MIKE MAYNARD
Recent Stories
Lady Jacks push past Prosser
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks defeated the Prosser Mustangs 58-24 Thursday at home as they try to finish the season strong. Head Coach Mark Kondo said his wrestlers did a good job in their win as they get ready for the postseason.
Jacks boys overcome early deficit to win at home
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks overcame a slow start against the Prosser Mustangs to earn a 40-29 league win at home. Head Coach Breck Webley was happy to his wrestlers come out victorious against a tough opponent.
Kast, Wardenaar lead Royal to win over Wahluke
MATTAWA — The Royal Knights (14-3) defeated the Wahluke Warriors (1-16) 70-22 Tuesday to take another win in the South Central Athletic Conference. Knights Coach Farrah Wardenaar is happy about the momentum her players are building.
Moses Lake Tribe qualifies for AAU state competition
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Tribe’s 6th grade Amateur Athletic Union basketball team has qualified for the state competition. Head Coach Tom Howard is happy with the experience his players are getting this season. “There’re five on five tournaments, and there's so many tournaments nowadays, a lot of them are state qualifiers, and if you get first or second in your grade division, you qualify for state. We've gotten second twice this year, which is awesome for our girls... and it just gives you confidence,” Howard said.
COLUMN: The Lady Vikings are making noise this season
I reluctantly want to call attention to some of the sentiments I heard about Big Bend Community College athletics when I first arrived in the Basin in the summer. I was told not to expect much out of them, and winning does not tend to be a thing for the Vikings.
Knights defeat Wahluke, extend win streak to four
MATTAWA — The Royal Knights (14-2) defeated the Wahluke Warriors (8-9) 76-43 Tuesday as they took another step toward top seeding in the South Central Athletic Conference. Head Coach Tim Ravet was happy with how his team passed the ball.
Decubber signs to Walla Walla CC
MOSES LAKE — Caitlin Decubber was all-smiles Tuesday as she signed her letter of intent to officially become the newest member of the Walla Walla Community College Warriors. She is continuing her career as a dual-sport athlete as she will play for the volleyball and softball teams.
Coyotes 14U go undefeated in Spokane tourney
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Coyotes 14U hockey team swept the competition 5-0 over the weekend to win the Frozen Face Off in Spokane. Despite a delayed start to their season, Head Coach Dan Niehenke was proud of how hard his team played.
Basin boys basketball roundup, Jan. 19 – 24
MOSES LAKE — The competition across the Basin is heating up as boys basketball can see the end of the regular season on the horizon. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.
Basin girls basketball roundup, Jan. 19 – 24
MOSES LAKE — As teams enter the final stretch of the regular season, not only are teams taking time to recognize their seniors, but many are battling for top seeding in their conferences. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.
Lady Vikings defend home court, sit atop East region
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings (19-2) defeated the Blue Mountain Community College Timberwolves 81-29 Saturday. Head Coach Preston Wilks said his players maintained their standard of play.
Quincy boys defeat Ephrata, 72-39
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (5-13) kept their postseason hopes alive after defeating the Ephrata Tigers (3-13) 72-39 Friday. Quincy Head Coach Scott Bierlink was proud of how his players came out energetic.
Jacks’ strong first half leads to victory over Tigers
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (4-13) defended home court after they defeated the Ephrata Tigers (2-14) 59-32 Friday. Head Coach Johan Farias was jovial to see his players earn a win over their rivals. “I feel excited, it's always great to go out there against your rivals and win like that, especially with the packed house. This was awesome for the girls,” Farias said.
Armendariz celebrates 100th win on senior night
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks girls wrestling squad defeated the Davis Pirates 54-22 Thursday while also taking the opportunity to celebrate Elyssa Armendariz for surpassing 100 match wins at Moses Lake.
Energetic start leads Mavs to victory on senior night
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks defeated the Davis Pirates 47-24 Thursday in their final home meet of the season. Head Coach Jose Tanguma was happy to see his seniors recognized before the dual began.
Wildcats baseball fourth in preseason poll
ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington Wildcats baseball squad was ranked fourth in the Greater Northwest Conference preseason poll Thursday, according to statement by GNAC.
Broncos defeated in final home duel
RITZVILLE — The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos fell to the Colfax Bulldogs 53-24 Wednesday. Despite the loss, Head Coach Jason Hilzer felt his wrestlers still competed hard.
COLUMN: Is Kenneth Walker ready to step up?
This Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks face their toughest test in the playoffs when they host the Los Angeles Rams. One of the major storylines heading into this matchup is running back Zach Charbonnet being ruled out, leaving Kenneth Walker to carry the load. Which raises the question, is he capable? In the modern world of the NFL, a lot of coaches preach the imperativeness of the run game. When effective, it can open up other strategies on offense, like play action. Passing lanes open up as defenses have to show respect to the threat in the backfield.
Huskies defeat Jacks in dual meet
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies boys and girls wrestling were victorious over the Quincy Jacks Tuesday. The boys won 43-31 while the girls won 52-21 as they push into the latter half of the regular season. “We're getting better on our feet,” Othello Girls Head Coach Sammy Rocha said. “One of the problems that we've had the last couple of weeks is (that) we're not attacking on our feet. We're playing too much defense. We're scoring okay on defense, but we're trying to get to the postseason when we're the first ones to score.” Both teams took to the mats simultaneously for a dual meet Tuesday. Both Huskie teams jumped out to a lead early and did not let up throughout the night. The boys were first to secure the team win.
Bierlink hits 2K points, as Jacks overcome Huskies
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (4-13) defeated the Othello Huskies (6-10) 77-52 Saturday as Pierce Bierlink hit 2,000 career points. “He's probably one of my hardest working players I've ever coached, and he's just a gym rat, he loves getting in there. I think he knew coming into the season that he's capable of scoring big points,” Head Coach Scott Bierlink said.
Men’s college basketball recap
MOSES LAKE — With each passing day, March hoops draws nearer. As Washington men's basketball teams start to make their push toward the postseason, see below how they have fared and where they stand. Gonzaga (19-1) The Zags are on a roll, winning their 12th straight game Saturday against Seattle University. Mario Saint-Supéry finished with 20 points, Jalen Warley scored 14 and Davis Fogle put up 13. The Bulldogs out-rebounded Seattle 44-24 as they sealed a 71-50 win. The Bulldogs are currently ranked as the eighth-best team in the nation, according to the Associated Press rankings. On average, the Zags’ best scorers have been Graham Ike with 18 per game and Braden Huff with 17 per game. Ike also averages eight rebounds per game, which leads the team this season.
Basin girls basketball roundup, Jan. 13 – 19
MOSES LAKE — Girls hoops has wrapped another week of competition as we surpass the halfway mark of the regular season. See below where your favorite teams stand and there current records.
Mavs unified hoops take the court
MOSES LAKE — Unified basketball is underway for the Mavericks as they faced the Othello Huskies Jan. 14, where Othello won 62-40. While in most sports winning is the key goal, for the Mavs and Huskies, it’s about having fun, Moses Lake High School Head Coach Sara White said.
Basin boys basketball roundup, Jan. 13 – 19
MOSES LAKE — High school hoops are well underway as local teams hit the hardwood last week. Several were tested on the road as they push further into league competition. Check below to see where your favorite teams stand and their current records.
Eagles defense earns statement win on the road
POCATELLO, IDAHO — The Eastern Washington Eagles (4-14, 2-3) defeated the Idaho State Bengals 84-66 on the road Saturday. Associate Head Coach Ryan Lundgren was proud of how the Eagles played from tip-off. “The key to this one was we came out very aggressive,” Lundgren said. “We knew they were a very aggressive team, and I thought we hit them with the first punch. They didn’t react very well there in the first half.” Isaiah Moses had a game-high 22 points. Alton Hamilton IV followed with 15 points and a team-best nine rebounds, while Kiree Huie and Johnny Radford each added 12. JoJo Anderson rounded out the scoring in double figures with 11 points, and Huie anchored the defense with three blocks.
Knights lose on buzzer beater at home
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (11-2) were defeated 88-84 by the Zillah Leopards after a buzzer beater three that also drew a foul. Despite the loss, Head Coach Tim Ravet said it was important his players experience a competitive game like this. “It was a good fight,” Ravet said. “It's games (like that) you got to play in that if you want to do something special at the end of the season, you got to have games like that. Obviously, we probably learned more from a loss than a win.”
Knights fall short at home
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (11-3) were defeated 60-42 by the Zillah Leopards in Royal City Friday. Despite the loss, Head Coach Farrah Wardenaar said they know they can compete with them. “They're a good team; the thing we need to focus on is that we can play with them. We need to change a few things, do a few things better, keep people out of foul trouble and we can hang with that team,” Wardenaar said.
Tigers rally from deficit to defeat Selah
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers defeated the Selah Vikings 51-30 on the road Thursday. Head Coach Raul Tejeda said the Vikings brought a tougher challenge to the Tigers this year. “First few matches (we) were kind of like, ‘This is going to be a tough duel.’ And it was, but we're pretty stacked on the middle weight to the heavyweight (classes). So that was kind of a sudden relief, but yeah, they're getting better and it was a good duel,” Tejeda said.
Lady Vikings sit atop region after win over Spokane
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Vikings (17-1) extended their win streak to eight after defeating the Spokane Sasquatch 74-43 Wednesday in Moses Lake. Despite a lull in the third quarter, Head Coach Preston Wilks said the team performed really well. “We ended the game on a real positive note, which is always good, because that can carry over to the next game, and our next game is super important,” Wilks said.
Eagles women's tennis eighth in preseason poll
CHENEY — The Big Sky Conference has released the 2026 womens tennis preseason coaches poll, with the Eastern Washington Eagles ranked eighth. According to a statement by EWU Athletics, they earned 19 points in voting.
BBCC mens basketball falls at home to Spokane
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings (8-10) were defeated 80-72 by the Spokane Sasquatches Wednesday. Despite another late rally, it came down to execution, Head Coach Jason Hopkins said. “It's the second game where our willingness to do the right thing consistently throughout the bulk of the game was really tested, and we failed that test,” Hopkins said. “We made some plays and we were able to make it a game, but a huge reason that we had to do that was because we weren't ready to execute in the way that we needed to, defensively early and offensively at stretches in the second half. We’ve got to do better.”
Tigers cheer qualifies for state competition
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers competitive cheer team has qualified for the state competition for the second consecutive season. Head Coach Heather Wood was elated to see her team qualify for second time in the three years they’ve had a competitive team.
Huskies defeat the Mavericks 45-30 on the mat
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies defeated the Moses Lake Mavericks 45-30 Tuesday, after a competitive meet that went back and forth all night. Huskies Head Coach Reuben Lopez told his team the first to 36 points wins.
COLUMN: Demond Williams, Jr. situation highlights transfer portal issues
On Jan. 2 the transfer portal opened in college football, and players from across the country flooded the pool to gauge interest from other schools. One situation that stands out so far surrounds University of Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr.
Mavs junior varsity off to undefeated start
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks junior varsity squad (12-0) is off to an undefeated start this season. Head Coach Ryan Carlstrom said team chemistry has played a role in their success this year. “We have two additional juniors on the JV team who were part of the program last year, but for the most part, it's almost the exact same freshman team as last year,” Carlstrom said. “They've had to blend in with this group of players who (have) been playing together for a long time, but they've done nothing but add to this group of players who are a pretty skilled group of kids and hard workers, and they've made my job very easy for the last couple of years.”
Basin girls basketball roundup, Jan. 6-12, 2026
MOSES LAKE — Girls high school basketball in the Basin continues this week as we head further into league competition. With another week down, see where your favorite teams stand and their current records.
Eagles rally to overcome Grizz
MISSOULA — Eastern Washington (8-8, 1-2) defeated the University of Montana, 65-58, rallying in the second half to get the road victory, according to a statement by EWU Athletics. “We are so proud of how the team bounced back to beat the Griz today after the heart-breaking OT loss on Thursday,” Head Coach Joddie Gleason said. “Road wins are extremely tough in the Big Sky (Conference) and our execution of the game plan today was tremendous.”
Knights win third straight home game
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (9-1) won their third straight game Saturday, defeating the Kiona-Benton Bears 90-42. Head Coach Tim Ravet said his players did a good job executing the defensive game plan. “When we don't reach and just stay sound on defense, keep things in front of us and get deflections. We're pretty solid on defense. It's when we get out over our skis and reach and lunge when we get beat, but we're trying to do a better job of that, so hopefully that'll start to carry over into big games,” Ravet said.
Wildcats take down the Vikings
ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington Wildcats (14-1) defeated the Western Washington Vikings (12-5) 75-58 Saturday to remain undefeated in the Greater Northwest Conference, according to a statement by CWU Athletics. The ‘Cats haven’t had a loss in conference play with their only setback this season being a nonconference game against California State Polytechnic University. Head Coach Randi Richardson said it was a well-rounded performance by her players, who secured their sixth straight win.
Vikings extend win streak after overtime win
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings (16-1) pulled off a competitive 66-62 win in overtime against the Treasure Valley Chukars Saturday. After a win like that, Head Coach Preston Wilks said he was filled with elation. “That was such a wonderful outcome. We knew it was going to be a dog fight. They're a talented team, and I'm just so proud of the way we played,” Wilks said.
BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Jan 12-19, 2026
MOSES LAKE — Local teams are in full swing of the second halves of their seasons. As they move forward, the competition across their respective leagues get tougher. See below where your favorite team is heading next.
Vikings fall short despite second half rally
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings (8-9) fell short at home to the Treasure Valley Chukars 77-88. Head Coach Jason Hopkins was humble in defeat.
Cougars grab late comeback to earn home win
WARDEN — The Warden Cougars (3-10) defeated the Granger Spartans 41-39 Friday after pulling off a second half comeback. For Head Coach Emily Cox, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. “Fun and not fun all the same time,” Cox said. “We kind of got ourselves in a hole in the first half, and at halftime, we just told them to keep battling and keep working hard and try and dig ourselves out of it, and the girls did. They came out and they battled.”
Cougars defend home court, beat Spartans 61-50
WARDEN — The Warden Cougars (6-5) snapped a three-game rut by defeating the Granger Spartans 61-50 Friday. Head Coach Brent Erdmann said his players fought hard to get back in the win column. “They've been battling all year. Any win is a good win for us right now. We had a pretty rough run for a little bit, to actually come back and get a (win) for these guys, we'll take it,” Erdmann said.
Knights boys grab three wins in Arizona
TEMPE, Ariz. — The Royal Knights (7-1) traveled to Tempe, Arizona in December to compete in a multi-day tournament. The Knights went 3-0 against the competition. They defeated Maryvale 83-6, Sacred Heart Prep 64-61 and Bear Creek 56-48.
Men's college basketball recap
MOSES LAKE — Men's basketball is well underway in Washington as several teams are battling it out in their respective leagues. See below where your favorite programs stand. Gonzaga (16-1) vs Loyola Marymount The Zags are currently on a nine-game win streak after defeating Loyola Marymount 82-47 Sunday.
COLUMN: The perfect path to the Super Bowl for the Seahawks
One of the best time periods of the sports calendar is here – playoff football. As the college football playoff semifinals conclude, fans from across the country can remain comfortable on the couch as wild card weekend kicks off for the NFL. 12 teams will battle it out on their respective ends of the bracket to earn a chance to play at least one more game. Most importantly, to inch closer to claiming football immortality by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara, California, the host of Super Bowl 60. As the top seed, the Seattle Seahawks will play the lowest remaining seed in the NFC after this weekend.
Wardenaar sinks 41 points as Knights earn blowout win
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (7-1) stormed the hardwood to defeat the Naches Valley Rangers 75-29 Tuesday. Head Coach Tim Ravet said the win was good to get the team back in a rhythm after suffering a loss earlier this week. “To come out and at least play inspired and hard was a good step in the right direction to get our wheels back underneath us, and hopefully continue to build (momentum), and to get ready for when we play them again,” Ravet said. After a steady start in the first quarter that saw the Knights take a 13-6 lead, they turned up the heat in the second quarter to take a commanding 29-9 lead over the Rangers. Strong paint presence by Grant Wardenaar and facilitating by Fischer Livingston helped Royal dominate on the court. In the second half, they continued to build that momentum by outscoring Naches Valley 46-20 to secure the win.
Defense powers Knights to statement win
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (9-2) defeated the Naches Valley Rangers 45-22 to bounce back into the win column Tuesday. After a strong performance in the paint, Graycie Kast was all smiles after earning her first home win as a Knight. “It feels good, (the community) brings the energy,” Kast said. The Knights capitalized on turnovers by the Rangers to build a strong lead in the first half. Kast drove the charge on offense by finding scores inside or drawing fouls to get to the free throw line. By halftime, Royal led 23-9. In the second half, they continued to impose their will on defense and widen the gap on the score board. Even when the Rangers found some momentum in the fourth quarter, the Knights defense was too much and they ultimately secured the win.
Basin girls basketball roundup, Dec. 30 – Jan. 5
MOSES LAKE — The halfway point of the season for girls basketball is upon us. As league play kicks off, every team is looking to make a run. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current records.