CALEB PEREZ
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Mavs win dual meet at Eastmont
EAST WENATCHEE — The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team had a successful evening on the road Wednesday as they travelled to Eastmont for a dual meet. By the end of the meet, the Mavericks won with a score of 114 to Eastmont's 61. "It was a great meet," said Mavs Head Coach Tony Preston. "We haven't travelled in a long time. We do a lot of home meets because of the facilities in our league, so the travel to Eastmont was a great chance to get some experience in another facility." Heading into another training facility brings challenges since the environment can be different and travelling can make the athletes feel a little tired. Preston said their focus heading into Wednesday was to put their best foot forward and try to give their best performance in each event.
Vikings claim 3-0 road victory over Treasure Valley
ONTARIO, Ore. — The Big Bend Community College Vikings (4-6) had a strong showing on the road as they won in three sets over the Treasure Valley Chukars (5-10). The matchup was competitive between the two teams with each set coming close until the very end. “It was an incredible win,” said Vikings Head Coach Lindsey Linthicum. “So much energy, so much joy and just a lot of fun to watch for the girls.” In the first set, the Vikings started strong, but Treasure Valley battled to keep even. Big Bend gained the lead and later in the set to win 25-20.
Huskies fall just short in overtime against Selah
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (2-4) played in another high-action game that went into overtime Tuesday against the Selah Vikings (3-4-1). The game came down to penalty kicks, in which Othello came up just short and the Vikings won 3-2. "It came down to just the little mistakes," said Huskies Head Coach Victor Quiroz. "They got two goals on my defender just slipping and then the girl just had a breakaway towards the goal. They did a good job and capitalized on that mistake." The game was competitive from the start with both the Huskies and the Vikings showing high energy throughout the first half. Selah was first to score, but the Huskies rallied with a goal by junior Abcde Garza to tie the game 1-1 at halftime.
Huskies fall 3-1 to Selah on the court
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (2-5) fell to the Selah Vikings (5-4) at home Tuesday evening. Despite starting the match with a win in the first set, the Huskies fell in the last three to give Selah the win. "We started the game really strong," said Huskies Head Coach Isabella Hollibaugh. "That was a great first set that we played as a team with our high energy and continuing to put the gas on the pedal. I was really impressed with our team and obviously, Selah woke up in the second and third set, but I was really proud of my girls for finishing that first set and executing it." The Huskies started out strong in the first set as they pulled ahead of the opposition. The two teams battled close, but Othello ultimately came out on top to start the evening with a 25-21 victory.
WA COLLEGE SPORTS SCHEDULE: Oct. 1-8, 2026
MOSES LAKE — The college athletic world enters the month of October for the fall season of sports. As competition gets more intense, see where your favorite teams will be heading this week.
Wildcats extend win streak to 4 after Saint Martin's sweep
OLYMPIA — The Central Washington University Wildcats (8-4) won their fourth straight match Sunday afternoon, defeating Saint Martin's (5-8) in straight sets. The two teams traveled to Evergreen State College to battle it out on the court, according to Saint Martin's athletics. "We had to grind out that match and claw our way through some instability," said Wildcats Head Coach Lauren Herseth. "I was super impressed with our middles – they are striving to make upgrades and it was evident in their offense this afternoon. And credit to our whole team, to come out of this weird week with two road wins is something we are very proud of." The Wildcats hit .333 as a team, totaling 47 kills and nine blocks while holding the Saints to a .198 attacking percentage, according to a statement from CWU athletics. Corinne Westby and Kailey Willsey led the offense with 10 kills apiece, while Ellie Marble added nine kills.
Basin teams compete at Nike Invite
SPOKANE — Local cross country teams found success over the weekend as athletes from Ephrata, Moses Lake, Othello and Warden travelled to Spokane to compete in the Nike Bob Firman Invitational. See below how each team did.
Huskies earn three set victory over Jacks
MOSES LAKE — The Othello Huskies (2-4) earned a victory on the road Thursday against the Quincy Jackrabbits (0-7) where they won in three sets. Both teams look to use this game as a learning experience to boost their skills moving forward. "(The Huskies) came out really strong with a lot of energy, which is something we've been really working on," said Huskies Head Coach Isabella Hollibaugh. "This was a great game for us to get some of our confidence back and continue seeing all the things we're working on start to come together on the court." The Huskies got up early on the Jacks in the first set, but both teams remained competitive throughout. Though Quincy battled hard, Othello claimed the first set by six points.
Wahluke claims road victory over Warden
WARDEN — The Wahluke Warriors (2-2) had a strong non-league showing on the road against the Warden Cougars (1-3) Friday night, showing strong offensive prowess throughout the game to win 42-7. "We set our game goals right from the beginning, scoring on the first drive and things like that," said Warriors Head Coach Anfernee Cortez. "Executing, being assignment sound is what we were really focused on going into this game and I feel like the guys did a great job starting that way." The Warriors had a dominant first half where they scored fast and early to gain a 21-0 lead over the Cougars. Wahluke carried this effort throughout the half as they held Warden scoreless and closed out the second quarter with a rushing touchdown to take a 28-0 lead at halftime.
BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Sept. 28-Oct. 5, 2026
MOSES LAKE — Local athletes are heading deeper into league play this week as they set their sights on improving in time for the postseason. Check out where each of the local teams will be heading this week.
Jacks' Sanchez secures OT victory over Huskies
QUINCY — The Quincy Jackrabbits (8-0) battled in a tight game against the Othello Huskies (2-3) Thursday evening. Jacks' senior Jazmine Sanchez secured victory for Quincy in the final minutes of overtime with a kick to the back of the net, ending the game 1-0. "I feel really good," said Sanchez. "Honestly, I didn't expect that, but it's a really good feeling." From kickoff, the Jacks and the Huskies were competitive with both teams' defenses sending the ball the other way. This strong defensive showing forced the players to utilize the entire field.
WA COLLEGE SPORTS SCHEDULE: Sept. 25 – Oct. 2, 2026
MOSES LAKE — There's always more excitement to come as college athletes continue through their fall seasons. Check out where your favorite teams are heading this week.
Jr Mavs find successes through action packed Saturday
MOSES LAKE — The Jr Mavericks delivered a full day of exciting football last Saturday where the players had impressive individual performances, strong defensive efforts and a pair of decisive victories. Moses Lake will play at home Saturday with fourth grade playing the Jr Lobos at 11 a.m., sixth grade playing the Jr Braves at 1 p.m., fifth grade playing the Jr Lions at 4 p.m. and eighth grade plays the Jr Panthers at 7 p.m. Check out how each grade did last week ahead of their home games this week.
Knights fall in five-set match against Naches Valley
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights volleyball team (0-6) had a tough battle at home against Naches Valley Tuesday night as they fell 3-2 in the five-set game. "The first two sets were definitely rough," said Knights senior Graycie Kast. "We didn't have a lot of energy starting off, but that third set, we got our energy back and just started having fun and the game just came to us." The Knights fell behind early in the first set as they struggled to score, giving Naches Valley an advantage. Royal began to find momentum as the set went on to cut into the deficit, but Naches Valley remained dominant on the court to win 25-12.
Knights win in overtime shootout against Naches
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights girls soccer team (6-0-1) had a tight game against Naches Valley (5-1-1) Tuesday evening that came down to a penalty kick shootout that the Knights won 6-5. Though the game was ruled as a tie in official standings, winning the PKs brought excitement for the team. "We played hard and we never gave up," said Knights junior Sarah Bergeson who shot the final PK. "We're proud of us." The game was a defensive battle from the beginning with Naches making an early shot on goal that was stopped by Knights freshman goalkeeper Areli Romero. Following this, Royal gained possession of the ball and proceeded to apply pressure on the opposing goal for a majority of the half.
Tigers girls XC takes first at Apple Ridge
EPHRATA— The Ephrata Tigers had a successful day at the Apple Ridge Run Invite Saturday as the boys took third overall, while the girls took first out of 20 schools that competed. Tigers Head Coach Lyndsy Roberts said he was very proud of the way his athletes performed in the early season meet. "Our girls showed up and competed," said Roberts. "They didn't back down from the competition and proved they are going to be a team to watch this year. Winning this meet was a big step for the program." The Apple Ridge meet had a unique scoring format with three different race courses with two athletes scoring on each course, Roberts said. This gives a total of six scoring athletes rather than the traditional five.
Tigers claim victory in Battle of the Basin
QUINCY — The Ephrata Tigers football team (1-2) earned a 62-7 victory over the Quincy Jackrabbits (0-3) Friday evening in the Battle of the Basin matchup. "I thought going into the game we had a really solid gameplan for what we wanted to do," said Tigers Head Coach Patrick Mitchell. "We were able to take the ball and establishing our run game early was the thing that we needed to do to be successful all night."
2026 Mudfest creates excitement at the dunes
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Sand Scorpions 2026 Extreme Mudfest brought by Experience Powersports brought locals and visitors alike to experience an afternoon of excitement at the Mud Flats and Sand Dunes over the weekend. "It was epic," said Brandon Douglass, President of the Sand Scorpions. "All the work was worth it." The Mudfest featured two events for the afternoon with a bounty hole and a freestyle mud truck event. The prize for each competition was $5,000 for first place.
BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Sept. 21-28, 2026
MOSES LAKE — High school athletes in the basin push through their seasons as the fall season settles in bringing cooler temperatures. Check out where each local team will be heading this week.
Cougars volleyball bests Highland and prepares for league play
WARDEN — The Warden Cougars volleyball team (3-0) claimed a dominant 3-0 victory over the Highland Scotties Thursday evening. After another nonconference victory, the Cougars set their sights toward the start of league play. “It’s been a busy week for our girls because a lot of them are showing at the Othello Fair,” said Cougars head coach Katie Roylance. “I was proud of the way they were able to focus in mentally.” In the first set, the Cougars led 6-2 early on over Highland, but the Scotties caught up midway through the set to keep the score close. Soon after, Warden began capitalizing on offensive openings to stack up back-to-back points and claimed the first set 25-14.
Othello Demo sees high action Wednesday
OTHELLO — The Othello Demolition Derby was held Wednesday night at the Adams County Fairgrounds. Throughout the competition sparks flew and racers fought hard to claim new heights in the arena.
Eagles fall at home to Odessa
SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Eagles volleyball team (1-4) fell to Odessa (3-1) Wednesday evening. Though the Eagles lost in three sets, the closeness of each set showed the young squad a lot about where they need to improve moving further into their season, head coach Erin Fletcher said. “I felt like we beat ourselves,” said Fletcher. “We have come so far, I think it was a really good matchup against us and Odessa, but it wasn’t a game where I feel like we truly got beat, but instead kind of beat ourselves.” Mental errors down the stretch were ultimately what ended up costing the Eagles deep into their sets. While this can be frustrating for the team, Fletcher said as the girls gain more varsity experience, they will learn how to navigate through that.
College Sports Schedule: Sept. 18-25, 2026
MOSES LAKE — College athletes continue through their early season matchups as the fall season settles in. Check out where your favorite teams will be competing this week.
Mavericks swim hosts first meet of the season
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks girls swim team got their season started Thursday as they hosted a nonleague meet. Mavs Head Coach Tony Preston said this meet was a great start to the season for the team of 30 new and returning girls. “We’ve got a couple first year swimmers that are really going to contribute for us, and we have a good core from last year coming back,” said Preston. “We have a lot of depth, and as we train throughout the year, we’re going to see a lot of that top end speed come out in these girls.” The day started off with the diving event, and while the event wasn’t ranked, the coach said he still saw great performances from his returning divers Lexi Gruber and Mia Thompson.
Tigers volleyball earns road victory over Jacks
QUINCY — The Ephrata Tigers volleyball team (2-4) won in three sets on the road against the Quincy Jackrabbits (0-4) Tuesday evening in an early season matchup. With just a few games before the start of league play, both teams are looking to gain key insights to play at their best. “My girls are just coming together super well, I’m really proud of them,” said Tigers Head Coach McKaidan Boyd. “There’s a lot of different girls stepping up to the plate and applying everything that we’ve been working so hard on and it really showed.” The Tigers, coming off their first win of the season last Saturday against North Central, came into Tuesday’s game with energy as they built lead over the Jacks. By the end of the set, Ephrata had created a significant gap between the teams and won the set 25-7.
Jacks girls soccer defends home turf against Tigers
QUINCY — The Quincy Jackrabbits girls soccer team (5-0) claimed a 4-1 victory at home against the Ephrata Tigers (0-5) Tuesday evening. This early-season preview for the Battle of the Basin showed highlights for both teams as they head deeper into their seasons. “We knew Ephrata was going to come in,” said Jacks Head Coach Javier Diaz. “Rival games are always rival games for a reason.” Tuesday’s game was a tight matchup in the beginning as both teams strived to be the first on the board. Ephrata was the first to score with a shot to the back of the net by sophomore Brooklynne Addink.
Sand Scorpions hosting 16th Annual Extreme Mudfest
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Sand Scorpions are hosting the Experience Power Sports Extreme Mudfest, which will include a $5,000 bounty hole and a $5,000 freestyle mud truck event at the sand dunes this Saturday. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the event starts at noon. “Honestly, I look forward to just seeing the evolution of some of these vehicles who’ve been coming for 10 years or more,” said Brandon Douglass, President of the Sand Scorpions ORV Group. “There are guys who’ve been coming several years in a row and every year they’re a little bigger or they’re a little faster, they’re a little badder.” The bounty hole will be a 700-foot-long mud pit with the winner being whoever goes through it the furthest or the fastest. Those participating in freestyle will have three minutes and will be judged on how much time they use, how much of the arena they used and overall “wow factor”.
Huskies volleyball bests Tigers in three
EPHRATA — The Othello Huskies (1-1) volleyball team earned a 3-0 victory over the Ephrata Tigers (1-4) last Thursday. With this win, the Huskies have solidified a positive start under their new head coach, Isabella Hollibaugh. “(Thursday’s) game was awesome,” said Hollibaugh. “We’ve been pushing the girls really hard to work on their energy and their attitude and they totally came through for us.”
Wahluke football works to rebound after homecoming/senior night loss
MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors football team (0-2) fell in a close 14-13 home game against the Kiona-Benton Bears Friday night. The Warriors look to take this loss in stride as they head on the road for the remainder of the season. “Still excited for this team,” said Warriors senior Moises Antunez. “It’s barely week two so I think we can bounce back. It was a close game, mistakes here and there, but I feel good about this team. I’m not going to hold my head down; I’m going to keep it up.” From kickoff, the game was a tight matchup as both the Warriors and Bears defenses remained unrelenting. By the end of the first quarter the defenses were successful in holding each other off the board.
Huskies best Tigers in early girls soccer season matchup
EPHRATA — The Othello Huskies (1-1) claimed a 3-2 victory on the road against the Ephrata Tigers (0-3) for an early season nonleague matchup. Othello’s victory was brought about in part by two goals scored by junior Bella Garza. “We played good as a team, and we put in a good effort the whole entire game, I’m excited for the rest of the season,” said Garza.
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.