MIKE MAYNARD
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Wahluke falls to Tri-Cities in home opener
MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors (0-1) were defeated 46-24 in their home opener by the Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars. Despite the loss, Head Coach Makai Hirai said he was proud of the effort his players gave on the court. “That was the biggest thing that I took away is we had a lot of effort. We have a lot of girls who are hungry, and the coaches were excited about (that). Our girls look pretty motivated ... they’re working hard,” Hirai said. The Jaguars started fast and held the lead the entire game. Tri-Cities Prep put up double-digit scores in each quarter except for the third. The Warriors finished strong with 10 points in the fourth quarter, but the Jaguars came out victorious.
From overtime thriller to championship stage
The Knights meet Cashmere once again
ROYAL CITY — On Friday, the No. 1 seed Royal Knights (12-0) will travel to Husky Stadium to play the No. 2 seed Cashmere Bulldogs (11-1) in the 1A state championship game. The Knights Head Coach Wiley Allred was not surprised to see the Bulldogs reach the state championship game. “I was hoping there wasn't a team better than them, because that's a pretty tough team right there. We'll meet our match,” Allred said. When these two met in October, it was the Knights pulling off a late comeback to win 21-15 in overtime. Coming into that game, both teams were undefeated. The Knights had only allowed seven points all season, while the Bulldogs had not allowed a score by any team.
COLUMN: A moment of gratitude during conflict
At the time of writing, the Moses Lake Education Association is on its third day of striking as they work toward an agreement with the Moses Lake School District. It’s no secret these strikes have led to a ripple effect of outcomes, the most notable that school has not been in session this week as negotiations continue and teachers strike.
Warriors fall short in home opener
MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors (0-1) were defeated 67-43 by the Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars Tuesday in their return to the hardwood. Wahluke Head Coach Anfernee Cortez said some of the loss may be attributed to first-game jitters. “We started too flat and just kind of dug ourselves into a hole early. Against a team like Tri-Cities Prep, it’s tough to catch up at that point,” Cortez said. A slow start by the Warriors allowed Tri-Cities Prep to take hold of the momentum early and build a commanding lead. In the first half, the Warriors struggled to knock down shots and attack the rim. The Jaguars carried their momentum into the second half to run away with the game. Wahluke had a stronger second-half showing, but Cortez said it was not enough to get back in the game.
Wildcats stay perfect after weekend sweep
ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington Wildcats are off to a 6-0 start to their regular season after their sweep last weekend over San Francisco State Gators and University of Mary Marauders. With a new group of players leading this season, Head Coach Randi Richardson said she feels great about where the team is at. “We're learning a lot about ourselves every game we step out onto the floor as it truly is a really new group playing with each other,” Richardson said. “We're trying to find that camaraderie out on the floor and that unity at times, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but we are finding ways to win and compete in the moment and get the job done.”
WA college football recap – Week 14
MOSES LAKE — Rivalry weekend saw some eventful results. Some teams saw unexpected shortfalls while others secured bowl game eligibility. With Eastern Washington and Central Washington finished for the year, that leaves the Cougars and the Huskies. See below how they fared in their final games of the regular season. Washington State (6-6) vs Oregon State The Cougars punctuated their regular-season finale with a 32–8 victory over the Oregon State Beavers to secure bowl eligibility, according to a statement by WSU athletics. The Cougars improved to 6–6 overall with the win, marking the program's third bowl appearance in the last four seasons.
Knights aiming high for success this season
ROYAL CITY — After an 11-12 season, the Knights are ready for more, according to Head Coach Farrah Wardenaar. After leaving it all on the court last season, they went into the offseason with a renewed drive to succeed. “We had a really good summer; we put in a lot of work. We went to a great team camp at Gonzaga, and I took 20 kids with me this summer. That just shows me the level of dedication (they have) is improving every year, so I think that's great,” Wardenaar said. With their investment into developing in the offseason, Wardenaar said she feels her team will be different this season. The Knights return a strong group of upperclassmen and a freshmen class. Taking both of those into account, she feels this roster is a strong depth to work with.
ACH Warriors eliminated from 1B state tournament
COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (10-2) season comes to an end after falling to the DeSales Irish 44-22 in the semifinals of the 1B state football tournament on Saturday. Despite the tough loss, Head Coach Brandon Walsh said the Warriors are left with a lot to be proud of.
Knights steamroll their way to 1A state title game
ROYAL CITY — The first seed Royal Knights (12-0) defeated fourth seed Lynden Christian Lyncs 61-35 in the semifinals of the 1A state football tournament. Senior Brody Bishop expressed his excitement to play in the state championship game next weekend. “I just love being a part of this team. It's a crazy feeling. Going back to Husky Stadium means a lot,” Bishop said. The Knights came out of the first quarter with a two-point lead over Lynden Christian. However, after a few turnovers in the second quarter, they expanded their lead to 34-20 by halftime.
Mavs eager to take the next step on the court
MOSES LAKE — As Mavericks Head Coach Craig Groth prepares for his second year leading the group, he feels confident this team can take the next step. “They got acclimated to the new system. They learned a lot from it, and now that the system has been in place, and they know what their role is, we're able to come together and build upon the success from last year,” Groth said.
Knights set for semifinal game at home Saturday
ROYAL CITY — This weekend the Royal Knights (11-0) will host the Lynden Christian Lyncs (10-1) at home Saturday at 3 p.m. in the semifinals of the 1A state football tournament. With a win, the Knights could be headed back to the state championship game, however, they remain focused on one game at a time.
Mavs coach excited for new wrestling season
MOSES LAKE – After a year of improvement, the Moses Lake High School wrestling squad is ready to hit the mats once again. Head Coach Jose Tanguma said he gets excited when a new season arrives. “We have a good group of kids, a very strong freshman class that came up through our wrestling club, and in these kids, you can see they're very mature for being freshmen, and they're setting high goals for themselves," Tanguma said.
Seahawks favored over Vikings ahead of week 13 matchup
MOSES LAKE — The Seattle Seahawks (8-3) are set for a showdown at Lumen Field against the Minnesota Vikings (4-7) on Sunday at 1 p.m. According to ESPN, the Seahawks have a 69% chance to win. Head Coach Mike MacDonald is confident his players can bring the right level of physicality to the gridiron.
Wahluke ready to bounce back on the court
MATTAWA – The Wahluke Warriors put together a 9-15 season under first year Head Coach Anfernee Cortez. Despite the record, he said last season was great for growth. “I thought there was a lot of learning last season for us, especially with a team full of guys going through their first year starting on varsity. I think just with that, I know there's going to be some growing pains and some learning,” Cortez said.
COLUMN: Head west, they say
This column came together probably as quickly as my decision to move from Columbus, Ohio to Moses Lake. When I graduated from Denison University in May 2024, I remember being overcome with emotion after receiving my degree.
Knights welcome new leader ahead of season
ROYAL CITY – After a successful season last winter where the Royal Knights went 27-3, new Head Coach Tim Ravet is excited to lead them into the future. He is excited to join a winning culture, he said. “That culture is built at home, and you could tell the families and the community care about winning. They're about doing it the right way, about the kids just playing the right way and kind of shaping them from boys to men, it's just the right situation for me,” Ravet said.
Jacks hoopsters eye league breakthrough after transition year
QUINCY – After three straight league titles, the Jacks moved up to the Central Washington Athletic Conference last season and finished 7-14. Despite moving to a higher level of competition, Head Coach Scott Bierlink said he loved how his players competed. “The CWAC last year was loaded,” Scott said. “But we were real competitive. Kept most games close, so I was actually happy with our performance last year.” The Jacks made an appearance in the 2A district tournament play in game against East Valley but fell short 79-58. However, with their first year back in the CWAC behind them, Scott is confident his players will be ready to compete in a league he believes won’t be as top heavy.
Mavs’ historic season ends with quarterfinal appearance
MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks (11-1) fell to the Lake Stevens Vikings 76-41 on the road in the quarterfinals of the 4A state football tournament. Despite the loss, Head Coach Brett Jay was proud of how his players fought to the end.
WA college football recap – Week 13
MOSES LAKE — As college football reaches the end of the regular season, most Washington teams are nearing key rivalry games. As they aim for a strong finish, see how they fared in week 13.
Young Broncos roster ready to hit the mats
LIND – As the 2025 wrestling gets started, Head Coach Jason Hilzer’s excitement is growing. He said if he had to pick a favorite sport to coach, it would be wrestling. “I get super excited,” Hilzer said. “I always tell (students), I don't know if I have a favorite sport, but I will tell you, whatever you put into wrestling is what you'll get out. If you want to put 110% in, that's what you're going to get out.” Unlike most other sports structured with starters and backups, Hilzer said wrestling is great because everyone gets to participate because they are spread across multiple weight classes.
ACH Warriors ready for another run to state
COULEE CITY – After falling short by three points in the state championship last season, the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (27-2) return to the court this season with the same expectations. Head Coach Graham Grindy said the standard has been set especially since they return most of last year's roster. “Bringing back what we brought back, statistically, we're bringing back a lot of our major players that led us in scoring, rebounding, defensively, all the areas. We definitely have high hopes,” Graham said.
Knights dominate on the gridiron to advance to semifinals
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (11-0) stormed through Seton Catholic Cougars 48-10 in a rematch of last year's 1A state football championship. However, this came in the quarterfinal round as the Knights earned a first round bye.
Team unity, defense lead to undefeated start for Vikings
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Vikings (4-0) extended their win streak to four-straight after defeating the Edmond Tritons 71-38 at home Friday. Head Coach Preston Wilks said he went with his jumbo lineup. “It was a good win for us, because we had our bigger lineup tonight, and so we were a little nervous about (Edmonds) athleticism and their ability to get by us on the perimeter. I'm happy that we held them to 38 points. I had no idea that we'd be able to do that defensively with all our big girls out on the perimeter... they played really well,” Wilks said.
Knights, Mavs, ACH head to state quarterfinals
MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, three Basin football teams will look to take the next step in state football competition. The Royal Knights (10-0), Moses Lake Mavericks (11-0) and Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (9-1) will all play in quarterfinal games Saturday afternoon.
Officiating issues lead to questions regarding Mavs game
MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks pulled off a late comeback win over the Bothell Cougars 17-14 in the first round of the 4A state football tournament, wherein multiple possibly inaccurate calls by officials were made against both teams. However, since the conclusion of that game accusations of inappropriate officiating have been made. A parent of a Bothell player made claims that officials overseeing the game had direct ties to Moses Lake and the Mavericks football program. They referenced the Washington Officials Associations code of conduct, which she said states that ties to the team must be disclosed.
COLUMN: Mariners start the offseason right
On Monday, the Seattle Mariners announced that Josh Naylor re-signed with the team on a five-year deal for $92 million. Re-signing the star first baseman is an excellent first step in a successful offseason for the Mariners, who should be looking to reload and make another run at a World Series.
Roberts scores four touchdowns as ACH rolls past Entiat
COULEE CITY – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (9-1) defeated the Entiat Tigers 57-14 at home to advance to the quarter finals of the 1B state football tournament. Head Coach Brandon Walsh said his team has come together recently.
College football recap – Week 12
MOSES LAKE – College football across Washington excelled in their matchups. Some of these matchups resulted in teams securing key conference wins while others help team morale as they try to finish the year strong. Washington State (5-5) vs Louisiana Tech The Cougars defense delivered a dominant performance as they stormed their way to a 28-3 win over Louisiana Tech. According to a statement by WSU athletics, this is the fifth time this season the defense has held their opponent to 10 points or fewer. Head Jimmy Rogers had positive feedback about the Cougs’ win.
Huskies’ rally but fall short in playoff loss
OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (9-2) fell short 24-21 to Sehome in the 2A state football tournament after a late comeback attempt was unsuccessful. Defensive Coordinator Kevin Hale said he was proud of the Huskies giving themselves an opportunity to win, even if it did not go their way. “We had some difficulties and penalties and turnovers. We made it tough on ourselves, but ultimately, we gave ourselves a chance to win at the end and just couldn't quite do it,” Hale said. The Huskies took an 8-7 lead after the first quarter, but Sehome responded in the second quarter, tallying off 10 points to take a nine-point lead at halftime. The Huskies offense erupted in the third quarter with 13 points, but Sehome was able to maintain the lead with another score of their own and hold in the fourth quarter for the win.
Late comeback lifts Mavericks to state quarterfinals
MOSES LAKE – On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks (11-0) defeated the Bothell Cougars 17-14 in a physical first round matchup of the 4A state football tournament. Head Coach Brett Jay was visibly overcome with emotion after their hard-fought win.
Knights set foundation for winning culture
ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (9-10) may have fallen just short of a 1A state tournament bid, but for first year Head Coach Lisa Lawrence, it was about establishing a new culture.
From underdogs to contenders
Wahluke girls soccer sees a culture shift
MATTAWA — After a 7-0 loss in the first round of the 1A state tournament to Seton Catholic, the Wahluke Warriors’ (14-7) season has come to an end. Though a loss is never welcomed with open arms, Head Coach Cele Lopez is still happy with what his team accomplished this season. “I’m just really happy I told the girls yesterday before jumping on the field, ‘We are already winners just by being here,’” Lopez said. Before the season started, Lopez said they had their hands full since they housed a less experienced roster.
Coach reflects on winning season for the Mavericks
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (10-7-1) were eliminated in the first round of the 4A state tournament 8-0 by the Issaquah Eagles. It’s always hard to see a season come to an end, Head Coach Alysha Overland said, but the Mavericks have a lot to be proud of. “This program hasn’t seen state in 10 years now, so the girls battling through everything we’ve faced this season, and getting to that point, I think we’re all just very excited and still proud of the point that they got to,” Overland said. Overland said her players competed well in their game against Issaquah. They were able to hold the Eagles to a 2-0 lead going into halftime. However, in the second half the game escaped the Mavericks as Issaquah put up six goals to seal the win. Overland said the Eagles were a strong team that was well rounded and were efficiently passing the ball.
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.
COLUMN: Is this the year for the Zags?
As the Washington air turns bitter and cold, sports fans will trade in the cold beer, perhaps for a warm cider, as they sit down for the start of the college basketball season. After a second-round exit in the NCAA men's basketball tournament last March, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are poised to bounce back this season.
College football recap – Week 11
MOSES LAKE — As the college football playoff rankings start coming out every Tuesday, teams are starting to battle for a spot in the big dance. However, week 11 proved to be a destructive week for both top Washington football programs.
Leadership, talent drive Mavs to back-to-back state appearances
MOSES LAKE – On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks competed in the 4A state cross country meet. Head Coach Larry Dagnon said he was proud of the effort his runner put forth over the weekend. “We wished we had run faster, obviously, but you could just tell when it was all said and done... that was a fast group of people they were racing with,” Dagnon said.
Basin football roundup – Week 10
MOSES LAKE – Basin football has wrapped up district play, and a few teams are heading to their respective state tournaments. Over the next couple of weeks, they will compete in a series of win or go home games in the pursuit of a state title. See below which teams advanced and their current record.
Soap Lake Salutes Fun Run celebrates veteran contributions
SOAP LAKE — On Saturday, a 2K and 5K fun run was held at Smokiam Park in Soap Lake. The fundraiser event was aimed at raising more awareness around Veterans Day, said event organizer Britton Baker.
Mavs punch ticket to state with district playoff win
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (10-0) defeated the Issaquah Eagles 49-35 at home in the 4A district playoff game to advance to the state tournament. Lineman Theo Kalasountas said it felt good to get a postseason win at home.
Warriors defeated in season finale
MATTAWA – The Wahluke Warriors (2-8) finished their season with a 28-6 loss at home to the Grandview Greyhounds on Thursday. For Keaton Zirker, he was grateful to put on the pads and represent the Warriors one last time.
Longwill’s first year brings culture shift to Jacks football
QUINCY – On Oct. 30, the Quincy Jacks (1-8) finished their season with a loss to the Othello Huskies. Head Coach Seth Longwill still came out proud of the foundation his team built in his first year leading them.
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.
Basin soccer roundup Oct. 30 – Nov. 4
MOSES LAKE – District tournaments are well underway as multiple Basin teams are still competing for an opportunity to advance to the state tournament. In the last week some teams have fallen out while others are on the verge of earning a state tourney bid. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.
Soap Lake fun run to support veterans set for Saturday
SOAP LAKE – On Saturday, a 2k and 5k fun run is being held at 10 a.m. at Smokiam Park in Soap Lake. The fundraiser event is aimed at raising more awareness around Veteran’s Day, said event organizer Britton Baker.
COLUMN: Shaheed trade an underrated move
As defensive stars like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were getting traded out of New York, the Seattle Seahawks made an underrated move. They got an absolute speedster, Rashid Shaheed, from the New Orleans Saints for a fourth and fifth round draft pick in 2026.
Wahluke upsets Knights at Royal City
ROYAL CITY — The Wahluke Warriors (12-6) defeated the Royal Knights (13-4) 1-0 on Tuesday after outdueling them in overtime penalty kicks. It was a physical game from the beginning; Warriors Head Coach Cele Lopez said he was proud of the way his players stuck through it.
WA college football recap – Week 10
MOSES LAKE – October football has concluded, and several Washington college football teams are looking to take the next step in the last leg of the season. Some stumbled in week 10 while some get rest up on a bye week. See below how your favorite teams fared over the weekend and their current record.
Basin volleyball roundup Oct. 28 – Nov. 3
MOSES LAKE – The regular season for Basin volleyball has concluded and several teams are neck deep in district tournament competition. With eyes on a state tournament bid, many teams are hoping to peak at the right time. See below where your favorite team stands and their current record.
Lions defeat Eagles to extend win streak to five
MOSES LAKE — On Friday, the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian Lions (7-2) defeated the Soap Lake Eagles (2-6) 53-8 at home. Lions Head Coach Josh Kast said while the offense started hot, he was pleased with how the defense played as well.