Softball headlines final weekend of high school varsity sports
Moses Lake's Draven Nevarez will compete in the javelin at the 4A State Championships at Mt. Tahoma High School.
It’s here.
The marathon high school varsity season concludes this weekend across the state. A handful of area teams are still in contention for state championships, as well as a multitude of athletes in tennis and track and field.
SOFTBALL
The headliner of the group, three Columbia Basin softball teams have a legitimate shot at taking home hardware this weekend. Moses Lake, Othello and Warden were champions of their respective leagues and districts.
The Chiefs are making their fourth consecutive trip to the 4A Softball State Championships at Merkel Sports Complex in Spokane. Last season, Moses Lake struggled and lost its first two games.
However, Moses Lake boasts a deeper lineup this season to go along with three-year starting pitchers Marnie Skinner — the two-time Columbia Basin Big Nine MVP — and Peyton Ries. Moses Lake begins its tournament run today, 10 a.m., against Yelm. The Tornadoes were the Narrows League champions and took third place in the West Central District 3 4A Softball Tournament.
It will be match-up of experience versus youth as Skinner will face off against one of two underclassmen pitchers: freshman Tayelyn Cutler or sophomore Andrea Schwaier.
A win would move the Moses Lake into the quarterfinals against either Gig Harbor or Central Valley at 4 p.m.
Warden heads into the 2B State Softball Championships at Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima a perfect 23-0. Warden meets Colfax in the first round with the first pitch scheduled for today at 11 a.m. The Bulldogs finished with a 16-8 overall record.
The Cougars will lean on four-year starting pitcher Aaliyah Enriquez, the school’s all-time strikeout and wins leader.
Led by a standout senior class, Othello will try and get back to the state championship game after a runner-up finish in 2015.
Othello meets Sequim today, 10 a.m., in the first round of the 2A State Softball Championships at Carlon Park in Selah. The Wolves finished 15-6 overall.
BOYS SOCCER
The lone Columbia Basin boys soccer team still active is Quincy.
After a Class 1A state championship in 2014, Quincy is two wins from a 2A title this season. The Jacks advanced to the semifinals after roads wins against Pullman and Toppenish.
Quincy faces undefeated Lindbergh today, 8 p.m., at Sunset Stadium in Sumner. Should Quincy win, the state championship game will be Saturday, 5 p.m., against the winner of Archbishop Murphy and Sehome. A loss in today’s semifinals will move the Jacks into the third/fourth place game Saturday at noon.
TRACK AND FIELD
Area track and field athletes will compete on opposite ends of the state this weekend.
The 2A, 3A and 4A state championships began Thursday at Mt. Tahoma High School and conclude Saturday. Moses Lake took seven athletes to the state meet: Draven Nevarez, Jacob Duvall, Abraham Massalay, Spencer Kimbro, Elly Johnson, Heather Carbon and Taylor Yamane.
Friday and Saturday’s events begin at noon.
The smaller schools compete at the 1B, 2B, 1A state championships at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.
TENNIS
A host of area athletes will be at the 2A State Tennis Championships at the Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle. Friday and Saturday’s action begins at 8 a.m.
Ephrata’s Garner Sears and Othello’s Diego Villarreal are in the boys singles bracket. Collin Freeman/Kyler Villarreal, of Othello, and Gunnar Petersen/Gonzalo Guerrero, of Quincy, are competing in boys doubles.
Ephrata’s Teighan Moore made it for girls singles and Othello’s Kylee Hawley/Zoee Roylance are in girls doubles.