This 6-time Columbia Cup winning hydroplane champion is calling it quits

One of the best drivers to pilot an unlimited hydroplane is expected to announce his retirement from the sport on Thursday.

Jimmy Shane, who won six Columbia Cup races in his career, has decided to step away from the sport.

Shane has been the driver of the Miss Madison/Miss HomeStreet Bank, and before that, the Oberto.

He’s won 25 unlimited races, eight national high-points titles, and five Gold Cups in his 10 year career.

Those 25 race victories put him tied for fourth all-time with the late Dean Chenoweth.

David Campbell of the Madison Courier broke the story Thursday.

The 34-year-old Shane has been entertaining the idea of getting out of the sport for awhile.

Earlier this summer, Madison Team President Charlie Grooms told the Herald that Shane has a lot going on in his life outside of boat racing.

Shane wants to spend more time with his two sons, and he plans to be the crew chief for oldest son Colton when the youngster begins racing J-Stock hydros next year.

In addition, Shane works for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company, which has had a number of rocket launches over the past few years.

Shane will continue with that work.

As for the Miss Madison team, Grooms says the search for a new driver will immediately start.

Tri-City Americans

The Tri-City Americans got off to a great home start last Saturday, with a 7-1 victory over the defending Western Hockey League champion Edmonton Oil Kings in the team’s home opener at the Toyota Center.

Jordan Gavin was the first star of the game, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists. Defenseman Lukas Dragicevic added 4 assists for Tri-City, while teammate Ethan Ernst had a goal and assist.

Goalie Tomas Suchanek stopped 32 of 33 Edmonton shots to pick up the victory.

The Ams fell short in their next home game, falling 11-3 to visiting Medicine Hat on Wednesday night.

The team’s has a home game this Friday (7:05 p.m. puck drop) against Kamloops.

Meanwhile, Tri-City also traded away two players, including forward Dwayne Jean Jr. The speedy Jean was sent to the Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday for a draft pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.

Jean had apparently come to the team and asked for a trade, because he wanted to be closer to home and family.

Also on Tuesday, forward Tanner Gould was traded to the Prince Albert Raiders for a 2026 Prospects Draft pick.

Finally, former Ams goalie Talyn Boyko signed a three-year entry-level contract with the New York Rangers.

Boyko spent the 2021-22 season with the Americans before being traded to the Kelowna Rockets during the season.

He stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 208 pounds.

Boyko is expected to be put on one of the Rangers’ minor-league team rosters.

Prep football notes

The big games this weekend will start on Thursday, when Prosser (2-1, 5-1) entertains East Valley of Yakima (3-0, 6-0), as both teams are battling for postseason playoff berths in Class 2A.

Game time is 7 p.m. Thursday at Art Fiker Stadium.

Conference officials found out this week, that the league champ gets an automatic berth in the state playoffs.

The second-place finisher will get a chance for a play-in game against the No. 2 2A Greater Spokane League team on Tuesday of Week 10.

Right now, Othello has the inside track to the conference title, after the Huskies beat Prosser 28-17 last Friday.

The top matchup in the Mid-Columbia Conference features Southridge (3-2, 4-2) at Chiawana (6-0, 6-0) — at 7 p.m. Friday at Edgar Brown Stadium.

The host Riverhawks are assured of having the top MCC seed heading into the 4A regional crossovers in Week 10.

But for the Suns, this game is important, as they are battling Kennewick for the top 3A seed heading towards the Class 3A Round of 32 in Week 10.

Meanwhile, in the Southeast 1B league, the top three teams in the standings are Richland’s Liberty Christian (5-0, 6-0), DeSales of Walla Walla (4-0, 5-0) and Sunnyside Christian (4-1, 5-1).

The Patriots of Liberty Christian will visit Sunnyside Christian at 7 p.m. Friday.

More high school sports

▪ Kamiakin sophomore Ezra Teeples was the first to cross the finish line in the MCC boys cross country race this week at Kennewick’s Lawrence Scott Park.

Teeples crossed the finish line in 15 minutes, 25.54 seconds.

Eduardo Tobin, a senior from Hanford, placed second in 15:26.40; and Hermiston sophomore Jaysen Rodriguez was third at 15:33.62.

Kamiakin took the victory as a team with 49 points.

On the girls’ side, Kennewick sophomore Morgan Thompson won the race in 18:43.03.

Hanford junior Mia Beightol was second at 18:54.13, while Richland senior Tylar Wolff was third in 19:06.19.

Hermiston took the team win with 79 points.

The MCC Championships will be held next Thursday at Leslie Groves Park in Richland.

The WIAA state meet will be Nov. 5 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

▪ Richland is atop the MCC girls soccer standings right now with an 11-1 record (as of Wednesday night).

Kamiakin is right behind at 9-1, while Chiawana sits in third at 7-3, and Southridge in fourth at 7-4.

Those top three teams — Richland, Kamiakin and Chiawana — are among the top 22 in the WIAA Ratings Percentage Index for Class 4A schools.

▪ The MCC battle for volleyball supremacy might be even tighter than the girls soccer race.

As of Wednesday night, both Hanford and Kamiakin are tied for first place with 9-1 records.

But Richland (8-3), Chiawana (7-3) and Walla Walla (6-4) are all close behind.

Hanford has been a pleasant surprise this season. Using a tall and aggressive front line, the Falcons have held their own against the MCC’s best, taking down both Richland and Chiawana already.

▪ The first post-season of a fall sport begins next week with the District 8 slowpitch softball tournaments in both 4A and 3A classifications.

In 4A, Pasco will host the Greater Spokane League’s No. 3 team in a play-in game at 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20.

Meanwhile, Chiawana is the top seed for the MCC. The Riverhawks, who are the defending 4A state champions, will play the GSL 2 team at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 22.

All Saturday games are at Central Valley High School in Spokane.

The top two teams in the tournament will advance to the state tournament, set for Oct. 28-29 in Yakima.

Eight teams will play in the 2A/3A district tournament. Among them are Walla Walla (which will host Shadle Park at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18); and Hermiston (which will host Ferris at 4 p.m. the same day).

The remaining six teams are from the GSL.

Top four teams from the tournament will advance to the state tournament in Yakima, on Oct. 28-29.

This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 12:38 PM.