CALEB PEREZ
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Lions basketball returns with experience
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions are returning to the court this week with a team of experienced players after having no seniors last season. This year, Lions Head Coach Josh Kast said the team is going to use their experience to advance further. “They’re a young group and they’ve been doing nothing but progressing,” said Kast. “That’s the cool thing about a young group of kids is they’re going to grow and they’re going to learn significantly throughout their eighth-, ninth-, 10th-grade seasons and by the time they’re juniors and seniors they’re able to compete at a higher level.” The Lions concluded the previous season with a 13-9 record, qualifying them for the district tournament where the team won in the first round against Cascade Christian Academy, but fell in the second round against Soap Lake.
Young Devils team plans on statement season
WILSON CREEK – The Wilson Creek Devils girls basketball team is bringing a young, but talented group of players onto the court this season. Jeff Sackmann returns as the team’s head coach and plans to build off of last year’s successes. “We had a great group of girls and really had a mixture of a couple seniors that had played a lot and a few other girls who had never played before,” said Sackmann. “We just really kind of came together as a team and had a lot of fun.” The Devils finished the last season with a 13-9 record earning third in the Central Washington B league and made a deep run in the postseason. Their success in the regular season allowed for Wilson Creek to host Entiat where they would win 36-27.
Cougars prepare for competitive EWAC season
WARDEN – The Warden Cougars boys basketball team is returning to the court for another intense season in the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference East. After a tough end last season, the Cougars are working to stay competitive. “Last season, we had our ups and downs with a lot of injuries, sickness hit us pretty good,” said Cougars Head Coach Brent Erdmann. “It wasn’t a bad season, but we didn’t quite reach our potential.”
ACH prepares for big matchup against DeSales
COULEE CITY — The four-seeded Almira/Coulee Hartline Warriors football team will be headed to Walla Walla tomorrow to face the number one-seeded DeSales in the semifinals of the 1B state tournament. This will be the final matchup before facing either Liberty Christian or Wahkiakum in the championships at Husky Stadium.
Warden man struck on crosswalk in Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on West Broadway Avenue near South Beech Street around 5 p.m. Tuesday. Traffic was rerouted for a time while emergency services worked to help the victim.
Man arrested after pursuit in Othello for vehicle theft
OTHELLO — At around 11:30 p.m. Monday, Othello Police Department units pursued a stolen vehicle. Officers had attempted a traffic stop, but the driver failed to yield, prompting the pursuit, said Detective Sergeant Brent McFarlane.
WA college sports schedule: Nov. 28 – Dec. 5, 2025
MOSES LAKE — College athletes finish up their fall seasons and begin to transition into their winter schedules. See where your favorite teams will be headed this Thanksgiving weekend.
Eagles look for a successful senior-led season
SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Eagles girls basketball team anticipates another successful season after finishing 12-9 last year. The Eagles return with another strong squad and a desire to earn a district title. “Last year we had a really good season,” said Eagles Head Coach Leonard Lundgren. “We were one game away from going to state.” At the end of last season, the Eagles made it into the second-place game at districts where they ultimately fell to Pateros to take third in the Central Washington B league. While this was an earlier end to their season last year, it leads to strong prospects as they enter this season.
Huskies look for success on the mat with fresh leadership
OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies head into the season with hopes to repeat the success from previous seasons with new leadership in the head coaching positions. Girls Head Coach Sammy Rocha took over last season and boys Head Coach Reuben Lopez will be stepping into the head coaching position for the first time this season. “I already had really strong leaders last year, and everything went as planned,” said Rocha. “Lots of youth, but that youth has a lot of experience and coming into this year I still have that same core from last year.” Both Lopez and Rocha have had years of experience with the team and worked extensively with the athletes last season to build the team they have today. At the end of last year, the Huskies girls team would finish second in state. The boys finished third.
WSP urges caution after 3 injured on Hwy. 2
MOSES LAKE — The Washington State Patrol is urging caution after an accident sent three individuals involved in a Berne-area collision to Cascade Medical Center Tuesday evening. The accident was determined to be caused by one of the drivers going too fast for the conditions, according to the release. Throughout Tuesday afternoon, Eastern Washington had rain and snowfall occurring throughout the region with an inch or more of snow in some areas.
GCSO explains weekend dog removal
MOSES LAKE — Last Thursday the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Grant County Animal Outreach worked in a joint effort to assist a citizen who had accumulated over 20 dogs onto their property. “The owner acknowledged that he was overwhelmed and surrendered the dogs,” said Kyle Foreman, Public Information Officer for GCSO.
Pedestrian struck on Broadway in Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on West Broadway Avenue near South Beech Street. The road was closed off for a time while emergency services worked to help the victim.
Lions strive to strengthen basketball community in Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions boys basketball team has set its sights on another successful season but have also set a community goal to build up basketball in Moses Lake. “We accomplished most of what we wanted to do (last season) which was to win our league and to win districts,” said Emerson Ferguson, head coach for the Lions. “We fell short of winning at regionals... so that kind of left a bad taste in our mouths so we’re working really hard to make sure it doesn’t happen this year.” The Lions finished the last season with a 20-5 record going undefeated in league matchups and taking first in the Central Washington B District 5 tournament. At state, the Lions made it all the way to the quarterfinals before falling to Almira/Coulee Hartline.
Tigers prepared to overcome league rivals
EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers wrestling team is preparing to build off their returning young team from last season and strive for greater postseason success. The Tigers will once again face a tough Central Washington Athletic Conference as they push to distinguish themselves. “We had a decent season (last year), and we were just about a .500 team,” said Tigers boys Head Coach Joe Knox. “We’re building a program.” Last season, the Tigers had multiple players on both the boys and girls teams making the state tournament. The girls team ended up taking nine athletes to state after placing in the top ten in districts, said Tigers girls Head Coach Raul Tejeda.
More than 20 dogs removed from Grant Co. residence
MOSES LAKE — Grant County Animal Outreach responded to a call from Grant County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday where a local citizen was in critical need of assistance with more than 20 dogs that had accumulated onto the property.
ACH earns big win over Naselle in quarterfinals
MOSES LAKE — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors faced the Naselle Comets in the 1B state quarterfinals at Lions Field Saturday afternoon. The number four-seeded Warriors were dominant on the field and earned a 61-26 victory to move on to the state semifinals.
Cougars football looks back on successful season
WARDEN — The Warden Cougars football team concluded their season with a 6-4 record making it all the way into the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference Central Washington B 2B football crossover before being eliminated from postseason play. While being just short of state, Cougars Head Coach Brent Cox said this was overall a very successful season.
WA Collegiate Sports Schedule: Nov. 21-28, 2025
MOSES LAKE — College sports in Washington are at full capacity with some teams preparing for postseason play and others looking toward a long season. Check out where your favorite team will be headed this week.
Reuben Lopez takes over as Othello boys wrestling head coach
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies boys wrestling team will be under new leadership this season after longtime coach Rudy Ochoa II stepped away from the role in the offseason. Reuben Lopez will be taking over the position as the eighth-ever coach in the program’s history.
Wildcats fall in close game against Otters
SEASIDE, Calif. — The Central Washington University men’s basketball team (3-2) split its time in the West Region Crossover on after falling to the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (2-0) on Saturday. This was following the Wildcat’s 80-68 victory over Menlo on Friday. “We needed to do a better job of guarding the three-point line today. That was an emphasis going in, and we gave up 15 of them,” said Wildcats head coach Brandon Rinta. “I give our guys credit for fighting the whole game. We dug ourselves out of a hole and cut it to one possession. Just couldn’t get the stop we needed late.” The Wildcats started off strong with a 7-0 run in the first half. The Otters would get on the board with a free throw, but CWU would respond with a layup from junior Jordan Clark.
Huskies win in rivalry matchup against Cougars
PULLMAN – The University of Washington Huskies (4-1) earned a 81-69 victory over the Washington State University Cougars (1-3) last Friday in a rivalry matchup. This game marked the 301st all-time meeting between the two programs.
Mavs swim complete season at State
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team went to King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way to compete in the WIAA state tournament over the weekend. Five qualifying swimmers competed across five events where they found both individual and team success.
Broncos bring home the bronze at state
YAKIMA — The Lind-Ritzville-Sprague Broncos volleyball team completed their season in the 2B state tournament, where they earned third place. The Broncos played tough teams throughout the tournament and finished out their bracket in a five-set showdown against Manson.
ACH finishes fourth in state
YAKIMA — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors volleyball team’s season came to a close at the state tournament at Yakima’s SunDome Thursday evening where they finished fourth. Despite not finishing off the season with a win, the team was proud of their own efforts and achievements made over the last few months.
1B/2B State Volleyball roundup
YAKIMA – Local basin teams, Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors, Lind-Ritzville-Sprague Broncos, and Soap Lake all entered the state tournament this week and competed against fellow 1B and 2B teams across the state. See below the results from the state tournament and some highlights from the tournament.
Eagles conclude season at state tourney
YAKIMA —The Soap Lake Eagles volleyball season came to a close Wednesday morning after falling 1-3 to Wakiakum in the first round of the state tournament. Following the hard-fought battle, Eagles head coach Niki Noble said how proud she was of the way the team played this season.
Tigers XC runners find success at state
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers cross country team sent six runners to the state tournament at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. While the Tigers didn’t have enough runners to place as a team, Caleb Fitts, Niko Diaz, Maddax Iverson, Hannah Malone, Savannah Harper and Rebecca Wiser each found personal success in their final times.
Educators share plans to ‘Educate Tomorrow’ at LEAD Summit
MOSES LAKE — During the first day of the LEAD Summit, local school district superintendents Carol Lewis from Moses Lake, Andy Harlow from Wahluke, Nik Bergman from Quincy and Ken Murray from Ephrata came together to discuss the challenges that schools are facing and their plans to adapt education into the future.
Eagles enter state tournament as thirteenth seed
COLUMBIA BASIN – The Soap Lake Eagles (12-4) finished second in the district tournament after overcoming Entiat 3-2 but fell to Waterville-Mansfield in the district final. The Eagles will compete in the state tournament this week, starting as the thirteenth seed.
Knights earn first round bye in state playoffs
ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (10-0) once again showed their dominance on the field on Friday where they earned a 69-0 victory over King’s Way Christian in the 1A District tournament. This victory not only sent the Knights into the state tournament but gave them the number one seed to have a first-round bye.
Grant Co. LEAD Summit 2025 examines opportunities countywide
MOSES LAKE – The first day of the LEAD Summit hosted by the Grant County Economic Development Council was held at the Grant County Fairgrounds Wednesday and Thursday. Local leaders from the area came together to share the future plans for the county.
Eagles seniors reflect on season after concluding at home
SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Eagles (2-6) finished their season at home against Oroville, where they fell 0-54 by the end of the night. Despite the loss, the Eagles were still proud of the efforts that they put out and are happy with the season they had.
Quincy railroad crossing work scheduled for 2026
QUINCY — Roadwork for 2025 isn’t quite finished in Quincy, and plans are underway for projects in 2026. Upgrades to the railroad crossing on Columbia Way are among them, and Quincy Engineer Aerial Belino said that’s the first in a series of upgrades to railway crossings.
GALLERY: Highlights from Basin sports
MOSES LAKE — The last week of Basin sports saw a lot of stiff competition as district tournament games continue. Here are a few highlights from those games.
Mavs volleyball falls to Ike in districts
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks (9-8) volleyball season came to a close Tuesday evening after falling 0-3 to Eisenhower in the Big 9 district play-in round. The Mavs played in a tight three set match but fell short at the end of each.
Mavs soccer secures victory in district play
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks soccer team (8-6-1) earned a 3-0 win during the Big 9 district play-in round against West Valley Tuesday evening to move on to the next round in the district tournament. “I think we really came out to play today and I’m very proud of us,” said Mavs senior Miciah Higley. “Just very excited for what comes next.”
Mavs volleyball players make All-League
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks announced the All-League selections for Big 9 volleyball this season. Mavs Head Coach Krystal Trammell said these players were selected for their work both in sports and in the classroom.
Huskies finish season in second round of districts
OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (8-11) concluded their season in the second round of the district tournament after falling to East Valley 0-3 on Saturday. The Huskies Head Coach Steve Parris said the team felt prepared for the game but struggled once they got on the court.
Mavs swim team finds success in districts
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team competed in the Big 9 District 5 tournament with the preliminary round and diving events taking place Thursday and the finals taking place Saturday. The results from the finals qualified two Mavs for the state tournament with around six in the wildcard.
BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Nov. 4-8, 2025
COLUMBIA BASIN – Local athletes from around the Basin are now deep into the postseason as they compete to create new legacies in the area. See where your local teams will be headed this week.
Tigers win in OT over Grandview
EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers (6-3) earned an impressive 26-20 win over Grandview in overtime during their senior night game on Friday. This win helped the Tigers secure their position in the postseason as they compete in the district tournament this weekend. “What we tried to talk about all week was that we needed to treat the game like a playoff game,” said Tigers Head Coach Patrick Mitchell.
Mavs fall in close matchup against Eastmont
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks (9-7) fell 2-3 in their senior night home match Thursday evening against Eastmont. Despite the loss, Mavs Head Coach Krystal Trammell said it was still a good night to celebrate the seniors in their final home match of the regular season.
Huskies seize victory over Jacks
OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (8-1) earned a 63-0 win to end off the regular season during their senior night on Thursday against the Quincy Jackrabbits (1-8). The Huskies now prepare to head into the postseason following their victory.
Huskies best Toppenish in first round of districts
OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies volleyball team (8-9) won 3-0 over Toppenish in the first round of the Central Washington Athletic Conference District 5 tournament Wednesday evening. This win moves the team to the next round of district play on Saturday.
OTHELLO SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR POS. 3: Fought vs. Garcia
OTHELLO – There are two candidates running for the Othello School District Director District 3 position this year which are Birdie Fought and Juan “Jerry” Garcia. Both candidates were given the questions below and given identical deadlines and word count restrictions for their answers.
Cougars XC Heads North for WCC Championships
SPOKANE — Cougar Cross Country heads 90 minutes north to Spokane for the West Coast Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 1.
Basin District Tournament Schedule Oct. 29- Nov. 1, 2025
COLUMBIA BASIN – District tournament schedules have been updated by the WIAA for teams in the basin. See where your local team will be playing this weekend.
Mavs fall to Eisenhower in conference matchup
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks (7-5-1) played at home against Eisenhower Tuesday evening, where they fell 1-4. Mavs head coach Alysha Overland said it was a tough loss for the team, but the team will bounce back for their next matchup.
Tigers conclude season in second round of districts
EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers (6-8) soccer season ended Tuesday evening in the second round of the Central Washington Athletic Conference against Ellensburg with a final score of 1-4. Tigers head coach Gary Klepec said it was a tough postseason matchup, but he is proud of how the team performed this season.
RITZVILLE CITY COUNCIL Q&A: Plumb vs. Ottmar
RITZVILLE – The race for Ritzville City Council consists of two candidates, Michelle Plumb and Eric Ottmar. Plumb responded to a set of five questions presented as follows. The Columbia Basin Herald has reached out to Eric Ottmar, Plumb’s opponent in the race, but received no response.