Hanford grad Bennett has great start at Lehigh; Dust Devils get new manager

Lehigh University freshman Jonathan Bennett (Hanford) had a good indoor men’s track season recently.

At the Patriot League Indoor Championships last month, Bennett finished fifth in the men’s 60-meter hurdles, crossing the finish line in 8.07 seconds.

Bennett also finished sixth in the men’s 60-meter finals with a time of 6.94 seconds.

▪ Columbia Basin College’s Ashlynn Nixon had a monster day on Friday in a softball sweep of Spokane Community College.

The Hawks’ redshirt freshman shortstop, who hails from Corvallis, Mont., was 1-for-3, scored two runs, hit a home run and drove in three runs, as the Hawks beat the Sasquatch 12-7 in the opener.

In an 18-14 nightcap win, though, Nixon really went off, hitting three more home runs plus a double, driving in six runs, scoring four times and going 4-for-5 at the plate.

In all, she was 5-for-8 with four home runs and 9 RBIs.

▪ Great to see goalie Tomas Suchanek pick up his first career Western Hockey League shutout last Saturday night in a 4-0 Tri-City Americans’ victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs.

Close to 5,000 people watched Suchanek stop 38 Spokane shots, and Sam Huo and Sasha Mutala score two goals apiece.

▪ When the Tri-City Dust Devils open the 2022 Northwest League (High A) season in a few weeks, the team will have a new manager.

Jack Howell, a former major-league infielder, will manage the team. Howell managed at Low-A Inland Empire in 2021 for the Angels’ organization, and takes over this season at Gesa Stadium for Andy Schatzley.

Schatzley was promoted to manage the Angels’ Double-A Rocket City team this upcoming season.

Brian Rupp will be the Dust Devils’ new hitting coach this season, while pitching coach Doug Henry and coach Jack Santora return for another year.

In addition, a preliminary look at the team’s roster shows some familiar faces: pitchers Dylan King and Zac Kristofak, infielders Kyle Kasser and Kenyon Yovan, and outfielders Jordyn Adams and Francisco Del Valle.

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▪ There are some impressive times and marks early in the season in the prep track and field ranks by local athletes.

Five of them lead the state, including Kennewick senior Macy Marquardt — who is tops among all girls in the 1600 meters (5:04.06 at the Walla Walla jamboree on March 12) and in the 3200 (10:40.20 at the Kennewick Kickoff on March 17).

Walla Walla senior Dash Sirmon, who will compete next year at the University of Washington, fired the javelin 201 feet and 10 inches on March 26 at the Central Valley Invite.

Sirmon’s mark puts him at No. 3 among the nation’s best javelin throwers for high school.

Hanford senior Katelynn Gelston will be competing at Oregon State University next year.

Her discus toss of 144 feet, 5 inches, at the Ram Relays on March 26 at West Valley High School in Yakima, gives her the best mark in the state among girls.

Gelston will also be impressive in both the shot put and javelin this year.

Southridge senior Jayden Smith is already atop the state girls high jump rankings after she cleared 5-foot-6 at the Kennewick Kickoff on March 17.

Finally, Hermiston senior Caden Hottman had a shot put mark of 56 feet even, at the Bulldog Invite in Hermiston on March 24 to lead all WIAA boys athletes.

▪ Senior Forrest Smith (Walla Walla Community College) averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds this season for the Multnomah University men’s basketball team, which finished with a 13-18 record.

Smith also had 82 assists, which ranked third on the team.

▪ Richland High graduate Leon Rice had a great season coaching the Boise State University men’s basketball team.

Rice’s team won the Mountain West Conference regular-season title, won the MWC tournament, and qualified for the NCAA tournament.

The Broncos finished with a 27-8 record. Rice was named MWC Coach of the Year.

Freshman Kobe Young (Chiawana) is on the team, redshirting.

▪ Quarterback Ja’Vonte Johnson was 13 for 18 for 163 yards and five touchdown passes to lead the Tri-City Rush over the Oregon High Desert Storm 51-13 in an America West Football Conference game this past Saturday at the HAPO Center in Pasco.

Johnson also rushed for a score, as the Rush improved to 2-0 in AWFC play.

Wide receivers Antoinne Wafer (6 catches for 75 yards and a TD) and Moe Strong (3 catches, 40 yards, 2 TDs) also had good offensive games.

On the defensive side, linebacker Greg Hancock led the way with 16 tackles (8 solo), 2.5 quarterback sacks, and a forced fumble.

Defensive back Benmet Morgan was in on 4 tackles, had a fumble recovery and an interception, and a pass breakup; safety Cedarius Rookard was in on 10 tackles (3 solo), had a sack and a pass breakup.

The Rush is home for the next two Saturdays: April 2 against the Wenatchee Valley Skyhawks, and April 9 against the Idaho Horsemen.

Kickoff for both contests is 7 p.m.

▪ If you’ve never had a chance to watch the Pasco High dance team, do yourself a favor next school year and watch the Bulldogs. They are pretty talented.

Pasco earned two first-place finishes and a second at last weekend’s WIAA Dance and Drill state championships in Yakima.

The Bulldogs placed first in 4A Hip Hop and 4A Show. Pasco placed second in 4A Pom, losing out to winner Moses Lake.

Hermiston picked up two first-place finishes, winning 3A Show and in 2A/3A Dance.

Othello placed first in 2A Hip Hop, and finished second in 1A/2A Pom (losing out to Selah).

Royal picked up a first-place finish in 1A/2A Military.