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WA COLLEGE SPORTS SCHEDULE: Sept. 11-18, 2026
MOSES LAKE — College sports are in full swing as athletes work toward new heights this season. See where your favorite teams will be playing this week.
Warden volleyball wins close nonleague matchup against Soap Lake
SOAP LAKE — The Warden Cougars (2-0) volleyball team traveled to face the Soap Lake Eagles (1-1) Wednesday evening for a nonleague game. The Cougars and Eagles had a competitive matchup where Warden got ahead in the final set to win 3-1. “We had highs and lows, and we saw improvement in some things,” said Cougars Head Coach Katie Roylance. “It was very evident in some things we need to work on.”
Mavs volleyball wins at home over Tigers
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (2-0) hosted the Ephrata Tigers (0-3) in a nonleague volleyball matchup Tuesday evening where the Mavs earned a 3-1 victory. Both teams hope to use this matchup as a way to prepare for the start of league play. “I think overall we did good,” said Mavs senior Maddy Witwer. “There’s definitely things that we can always work on for both sides of the net.” The Mavs started out with a strong first set as they got ahead of the Tigers to win the first set 25-12.
UW secures Boeing Apple Cup victory over WSU
SEATTLE — The University of Washington Huskies hosted the Washington State University in a season-opening Boeing Apple Cup Sunday. After an intense battle, the Huskies claimed victory 24-10. Desmond Williams Jr. from the Huskies threw for 268 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 5-yard keeper in the 118th meeting of the two teams, according to a press release from UW Athletics. A statement from WSU Athletics said Caden Pinnick from the Cougars completed 16 of 25 passes for 142 yards with two interceptions and added 61 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Lions volleyball bests Devils in home opener
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy Lions (1-0) volleyball team began their season at home against the Wilson Creek Devils (0-1) Tuesday evening. After a hard-fought match, the Lions won 3-0 against the Devils. “I thought everything went pretty good,” said Lions Head Coach Dean Spurbeck. “I thought the girls played well, kind of got some jitters out, so that’s helpful and trying a few new things, but now we just have to keep improving on what we’re doing.” The game started tight with the Lions claiming an early lead, but the Devils kept the score close. Both teams traded leads before eventually MLCA caught stride to claim a 25-18 victory in the first set.
Othello Huskies dominate in home opener
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies got off to a hot start for their 2026 football season as they beat the Ellensburg Bulldogs 24-0 Friday evening. This victory marked both the start of the season and a new era of Othello football with new head coach Jerome Learman. “I thought we did a lot of things well, I’m pleased with our effort,” said Huskies Head Coach Jerome Learman. “We obviously made a lot of mistakes too. We didn’t make one PAT or two-point conversion, so we have a lot to fix, but your biggest improvement should be from game one to game two.” Junior quarterback Noah Ozuna led the Huskies offense with rushing touchdowns.
Basin Sports Schedule: Sept. 8-15, 2026
MOSES LAKE — High school sports are back in full swing for the fall as athletes get back into competing for new heights. Check out where the local teams will be playing this week.
Vikings fall to Highline in preseason doubleheader
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings continued through their preseason as they hosted their first game of the year against Highline. Despite falling in both matches, the Vikings feel confident as they inch closer to the regular season. “Highline’s a solid team, they have a great serve-receive and we did well,” said Vikings Head Coach Lindsey Linthicum. “We adapted to different situations, we’re still out a few girls and I’m still transitioning those that are coming back from injury. There’re still some adjustments that we’re still trying to make and adapt to.”
Tigers Cross Country ready for their biggest season yet
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers Cross Country team is already hard at work to be in top shape for the 2026 season. With a strong group of returning runners alongside a solid group of new faces, the Tigers are eager to hit the ground running this year. “I’m feeling energized,” said Tigers Head Coach Lyndsy Roberts. “We’ve got a good group, one of the largest groups we’ve had in a long time.” The Tigers roster has over 50 athletes that have been participating in early season practices between the boys and girls, who Roberts said have all been mixing together well.
Lions set with smaller but strong squad
MOSES LAKE — Despite seeing a smaller roster this year, the Moses Lake Christian Academy Lions volleyball team is looking to build off their success from last season. With strong returners, the Lions are on track to stay competitive. “We lost some people, but we’ll be able to fill in, so that’ll be nice. Not quite at the numbers that we normally have, but we’ll make it work,” said Lions Head Coach Dean Spurbeck. The Lions concluded their 2025 season with a 10-8 record after battling through a tough Central Washington B League. MLCA entered into the postseason district tournament where they entered as the fourth seed and fell to the fifth seeded Pateros in the second round.
Huskies bring in senior experience for the coming season
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies girls soccer team is preparing for another tough season in the Central Washington Athletic Conference. This year the Huskies are returning with an advantage as they bring back their full roster from last season. “We’re looking good; we’re trending in the right direction,” said Huskies Head Coach Victor Quiroz. “We’re bringing everybody back that we had last year on our varsity team, so we’re super excited. That makes it a lot easier going into the season.” Last season, the Huskies completed the regular season 6-9-1, which earned them a spot for the district tournament. Othello was eliminated in the first round of districts after a tight game against Prosser that ended in a shootout with a final score of 2-1.
New faces, same goals for the Eagles
SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Eagles volleyball team might look a little different this season with a new head coach and varsity lineup, but the structure of what was built in previous years will remain the same. This season, the Eagles are gearing up to remain competitive in the Central Washington B League. “The amount of growth that we’ve had already in such a short period of time has been huge,” said Erin Fletcher, the Eagles’ new head coach. “A lot of it carries over from the summer and the work the kids put in during summer ball.” Last year, the Eagles concluded the regular season 12-5 and took second place in the District 5 tournament before heading out to state. Despite making a strong effort, the Eagles fell in the first round of the state tournament to Wahkiakum to end their season.
Cougars look to return stronger for 2026
WARDEN — The Warden Cougars Cross Country team is preparing to get back onto the trails this season. While the group is small as of the early season, Warden is gaining traction for their combined middle/high school team. “So far so good,” said Cougars Head Coach Karla Banks. “A lot of these kids conditioned over the summer so that was really wonderful.” Banks said the Cougars did very well with earning new personal records last season, and everyone remained consistent in each oncoming meet. This year they’re looking to repeat that with goals to take a few athletes to state.
Devils strive for ‘One team, one goal’
WILSON CREEK — The Wilson Creek Devils are ready for another season of volleyball as they return a little younger, but still experienced. This year, the Devils are striving to become more unified and play together as one. “I’m looking forward to watching this team come together and do something great,” said Devils Head Coach Shawn Shahan. “See them combine and work together and become one team. That’s our motto this year is ‘One team, one goal.’” Wilson Creek finished the season 6-14 last year and qualified for the district tournament after battling through the highly competitive Central Washington B League. The Devils made it into the first round of districts before ending their season against Easton.
Tigers fall in season opener to Omak
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers (0-1) began their volleyball season at home against the Omak Pioneers, falling 3-0 to their nonleague opponent. Despite opening the season on a loss, the Tigers are using this as a liftoff for improvement for the remainder of the season. “It was definitely more of a reflection of first game nerves. We’ve got a bunch of sophomores coming out there,” said McKaidan Boyd, the Tigers’ new Head Coach. “We scrimmaged hard the night before and we came out really well and today we just couldn’t apply that.” At the start of the first set, Ephrata fell behind as Omak gained a solid lead early on. Halfway through the set, the Tigers found traction to cut into their opponent’s lead but ultimately were unable to close the gap and fell 25-14.
Significant weather pattern change bringing cooler days
MOSES LAKE — The shift into fall weather has already begun to hit the Pacific Northwest this week as temperatures are set to cool significantly. These weather conditions are set to bring rain, wind and chances of temperatures of less than 36 degrees to many parts of Washington, according to a press release from the National Weather Service Spokane.
Basin Sports Schedule: Sept. 1-8, 2026
MOSES LAKE — The school year and fall competition have already started to kick off in the Columbia Basin. Check out where each of the local teams are heading for the first week of fall sports.
Vikings volleyball ready to begin their season
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings volleyball team is having a successful preseason as they have worked and grown together through practice and some early season matches. With regular season fast approaching, the team is feeling excited to put their training to the test. “We’re feeling good,” said Lindsey Linthicum, the Vikings Head Coach. “We’ve had some little bumps in the road, we played Northwest University on (Aug. 26) and Whitworth University (Aug. 27) and they are both higher teams, but it was a great experience for the girls.” BBCC finished last season 5-21 with Linthicum in her first season as head coach and a full roster of freshmen. This year, despite having some injuries in preseason, the team is returning with experience.
GALLERY: Gridiron Guide highlights
MOSES LAKE — The highlights from Gridiron Guide don't stop with just their stories. See below some bonus photos from your favorite teams around the Basin.
Cougars plan to reload for this season
WARDEN — The Warden Cougars are deep in their preparations for their second season under Head Coach Brent Cox. As the early season practices continue, both players and coaches alike are looking forward to what they can accomplish this season. “I’m just really excited to get back out there,” said Cox. “We had a good spring football training, got a lot of our skilled players back.” Last season the Cougars finished with a 6-4 record in the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference and made it to the second round of postseason play before being eliminated.
Eagles look to ‘climb Everest’ under new leadership in 2026
SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Eagles are heading into the fall with a new head coach as Tony O’Neel steps into the leadership position for the 2026 season. O’Neel said he is excited for this opportunity to work with a program and sport he is very familiar with. “I’m pretty thrilled that not only just the school, but the kids are buying into having me coach two sports,” said O’Neel. “Doesn’t happen at many places, but that’s my two favorite sports.” He has had prior experience coaching for Soap Lake, serving currently as the head coach for the boys soccer team and acting as an assistant coach under Garrett Devine’s leadership last season.
Tigers head into 2026 recharged and ready to compete
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers are gearing up for another competitive season of football in the Central Washington Athletic Conference. As the season draws near, the Tigers are ready to get back on the field and improve their skills after their successes last fall. “I think things are looking good for us,” said Tigers Head Coach Patrick Mitchell. “Really hopeful and looking forward to this great group of kids that we’ve got this year.” The Tigers finished 6-3 in the regular season last year to be ranked fourth in the CWAC and qualifying for districts. Ephrata came just short of entering the state tournament after falling to Steilacoom in week 10 last season.
Vikings basketball hosting skills camp
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings men’s basketball coaching staff is hosting a skills camp Saturday. This camp will run from 2-3:30 p.m. for boys in grades 9-12. “Big thing for us right now is just trying to get the new staff out in front of the community and get people excited to come to Moses Lake and come to Big Bend basketball games,” Vikings Head Coach Dallin Spencer said. Along with Spencer, who was named the head coach in May, the Vikings have also added James Shank and Mikel Bias as assistant coaches over the summer. Having them run the camp alongside him is something Spencer said will be beneficial to helping them get ready to coach together before the basketball season.
Knights host football jamboree
ROYAL CITY — The football season is set to start Friday evening with the annual jamboree between the Ephrata Tigers, Moses Lake Mavericks, Royal Knights and Wenatchee Panthers. This year the Knights are set to host the jamboree at Royal High School. The jamboree is split into two sessions with JV and C teams beginning their scrimmages at 5:30 p.m. The varsity jamboree is set to start immediately after at 7 p.m.
Moses Lake Scorpions find success at Bocce regionals
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Scorpions Special Olympics Bocce team concluded their season while hosting the East Regional Bocce Competition over the weekend. By the end of the competition Saturday, the Scorpions claimed three bronze, three silver, and two gold medals. “They did really well,” said assistant coach Ruth Ann Lunderville. “I was the head coach this time and everybody melded.” The usual head coach, Shane Lunderville, had taken up a position as an official during the regional, which allowed Ruth Ann to step into the coaching position.
GALLERY: Miner Services Demo Derby 2026 Gallery
MOSES LAKE — The excitement of the Round Up Miners Services Demo Derby has come and gone for this year. As eager competitors and fans await the next year of demolition, let's look back at some highlights from this year.
Demo Derby concludes for 2026
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Round Up Miner Services Demolition Derby came to an exciting conclusion Wednesday night as a new demolition champion was named. When the dust settled, Travis Jaeger earned glory with the last car standing on the second day of the derby.
Demo Derby sees exciting start at Grant County Fair
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Roundup Demo Derby got off to a hot start Tuesday evening as local racers took to the arena to battle for glory in a variety of events. The night concluded with the demolition event, where Michael Koon claimed victory for the second year in a row. “That was a pretty good battle against the Webers,” said Koon. “It was a great time, everyone shook hands afterwards and that’s a win.” As the demolition commenced, each driver looked for early opportunities to slow down their opponents. One primary target on each vehicle was the tires with each driver chasing one another around the arena hoping to put pressure on the wheels.
Quincy School District to honor 2026 Wall of Fame Inductees
QUINCY — The Quincy School District announced their 2026 inductees to the QSD Wall of Fame. This honor recognizes individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions to Quincy athletics and academics. “I think it’s a really nice thing for the Quincy community to celebrate and honor the folks that have contributed to our community through a lot of different ways,” said Quincy’s Athletic Director Brett Fancher. This year’s Wall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at halftime Sept. 18 during the Quincy vs Ephrata football game at Jackrabbit Stadium. Members of the Quincy School District community will gather to celebrate the achievements of these remarkable individuals and teams, the QSD Communications Coordinator Jessica Blancas said in a press release.
Moses Lake's newest gym brings energy to the boxing community
MOSES LAKE — The city of Moses Lake welcomed its newest fitness club Thursday afternoon with the grand opening of Hamman Boxing. Jordan Hamman, the owner of the gym said he is excited to get this new chapter in his life started.
Vikings volleyball camp warms up players for fall
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings hosted a training camp last week, bringing in local high school athletes to train alongside this year’s collegiate squad at BBCC. This camp helped both the high school and college players warm up ahead of the volleyball season. “I am really happy how the camp went,” said Vikings Head Coach Lindsey Linthicum. “You have a lot of excited young athletes from middle school all the way up to high school.” The camp ran from Aug. 11-13 and primarily featured volleyball players from the Waterville and Almira/Coulee-Hartline school districts. Linthicum said it was actually those coaches who reached out in the spring with interest to work with the Vikings program.
Sushik comes full circle ahead of first season at BBCC
MOSES LAKE — The next step in Liana Sushik’s athletic journey has led her to play for the Big Bend Community College Vikings volleyball team this fall after a successful career with the Soap Lake Eagles. Joining the Vikings is something she feels has deepened her love for the sport, she said. “I fell in love with the fact that there’s more than just high school volleyball; there’s another level,” said Sushik. “It’s like a whole new chapter and I’m so excited to see what I have next because there’s a lot that I’ve been through to get here.” Despite her success on the court, Sushik said she didn’t initially start out as an athlete.
Building a community at Desert City Fitness
EPHRATA — The city of Ephrata welcomed its newest athletic club earlier this summer with Desert City Fitness setting up along Basin Street. Since their grand opening June 6, the club has worked to become a strong contributor to the community in Ephrata. “We just opened our doors and whoever comes in, that’s how we do it,” said Bryan Boney, owner of Desert City Fitness. Boney, who owns the club alongside his wife Tracy Fillion, decided to open Desert City Fitness to keep himself active after retiring six years ago. Boney said he has invested all his money from retirement into purchasing the property, remodeling and getting the equipment necessary to open his fitness center.
Grid Kids expands opportunities this season
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Grid Kids football program is gearing up for the start of its 26th football season this fall. This year, alongside their tackle football program, the Grid Kids have expanded their flag football options. “It’s one of those things that you just don’t really know how well it’s going to go, but right now we’re looking pretty strong,” said Brian Gwinn, the Gird Kids administrator and communications contact. The tackle opportunities remain the same for third through sixth grade with third and fourth graders playing together and fifth and sixth graders separately from the younger players. The format for third and fourth grade will remain at a regular 11-man game, but for fifth and sixth grade there is consideration for moving down to an eight-on-eight format.
Othello Adult Co-Ed softball on track to start this fall
OTHELLO — The city of Othello Parks and Recreation is holding registrations for the 2026 Fall Adult Co-Ed Softball League. Registrations are open until Aug. 18, with a cost of $350 per team at a maximum of 16 players. “It’s really exciting to have (a softball league) here in Othello and giving families something to do on Monday nights,” said Valerie Hernandez, Othello Park and Recreation Coordinator.
Jaeda Gonzalez continues multisport growth as Viking in sophomore season
MOSES LAKE — For Big Bend Community College sophomore and Ephrata native Jaeda Gonzalez, the work never ceased in the offseason as she prepares to return to volleyball and softball for the Vikings. With a strong athletic career behind her and a year of collegiate experience, the sophomore has her eyes set on improving alongside the BBCC programs. “As a team, we definitely want a winning season and also fun to watch,” said Gonzelez. “We want be fun to watch for everyone else and show that we can bring it.” Her athletic career began at home as she grew up in a family that has a strong passion for sports. Gonzalez said her early years of competing were on the pitch in soccer, the hardwood of basketball and the softball diamond.
Last chance for fall 2026 youth soccer season signups
OTHELLO — The City of Othello Parks and Recreation is getting prepared to host another season of youth soccer in fall 2026. With the registration deadline set for Aug. 9 at 11:59 p.m., the league hopes to bring in as many young athletes as possible. “All of our sports do serve the elementary level kids, because anything after that they are already participating in school sports,” said Valerie Hernandez, Othello Park and Recreation Coordinator. “All of our sports they’re run by volunteer parents.” Fall soccer is set to begin play Sept. 22 and run through Oct. 15 with games being played Tuesdays and Thursdays. Game times will be determined by division and registration numbers and announced once teams have been formed.
Davis and Johnson reflect on Tillage League All Star team
EPHRATA — Ephrata’s Isaiah Davis and Mitchell Johnson both made the Tillage League All-Star team after having strong performances with the Tigers Baseball Club during the summer season. After competing in a few tournaments, the All-Star lineup finished the summer with a 4-7 record. “It was really fun,” said Johnson. “I enjoyed playing with new people and meeting all the new guys and it was a fun group of guys to play with.” The All-Star team got off to a slow start as they fell to the Central Washington Sixers 18U and then struggled to earn a win in the following End of Summer Classic tournament.
July Sports Gallery
MOSES LAKE — July was a busy month for athletes of all ages in the Columbia Basin. Check out some of the top moments in sports from the dog days of summer.
GALLERY: Summer sports highlights
MOSES LAKE — It’s the last week of July and with the arrival of August, fall sports is set to begin imminently. Though high school athletics has been on pause since the end of May, there has been no shortage of local sports. Let's take a look back at some of the highlights of summer sports this year.
Ephrata duo selected to Tillage All-Star team
EPHRATA — Mitchell Johnson and Isaiah Davis from the Ephrata Tigers baseball club (16-9-1) have been selected to join the Tillage League All-Star 18U team. "I was excited to play on a team of people I didn't know," Johnson said. "I've never played for a team where I don't know anyone playing for it, so that was cool. Then I heard that one of my teammates was going to be on the team a little bit later as a late addition, so that was cool. I'm glad I got to do it with him too."
Men’s summer softball season concludes with three champions
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Men’s summer softball season reached its end Thursday evening as the upper, middle and lower divisions took up three fields at Paul Lauzier Athletic Complex in the pursuit of a championship. When the competition was over, The Kids, Average Joes and OG’s claimed the championships of their respective divisions.
Jacks soccer hosts 2026 alumni game
QUINCY — The Quincy Jackrabbits held their 2026 alumni game July 10 when former Quincy soccer players returned to the field to face off against the current high school roster. Hector Vaca, the high school’s boys' head soccer coach, said he was very happy with the turnout for the event. “I think it was actually a really successful event for us,” said Vaca. “It was really cool to see a lot of different alumni from various years.” Alumni attending the event extended back to players from the class of 2001 and included soccer state champions, he said.
Diamond Ducks finish summer in postseason tourney
COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Diamond Ducks concluded their run in the Tillage League postseason tournament Friday with a tight 3-0 loss to Monarch Baseball Club.. “(It) obviously didn’t go the way we wanted to,” said Diamond Ducks Head Coach Hunter Lee. “We got bounced out in two games, but it was still a good experience. We played two really good teams and we had some close competitive games.” After an 8-3 loss to Milton-Freewater Thursday in the first round, the Diamond Ducks took on Monarch Baseball Club in the consolation bracket.
Enforcers finding success on and off the field this summer
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Enforcers 14U softball team has been making large strides in its summer season, taking second in its hosted tournament in June and third last weekend in Wenatchee. “We’ve worked on their fundamentals, worked on their skills, honing all that in and they’re just firing on all cylinders right now,” said Enforcers Head Coach Lesa Trevino. “We’ve gotten to a point where they’re understanding the game a lot more and they’re competitive.” Trevino said she has been working with this group of girls since they were playing in 10U and have since deepened their understanding of softball. The Enforcers began their 14U season in April with their first tournament, in which the girls finished with two ties and two losses.
Othello awards Granite Construction Kiwanis Park trails project
OTHELLO — At the July 13 City Council meeting, the City of Othello awarded the Kiwanis Park Trails Project to Granite Construction Company from Pasco. The project is set to make improvements to the existing trails and pathways that exist at the park and make it easier for all patrons.
Tigers take second to close out summer baseball
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers Baseball Club’s summer baseball season in the Tillage League came to an exciting conclusion Sunday as the team took second in the postseason tournament. “The weekend was a really good way for us to finish our summer season,” said Tigers Head Coach David Tempel. “It didn’t turn out the way we wanted to in the end, but I’m very proud of this group and these guys for all the work they put in this summer.” After a convincing 2-0 victory over Monarch Baseball Club Thursday afternoon, the Tigers got right back to the field Friday afternoon to face the Milton Freewater Twins.
Moses Lake wrestlers compete at Redneck Duals in Pasco
MOSES LAKE — Wrestlers from Moses Lake High School have kept themselves busy with competitions this offseason with the most recent coming with the Redneck Duals in Pasco held July 6-8. Mavericks Head Coach Jose Tanguma said he felt the competition was a success for Moses Lake’s team. “It was a good time,” said Tanguma. “The kids got a lot of matches, some of them got over 16 plus matches and I was impressed by the performance.”
Summer volleyball camp preps Knights for this fall and beyond
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights held their summer volleyball camp from July 6-10 and brought in both new and experienced players to learn more about the sport. Knights Head Coach Melanie Griffin said this camp was a great opportunity for this team as they head closer to the start of the season. “I feel it was huge for these girls,” said Griffin. “They really learned and grew. We worked on some high-level stuff, and I had a young group show up so it was really good for them to see what the game can look like, and I think they felt good.” For the first four days of camp, girls from seventh grade to the upcoming seniors all worked together on a variety of skills and exercises to stay fresh during the offseason. The coach said she feels the girls learned a lot of new things and most importantly learned to play and have fun together.
Clausen shows excitement for two years on LEAP committee
WARDEN — Soren Clausen was announced as part of the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Leadership through Education Activities and Personal Development Committee Class of 2028 Monday. Clausen said this opportunity has him excited to put his best foot forward in his new position. “In my next two years on the LEAP Committee, I hope to provide a new point of view, being from a small town and school like Warden,” he said. “I’m actually the first student from Warden High School to serve on the Committee since it began in 2009. Having such a small and close-knit school is really helpful because it is easy to talk to and get feedback from a lot of students and parents who are affected by decisions of the WIAA.” His journey to becoming part of the LEAP committee began when the Warden Athletic Director Grag Lucas encouraged Clausen to apply for the position. Clausen said the support from Lucas and his ASB Advisor Prisma Corrales motivated him to pursue the opportunity.