More changes for the Western Hockey League. And what that means for the Tri-City Americans

The Western Hockey League announced this week that its season won’t start until Jan. 8.

The coronavirus has caused many leagues to postpone starting their seasons.

The WHL, for instance, was originally scheduled to begin Oct. 4. Then is was pushed to Dec. 4.

Now it’s January.

The league also announced that teams will only play within their divisions, to help alleviate any extra travel during the pandemic..

For the Tri-City Americans, that means games only against the Spokane Chiefs, Everett Silvertips, Seattle Thunderbirds and Portland Winterhawks.

That makes sense, especially after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this week that he won’t open the U.S.-Canadian border until the United States gets a better handle on its coronavirus situation.

As for the number of games, the league has not announced how many each team will play.

“The WHL continues to work with each of the governments and health authorities in the provinces and states in Western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest, respectively, on obtaining the necessary approvals to commence play,” according to the WHL news release.

All players are to report to their respective WHL teams right after the Christmas break to practice and begin play on Friday, Jan. 8.

The WHL also has appointed Dr. Dhiren Naidu of Edmonton as the WHL chief medical advisor.

Naidu, an associate professor at the University of Alberta and head team physician for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and CFL’s Edmonton Football Team, served as the NHL medical director for the NHL hub, which just concluded in Edmonton.

Dr. Naidu will be assisting the WHL with its comprehensive health and safety protocol, in consultation with Provincial and State Health Authorities.

College football

There’s good reason for the Tri-Cities to follow Whitworth University football this year.

While the Pirates have yet to announce a spring schedule — the fall season was canceled because of COVID-19 — the official roster has been released by the school.

The Mid-Columbia has 11 athletes on the team: freshman wide receiver Dylan Ashbeck (Walla Walla High School grad), sophomore kicker-punter Alvaro Campos-Ontiveros (DeSales), junior defensive back Colten Chelin (Kamiakin), freshman linebacker Riley Cissne (Chiawana), senior offensive lineman Andrew Diddens (Sunnyside), sophomore wide receiver Kyle Holler (Kamiakin), sophomore defensive end Brayden Miller (Waitsburg), freshman running back Gabe Schilz (Chiawana), freshman defensive lineman Tanner Sullins (Kamiakin), sophomore defensive back Atticus Templeton (Kennewick), and long snapper Dhylan Worster (Kamiakin).

Cross country

Kamiakin junior Isaac Teeples traveled to Arizona a few weeks ago to compete in the Desert Twilight Cross Country Festival.

Teeples, who won the Class 3A individual state championship in November 2019 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, ran unattached in the 5,000 meters Unattached High School/Club/Collegiate Sweeps division.

Teeples covered the course, run over the Links Golf Course in San Tan Valley, is 15 minutes and 1.5 seconds, placing fourth.

Prep football

The Big Nine Conference has posted its football schedule for the spring, with the first Friday games set for March 5 — Eisenhower at Davis, Moses Lake at Sunnyside, and Wenatchee at West Valley of Yakima.

All games kick off at 7 p.m.

The seven-school conference is set up with six conference games, with a bye week for a possible non-conference contest, plus three weeks of postseason games.

Here is Sunnyside’s schedule besides the opener: March 12, at Eastmont; March 26, Davis; April 2, at West Valley of Yakima; April 9, Wenatchee; April 16 at Eisenhower. All games are at 7 p.m.

The Mid-Columbia Conference has yet to produce its schedule. But it has nine schools for a seven-game schedule, and athletic directors have gone through five drafts of a schedule.

With the Big 9, a schedule was easy because the conference only has seven teams.

Golf

Kennewick’s Ken Wade shot rounds of 71 and 72 for a 1-under-par 143 to place tied for third in the Washington Golf Association’s Champion of Champions tournament, held Oct. 1 and 2 at the Home Course in Dupont.

There were 39 participants in Wade’s division, the senior men’s competition.

The Champion of Champions is usually played in the spring, but COVID concerns pushed it back into October.

Players eligible are tournament champions over the previous year, plus all club champions of any participating club in the state.

Rodeo

The Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas has been host to the National Finals Rodeo since 1985.

Until this year.

Las Vegas won’t allow fans to attend the event in person, so the NFR is being moved to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

This year’s NFR is scheduled for Dec. 3-12.