

Hermiston (3A) 5-7, 8-8

Southridge (3A) 4-8, 5-12

Hanford (4A) 2-10, 2-14

Pasco (4A) 1-11, 2-15

Jan. 28

Hanford 77, Southridge 71

Jan. 31

Kamiakin at Walla Walla, 7:30 p.m.

Kennewick at Hanford, 7:30 p.m.

Pasco at Richland, 7:30 p.m.

Southridge at Chiawana, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1

Chiawana at Richland, 5 p.m.

Hermiston at Kamiakin, 5 p.m.

Walla Walla at Kennewick, 5 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

3A-4A MCC

Through games of Jan. 28

Chiawana (4A) 12-0 MCC, 15-1 overall

Kamiakin (4A) 10-2, 12-4

Kennewick (3A) 9-3, 12-4

Southridge (3A) 6-6, 10-6

Hermiston (3A) 6-6, 9-8

Walla Walla (3A) 4-7, 6-9

Richland (4A) 4-7, 5-10

Pasco (4A) 1-11, 3-12

Hanford (4A) 1-11, 1-14

Jan. 28

Southridge 53, Hanford 20

Jan. 31

Kamiakin at Walla Walla, 5:45 p.m.

Kennewick at Hanford, 5:45 p.m.

Pasco at Richland, 5:45 p.m.

Southridge at Chiawana, 5:45 p.m.

Feb. 1

Chiawana at Richland, 3:15 p.m.

Hermiston at Kamiakin, 3:15 p.m.

Walla Walla at Kennewick, 3:15 p.m.

This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 11:39 AM.