CALEB PEREZ

Huskies boys earn close team wins over Toppenish

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies boys (6-2) tennis team earned a 4-1 victory at home against Toppenish Wednesday afternoon. Once again, multiple players filled roles where they were needed and found success. “Even when we’re shorthanded, we have players that can step up big,” said Huskies Boys Coach Caleb Tovar. The Huskies boys started the afternoon with George Arevalo stepping up from second doubles to fill in the first singles position, as the starting singles player is still out with a knee injury. Arevalo battled hard against a tough Luis Godines from Toppenish, but ultimately, Toppenish took the first match 4-6, 5-7. Tovar said he was very proud of the effort that Arevalo gave Wednesday and noted that his match was the closest any of the Othello players have come in facing Godines on the court.

Jacks win with overtime PKs against Tigers in Battle of the Basin

QUINCY — The Quincy Jackrabbits (4-4) faced the Ephrata Tigers (5-6) Tuesday evening in a rivalry matchup that remained close throughout. The two teams battled all the way into overtime penalty kicks where the Jacks earned the 3-2 victory.

Local sheriffs weigh in on SB 5904

MOSES LAKE — Four sheriffs across Eastern Washington, John Nowels of Spokane County, Glenn Blakeslee of Pend Orielle County, Brad Manke of Stevens County and Ray Maycumber of Ferry County, have taken legal action to challenge SB 5974, which was signed by Governor Bob Ferguson April 1. Those four sheriffs, along with others across the state, have stated that there are aspects of the bill that go against the rights of the voter to choose their leaders in law enforcement. “The big piece of it is how it removes the right of the voters to be able to specifically select their sheriff as well as (the ability) to remove that sheriff from office if need be,” said Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete. “The whole philosophy of removing and stripping the right of voters is the primary concern of this whole bill.”

WA COLLEGE SPORTS SCHEDULE: April 9-16, 2026

MOSES LAKE — College athletes continue through their spring seasons as the weather gets warmer and the competition gets more intense. Check out where your favorite college teams will be heading this week.

Sand Scorpions host annual egg hunt and poker run

MOSES LAKE — The Sand Scorpions ORV group brought the community out for an afternoon in the Sand Dunes for their annual Easter Egg Hunt and Poker Run Saturday. Brandon Douglass, the event organizer for the Sand Scorpions, said this year showcased another successful event. “It went really well,” said Douglass. “Weather was awesome, tons of kids, tons of eggs, lots of fun. I didn’t see a single unhappy face.” The Easter Egg Hunt kicked off at noon with 34,000 eggs hidden across five acres of the dunes. He said that there were so many eggs that hiding them was no longer an option, and the dunes were spotted with a variety of different colored eggs.

Wildcats go 3-1 against MSUB over the weekend

BILLINGS, Mont. — The Central Washington University Wildcats faced Montana State University Billings in a four-game series with the Wildcats earning three wins over the weekend, according to a statement from CWU Athletics. In the first game Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats got an early lead on , MSU Billings, scoring two runs in the first inning and one in the second. Montana responded in the bottom of the second with four runs to claim the lead which would later be reclaimed by Central as they pulled ahead to claim a 9-6 victory. Logan Blank led CWU at bat in the first game, with three hits and two runs followed by Kaiden Hernandez and Ethan Swenson with two hits and one run each. Austin Cupic pitched six innings where he allowed five runs, seven hits and struck out three.

ACH takes two wins over Mary Walker

COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (4-2) earned a pair of strong victories over Mary Walker in Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader. The Warriors dominated the weekend, winning the first game 15-0 and the second game 17-2. “It went really good,” said Warriors Head Coach Faye Butler. “We knew that we were pretty safe going into it, so I was able to play some younger players just to give them some experience.” The Warriors got off to a hot start in game one, holding Mary Walker scoreless in the top of the first inning and going on to score 14 in the bottom of the inning.

E-sports finds a foothold in the Basin

COLUMBIA BASIN — Among the activities that students can participate in, e-sports, or organized competitive video gaming, often goes unrecognized but is growing quickly across the nation. In the Basin, Ephrata Tigers and Wahluke Warriors teams have established strong gaming programs that have developed in their own ways.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: April 6-13, 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — Multiple basin teams head into spring break this week, while others return to compete through league matchups in the second half of the season. Check out where the local teams are heading this week.

Wahluke pulls ahead of Warden in SCAC matchup

WARDEN — The Wahluke Warriors (6-2) earned a 7-0 victory on the road as they faced the Warden Cougars (2-6). The Warriors improve into the top four teams of the South-Central Athletic Conference while the Cougars are focused on rallying themselves for a stronger second half of the season.

Boys Tribe 5th grade team takes third in state

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Tribe boys fifth-grade basketball team placed third overall in the Gold Division at the state tournament this season. A strong team bond and skills built over the years have head coach Matt Ahmann confident in what the team can accomplish in the future.

Othello’s Bernie Garza suffers health issue

OTHELLO — Bernie Garza, Othello’s head soccer coach, spoke from the sidelines of the game Tuesday against East Valley. He said he was being careful due to a recent health concern.

Huskies defend their home field against East Valley

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (5-1) played a tight game against East Valley (7-1) Tuesday evening, where a single score by Huskies junior Orlando Farias won the game. Following what the Othello coaches called a “gutsy win,” the Huskies prepare to head deeper into league play as the season heats up. “Our game plan to come into (Tuesday) was to see what we were able to do,” said Huskies Assistant Coach Kevin Hensley. “Combat their style of play, the way they play out of the back. Apply pressure there and make things uncomfortable for them. Hope to get a goal early in the match and then play with a defensive mindset from that point forward.”

Grant Transit Authority to provide paratransit service for qualifying riders

EPHRATA — The Grant Transit Authority will be providing curb-to-curb bus service for qualifying riders beginning July 1. Previously, GTA had a contract with People for People for that bus service. “We decided not to renew or update (the contract),” said GTA General Manager Eric Loomis. “We have the ability to bring it in-house.” The transit authority is hiring drivers and buying seven new buses to provide the service, he said.

Huskies dominate over Prosser in strong home matchup

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (5-2) earned a 14-0 victory over a Central Washington Athletic Conference rival, Prosser, Tuesday afternoon. This victory follows another strong victory over Prosser for the Huskies last week, where they won 13-0 on the road. “We had a good plan going in. We were going to use a couple pitchers,” said Huskies Head Coach Sonny Garza. “We were really aggressive at the plate, something that we’ve been talking to our guys (about). They executed and did what they needed to do.” The Huskies got off to a hot start as they got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, after Ryan Martinez doubled to score two runs, an error scored two runs, and a wild pitch scored one run.

Huskies best Tigers on the court

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies earned 5-0 team victories from both the boys and girls Tuesday afternoon after facing the Ephrata Tigers. “It was a good day,” said Huskies Boys Head Coach Caleb Tovar. “I think we had a couple players step up big as far as just being down that one singles player and having to shift people around. I think everyone did a good job just stepping up no matter where I put them.” One of the closest matches of the afternoon was in the first singles match between Huskies player Max Harris and Tigers player Avery Morris. The coaches said both of these players stepped up into the first singles position with the starting players on both sides facing injury or illness Tuesday.

Basin Easter Events 2026

Huskies go 2-1 over the weekend against Northwestern

SEATTLE — The University of Washington Huskies (12-15) found success on the diamond over the weekend after hosting a three-game series against the Northwestern Wildcats (9-14-1). The Huskies finished the stretch 2-1 with a 7-2 victory Friday, 9-10 loss Saturday and a 7-2 victory Sunday, according to reports from UW Athletics.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: March 30 – April 6, 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — Students head into spring break this week, but spring sports continue to pick up as local athletes continue to get their season underway. Check out where your local teams will be headed this week.

Huskies best Jacks in doubleheader

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies earned two solid victories in a doubleheader against the Quincy Jackrabbits Thursday afternoon to start their first games of league play this season. The Huskies won their games 13-0 and 20-3. “I think what helped us out the most is that we stayed on top of each other and really just brought each other together,” said Huskies senior Alizay Pruneda. “Every mistake, every bad thought, we just flushed it down the toilet, moved on, and we got better.”

Wildcats earn walk off victory in high scoring battle against Eastern Oregon

ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington University Wildcats (9-15) completed their high scoring battle against the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers (8-20) in the bottom of the ninth inning with a walk-off single from Lance Mittelman Tuesday afternoon to win 15-14, according to a statement by CWU Athletics. “It always feels good to win a game,” said Wildcats Head Coach Desi Storey. “To be able to come home for the first time, and put together some positives, and come away with the W is good.”

Vikings split doubleheader with Wenatchee Valley

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings (8-12) split their home doubleheader against Wenatchee Valley in the first game of conference play for the season. The Vikings fell 3-8 in the first game but came back to win 7-5 in the second. “It was nice to see the response in game two,” said Vikings Head Coach Chase Tunstall. “Karter Wilson came out and gave us his best outing of the year so far.”

Tigers recognized for achievements in state competitions

EPHRATA — State competitors were recognized for their achievements during the Ephrata School District board meeting Monday evening. Several teams throughout the district qualified and competed in state competitions recently, and the start of the meeting was dedicated to honoring them.

WA COLLEGE SPORTS SCHEDULE: March 26 – April 2, 2026

MOSES LAKE — Though March Madness has wrapped up for Washington college teams, there are still plenty of teams in the state competing in spring athletics ahead of their break. See where your favorite team is heading this week.

Knights secure road victory over Cougars

WARDEN — The Royal Knights (3-1-2) earned a 5-2 road victory against the Warden Cougars (2-4) in a South Central Athletic Conference matchup Tuesday evening. Knights Head Coach Jens Jensen said this win was great in getting the team back on track after a tough stretch of games prior.

District sets timeline for Ephrata High roof project

EPHRATA — A timeframe on the roof replacement at Ephrata High School was discussed at the Ephrata School District board meeting Monday evening.

Cougars sweep Eagles and LMU in weekend matches

PULLMAN — The Washington State Cougars earned a pair of team victories as they defended their home court over the weekend, sweeping both the Eastern Washington Eagles and Loyola Marymount University.

Huskies sweep Iowa on the road

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Washington women’s tennis team bounced back after its first loss of the season with a sweeping 4-0 victory over Iowa Sunday morning. The Huskies improve to 13-1 on the season with a 4-1 mark in the Big Ten.

GCHD hosting MMR vaccine clinic today

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District is hosting a no-cost measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine drive-thru clinic Tuesday from 1-4 p.m. in partnership with Care-A-Van in the GCHD parking lot. This was created in response to the confirmation of measles within Grant County.

Eagles open season with 17 PRs and multiple event wins

SPOKANE — The Eastern Washington Eagles opened the outdoor track and field season at the Sam Adams Classic at Whitworth University, where the team recorded 17 new personal records – nine on the men’s side and eight from the women – according to a statement by EWU Athletics. Both men’s and women’s teams took first at the event with 72 points for the men and 69 points for the women.

Cougars get the season started on the course

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars got the golf season started off with a jamboree where they invited Okanogan, Cascade, Chelan and Riverside. Cougars boys Head Coach Tim Carlberg said it was a good way for the team to get warmed up against some familiar opponents as they prepare for the start of their season.

Lions take on Mavs C-Team to open softball season

MOSES LAKE — Two young Moses Lake teams faced off in their first games of the season Wednesday afternoon with the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions varsity team taking on the Moses Lake Mavericks C-team. After the day’s events, the Mavs claimed 18-5 and 15-11 victories. “It was a very intense game, we were playing a varsity team today, and I was a little stressed out on how we were going to do, but we ended up finishing pretty well,” said Mavs C-Team Head Coach Jazzmen Rose.

Jacks 5th grade basketball team earns third in state

QUINCY — The Quincy Jackrabbits fifth-grade team finished third in the state tournament in Spokane to conclude their basketball season. The young team worked hard since October, and those efforts were rewarded as they finished as one of the top three teams in the state.

BBCC awards tenure to 4 faculty

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College awarded tenure to four faculty members during the March 19 board meeting. Cade Levine, Melissa Heaps, Mitchell Valdivia and Justin Henley were all on their third probationary year and, after consideration from the board, were given tenure.

Huskies reach 13-game win streak after wins over Maryland and North Dakota

SEATTLE — The University of Washington Huskies softball team (23-6) had a strong showing over the last week of competition as they extended themselves to a 13-game winning streak. The Huskies faced Maryland last weekend in a set of three games and North Dakota Wednesday evening. In Friday’s game, Maryland was the first on the board after Anna McGowan hit an RBI double in the opening inning. The Huskies responded in the bottom of the second, with a two-RBI single from Alexis DeBoer that scored Melody Acevedo and Sophi Mazzola. Giselle Alvarez slammed a home run to put the Huskies up 4-1.

Basin teams begin track and field season at Ephrata Ice Breaker

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers hosted 12 teams, including the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions, Othello Huskies, Soap Lake Eagles and Wahluke Warriors for the Ephrata Ice Breaker. The first track and field meet of the season worked to set the tone for the season as newer athletes got a taste of competition, and the returners had an opportunity to make a strong start to their season.

Tigers remain confident after tough start to the season

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers (0-3) hosted Wenatchee Tuesday afternoon, where they fell 0-16 on the pitch. Tigers Head Coach Lesa Trevino said after facing 4A teams for their first three games of the season, the team is better prepared for when they begin playing in league.

Hiking Trails in the Columbia Basin

COLUMBIA BASIN — Eastern Washington boasts a variety of different hiking trails to enjoy as the weather begins to warm up. Below are five hiking trails in the Basin to try out this year. Remember while out hiking to stick to the hiking trails, clean up after your pets and yourself to keep the areas beautiful.

Examining how agriculture could switch to renewable energy

MOSES LAKE — The topic of energy production is something that has become something of increasing interest in recent years as new technology is developed. David Funk, President and Founder of Zero Emissions Northwest, said his goal is to inform people about green energy sources that can save long-term money.

Knights tennis bests Naches Valley

ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights battled against Naches Valley on the court Monday afternoon with the Knights boys earning a 5-0 victory while the girls battled to go 3-2 on the court. With another early season meet concluded, the Knights prepare for a busy regular season ahead.

Tigers, Jacks and Cougars kick off baseball season after snow delay

EPHRATA — The Quincy Jackrabbits and Warden Cougars joined the Ephrata Tigers at home for a baseball tournament to start the season over the weekend. The three teams had the competition delayed after a snowstorm Friday and got back on track Saturday morning, playing in five-inning games.

Tigers best Eagles in home opener

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers and Soap Lake Eagles started their soccer seasons off on a windy Thursday evening in Ephrata where the Tigers earned a 9-2 victory. Both teams are coming into the season with high expectations for themselves as they look ahead to the coming months of competition. “It was a good first game, we came out trying to control possession and control the tempo of the game. We knew that would get us goals,” said Tigers Head Coach Ivan Garay. “It took us a little bit to get there, but once we got the first one, we were able to keep them going.”

Weather forces delays in Basin sports

MOSES LAKE — Several sporting events across the Basin have been postponed this weekend due to rain and snow causing conditions on the field to be unsuitable for play. Ephrata Tigers baseball Head Coach David Tempel was out shoveling snow Friday morning to keep the field in the best condition possible to resume a planned tournament Saturday. “This morning I got up and saw all the snow and got on the phone with my AD. We made the decision fairly quickly that games would be canceled today. We've alerted all the teams involved. We're going to shoot to try and get them all in tomorrow,” Tempel said.

ACH anticipates growth after successful basketball season

COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (19-6) girls basketball team found success on the court this season as they made a late push into the postseason. The Warriors drove all the way to the Round of 12 before falling to Lummi Nation.

Rock Bottom Rocker sustains windstorm damage

SOAP LAKE — The Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry sustained serious damage from the windstorm that occurred Wednesday night, with multiple enclosures damaged or destroyed. Despite the damage sustained, Shawna Kluge, president of Rock Bottom Rocker, said all the animals are safe.

Huskies build up new tennis players and strengthen returners

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies have returned to the tennis courts as they prepare to play in another successful season following the boys’ top-three finish and the girls finishing as the Central Washington Athletic Conference league champs. Coaches Caleb and Priscilla Tovar said they are ready to bring up a new group of dedicated players for the 2026 season. “They definitely competed,” said Caleb. “We lost quite a few seniors on both sides. It’s a matter of rebuilding now, but traditionally around here, we get kind of lucky and a lot of kids enjoy playing and you get younger siblings that have played at least a little bit before.” This season was the biggest start to the season yet, as the coaches said 108 players signed up to join the team.

Wilson Creek partners with Odessa for spring sports

WILSON CREEK — The Wilson Creek Devils have partnered with the Odessa Tigers for spring sports this year. Despite wearing different school colors, the Devils will be competing in baseball, golf and track as they continue their athletics through the end of the sports season. “We’ve had combined sports for the last few years,” said Devils Athletic Director Loni Koziol. “Before going to Odessa we were combined with Soap Lake, it’s a pretty common practice in our small 1B schools just for numbers, and Odessa was the school that was the closest and had the availability to take our kids.” Koziol said the ability to combine athletics with other schools in the area allows the students in smaller schools to have the opportunity to play in more sports since they don’t always have the numbers to make a full team. Besides that, Wilson Creek doesn’t have a baseball field, a track or a golf course that the students would be able to utilize to participate in these sports from home.

Huskies aim for a return to state in 2026

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies are gearing up for the start of the 2026 baseball season after concluding the last season with a third-place finish in state. This year, Head Coach Sonny Garza said the Huskies are preparing to get into the state tournament once again. “Great group of kids last year,” Garza said. “They began playing for the team and for the person next to them, which was really good, and I think that’s really what helped us have a successful season.” The Huskies were a dominant force in the Central Washington Athletic Conference last season, finishing with a 23-6 record. The Huskies entered the 2A District 5 tournament as the second seed where they earned victories over East Valley and Ellensburg before falling to Selah in the district finals to take second in District 5.

Returning athletes look to make strides for Lions track season

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions are preparing to get their track and field season underway. After the successes from last season, Head Coach Dan Bishop said there is a group of returning athletes who are ready to make a name for themselves. “We’ve got several state veterans that were really good athletes (last season) and several that are just starting out and trying to find their way and decide which events are going to work out for them,” said Bishop. “We have a good mix of veterans and beginners.” Last year, he said the Lions sent seven of their athletes to the state tournament. Returning junior Amelia Shopbell made it onto the podium by earning sixth in javelin with a throw of 101 feet, 4 inches (30.89 meters).

Lions add softball to the schedule for spring athletics

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions are starting their first softball season at the high school level this year. Under the leadership of Head Coach Todd Gregory and Assistant Coach Ty Whitaker, the team hopes to grow this season to build the program into the future. “They look promising and I’m hoping that we can put in a good season and prove (ourselves) by the end of the year to where we can have a winning season and make some noise in the postseason,” said Gregory. The building of the program began last year at the middle school level after getting a group of girls together for a short season, said the coach. With their success in making that team, the Lions transitioned to getting the numbers to play in a high school season.